Home » Toxins » Pesticide Exposure »

Villagers express concerns about pesticide spray

Nov 7, 2007 | Jennifer Smith | Alamogordo Daily News

Flights releasing a bacterial pesticide passed over the Village of Cloudcroft and surrounding areas Monday and Tuesday. The action was intended to eradicate a fir looper infestation in the Village and the surrounding public and private lands.

"We heard the airplanes pass over (the school) a lot of times," a student said of Monday's scheduled spraying. "One was really loud," he said.

"I could smell and taste it," said another elementary school student.

Many children's parents kept their children at home during the spraying over the schools on Monday.

"I only had eight people in my history class," said one high school student, "and only four in my German class."

"I got a text message from someone saying everyone should stay home during the spraying on Monday," said another student.

Efforts were made at the schools Monday to keep the children protected from exposure.

"The campus was closed for lunch today," said one of the high school students. "We were not allowed to go outside at all."

Martin Moore, county commissioner, responded Tuesday morning to parent complaints that the spraying was too near the children playing outside in the school yard.

"As far as we know, they have been spraying forest service land outside of the village boundaries, but that doesn't mean that (the pesticide) didn't drift," Moore said. "I know that everything is computer controlled as far as the spray, but I haven't gotten the final debriefing from the pilots as to what was going on."

Moore explained as a precautionary measure, they have decided to keep the children indoors until the last plane has landed in Alamogordo.

"The National Pesticide Information Center suggests the following to minimize contact with the spray: Stay inside for 30 minutes after the spray. Do not allow children to play outside until moisture has dried," according to an informational e-mail sent out by the Village on Friday.

Cloudcroft Mayor Dave Venable said he believes that the pesticide did not pose any threat to the children playing outside at the schools.

"The spraying is over and done," he said Tuesday.