County weighs remedies for moth

Sonoma County supervisors indicated Tuesday that Sonoma Valley residents and grape growers are better off accepting chemical-laced twist ties to avoid aerial spraying in the fight against the light brown apple moth.

"Ending its spread is of key importance," said north county Supervisor Paul Kelley. "The proposal for twist ties is a low environmental impact solution."

Debate over the use of twist ties -- 8-inch-long devices that resemble a pre-schooler's attempt at tree ornaments -- brought comments from more than two dozen speakers over 2½ hours Tuesday.

Supervisors, who took no formal vote, heard arguments on both sides of the controversy over whether infusion of the device with a synthetic pheromone designed to attract and confuse male apple moths constituted a health risk.

Several residents of a 15-square-mile area from western Sonoma north to Eldridge told supervisors they feared the synthetic chemical substance would be transmitted to children climbing trees where the ties were hanging, to animals and to the groundwater system.

"It's a 24-hour a day exposure, every breath they take," said Suzanne Gitti-Ring, who is a resident of the area in which two light brown apple moths have been found. "I would have to keep my children out of trees for two years."

Several Sonoma Valley grape growers, whose grapes are among the 2,500 acres of vineyards under state quarantine because of the pest discovery, said they are already using organic and non-organic pesticides to prevent damage to their crops.

"We are at the 23rd hour and this is a tremendous economic impact on 2,500 acres that could be worth $75 million in gross sales," said Steve Hill, whose family's grapes lie in the quarantine area. "The risk of doing nothing is truly significant. It is different than growing tomatoes in Turlock."

The lengthy hearing on twist ties was largely informational for concerned residents and growers because state agricultural authorities have the power to combat infestations. Concerns over use of aerial pesticide spray have prompted about three dozen city or county governments to adopt resolutions opposing the state's use of moth bombardment.

Recalling the decades-old controversy over spraying to combat the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ann Maurice of the Ad Hoc Committee for Clean Water, said: "If it is possible to use synthetic substance to disrupt the mating patterns of the moth, it would be better because aerial spraying should go out with high button shoes."

Twist ties have been used in other Bay Area counties to combat the spread of the insect, which came originally from Australia and New Zealand and which state and federal agriculture officials say poses a threat to California's crops and native plants. Potentially affected are 250 species of wine grapes, ornamental plants and trees such as redwoods and Douglas firs.

Organic farmers in Sonoma County have been using twist ties for at least a decade without any problems or suffering loss of their organic designation, said Nick Frey, director of the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission. Frey said vineyard operators worry about being under quarantine that might make their grapes harder to sell, less desirable and less valuable. "If we can keep the pest out, we avoid the environmental cost and damage of quarantine," Frey said.

John Connell, director of the state Food and Agricultural Department's plant, health and pest prevention division, said the state program will involve placement in trees of about 250 twist ties per acre. He said the state is awaiting an opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the effect of twist ties on endangered or threatened species before starting the program, which could take about 30 days.

He conceded that residents could refuse permission to place twist ties on trees on their property. However, he added, "if they want to refuse, they could, but ultimately the program breaks down."

Sonoma Valley Supervisor Valerie Brown said she acknowledged residents' concern about the program, but felt it represented a lesser risk than aerial spraying, especially if farmers and grape growers are already spraying to keep the pest off their crops. "What does concern me is not doing anything," said Brown.