Council members report findings about Dimilin

Councilwoman Emily Ingram JACKSON- The Township Council is calling on the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to treat stateowned lands for gypsy moth infestation.

The council voted 5-0 on Dec. 26 on a resolution that also calls for adequate funding for gypsy moth suppression programs in order to minimize costs to taxpayers on the local level.

The resolution states that Jackson has experienced significant defoliation and destruction in forests and neighborhood trees as a result of gypsy moths.

The resolution notes that the state refused to treat its own land in Jackson for several years in the past, and explains that the lack of treatment by the state has severely increased the gypsy moth population within the township. It notes that defoliation increases the risk of forest fires.

Recent debate about targeting gypsy moths has focused on the potential use of two products: Dimilin or bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

Councilwoman Emily Ingram said she has researched Dimilin and wanted to share her research. She did not say whether she believes Dimilin should be used on the gypsy moths.

"Dimilin kills larvae by disrupting the growth," Ingram said. "It is used to control gypsy moth populations and [certain other insects] in cotton, soybeans, etc. No human effects are likely from exposure to Dimilin as it is used in pesticide treatment programs."

Ingram said Dimilin is absorbed or eaten by animals and is quickly broken down and excreted and does not accumulate in the body. She said Dimilin does not run into streams and rivers during rain storms and is not taken up by plant roots. It is, however, persistent on leaf surfaces and may remain in the leaf for at least one year after spraying.

"Animals such as, cows, sheep, goats, horses, birds, wildlife, earthworms, mollusks and mammals are not affected by exposure to Dimilin," she said. "Dimilin is not toxic to fish."

She sited Virginia Department of Health toxicologist Ram K. Tripathi as the source of her information.

Ingram also sited research from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Councilman Scott Martin said, "I have spoken to representatives fromMaryland, Ohio and West Virginia. [I wanted to find out] what their experiences have been with Dimilin, both positive and negative."

He said Ohio began using Dimilin five years ago and has had good success with it.

"Maryland has been using Dimilin as part of their gypsy moth suppression for over 25 years with tremendous success," the councilman said. "In 2007, 64 percent of the areas sprayed with Dimilin had a success rate of 80 percent or better compared to 14 percent in areas where Bt was used. In fact, 74 percent of the areas sprayed with Bt had a success rate of 33 percent or less, compared to 17 percent for Dimilin."

Martin said he asked Bob Tichenor, the chief of forest pest management, if there were any reported health problems and was told there were no reported health problems.

"I also asked if there had been a problem with bees being adversely effected and he said no," Martin said.

West Virginia has been using Dimilin since 1983, having sprayed 992,463 acres in that year, he said.

"Again with great success and no reported health problems," Martin said. "I also asked if there had been a problem with a reduction in the bee population and again the answer was no."

The councilman said Dimilin is more cost effective at about one-third the cost and Dimilin, like Bt, is eligible for cost sharing through the federal government.

Martin said he would likeMayorMark Seda to apply for a waiver to be able to use Dimilin as part of the aerial spray program.

"Failing that, I would need to learn more about the ground spraying program the mayor has discussed before I can make a judgment as to whether or not this would be a proper course of action," the councilman said.

During the public comment portion of the meeting resident Paul Mayerowitz said he agreed with the council regarding the gypsy moth resolution, but asked what can be done about Ocean County.

"The county has Patriots Park (Bowman Road)," Mayerowitz said. "That's 200 acres. Last year they did not spray and the year before that they did not spray Patriots Park."

Mayerowitz said that is an area that needs to get covered and said the county should be spraying.

"If we spray, whichever program, we're going to have a pocket," he said. "Patriots Park will be devoid of leaves, because nobody sprayed. Last year Ocean County sprayed only one, Ocean County Park in Lakewood."

Mayerowitz also mentioned nearby federal installations at Fort Dix and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst and asked if personnel at those locations spray for gypsy moths.

"We need to focus on what the U.S. military is doing because I don't think the gypsy moths know which is Jackson and which is Manchester," he said.

Resident Mike Kafton asked if the council's recommendation to the state was for the use of Dimilin.

Council PresidentAnn Updegrave said neither Bt or Dimilin was recommended.

Kafton said no one called the state DEP.

"You don't care what the state sprays," he said. "You're sending out a resolution that pretty much doesn't say 'we want you to spray Dimilin, because we've done all our research and we believe it's more effective and we want to protect the land in Jackson that the state owns.' I don't think you put that in that resolution."

Councilman Angelo Stallone said the Shade Tree Commission, on Dec. 12, asked the state to look into spaying Dimilin in Jackson.

Kafton said the issue has not gone away because Dimilin is questionable.

Ingram said she believes that asking the state to do something is better than not doing anything at all.

"I urge you to not make the decision to use Dimilin based only on the fact that it can wipe out more caterpillars or more gypsy moths than Bt, because this is a health decision," Kafton said.

He asked the council to invite a representative of the DEP to a meeting to get the department's opinion.

After the meeting the Tri-Town News contacted both military bases.

Fort Dix spokeswoman Carolee Nisbet said they do spray in some areas of the installation and they hit the areas where the infestation was the most obvious.

"They do not spray the entire installation and do not have the ability to do that" at this time, Nisbet said. "Fort Dix is 50 square miles and that's a lot of bug spray."

NAES Lakehurst spokesman Lawrence Lyford said, "Environmentally, we cooperate with the municipalities. We sprayed twice last year."

Lyford said he was not certain what chemical was used in the gypsy moth spraying, but said whatever the Navy personnel did was done with a high level of concern for the environment.