Contacts:
Donn Moyer, Communications Office 360-236-4076
Karin Frinell-Hanrahan, Communications Office 360-236-4078

OLYMPIA ¾ Warmer weather ahead and the coming mosquito season brings a new initiative by the Washington State Department of Health to help communities protect themselves from mosquito-borne disease, including West Nile virus (WNV). The agency has applied for a statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit from the Department of Ecology allowing use of certain pesticides for aquatic mosquito control.

The discovery last year of horses and birds infected with WNV confirmed the arrival of the disease in Washington state. The state Department of Health is working closely with local health departments and mosquito control districts on surveillance efforts and mosquito control options.

The statewide permit would allow local authorities to use insecticides that target mosquito larvae in water, primarily Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. This larvicide is also known as Bti, and is applied directly to surface water for mosquito control. Bti is a naturally occurring bacterium that is commonly found in soils around the world.

The state health department’s goal is to coordinate the permit requirements in cooperation with the state Ecology and Agriculture departments, which have responsibility for pesticide regulation and protecting water quality. We are working on a system to take applications on line to make the approval process more efficient. Our West Nile virus Web site (www.doh.wa.gov/WNV) has more information. The permit application is open for public comment through April 24, 2003. To comment on the permit application, contact Kathleen Emmett, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA, 98504-7600. mailto:Kemm461@ecy.wa.gov.

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Contact Information for the Department of Health

Last Update : 12/18/2006 11:07 AM
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