The Mosquito Control for the Twenty-First Century Task Force was tasked by the legislature to study the state’s current approach and recommend a new and improved management structure by March 2022. Now, the Task Force is ready to present draft recommendations on various aspects of mosquito management.
On February 10, 2022 from 4 – 6 PM the Task Force will hold a public listening session to receive comments on these draft recommendations.
That’s where you come in! Please join us in advocating for more responsible, less toxic mosquito management for our state. Public participation is crucial to developing a new system that protects public health while maintaining healthy ecosystems.
The draft recommendations are posted online, and will be updated as new documents emerge.
The draft recommendations are posted online, and will be updated as new documents emerge.
There are several ways to get involved:
1) Sign up to speak at the listening session >> Speaking time is limited to 3 minutes per person.
2) Written comments about the draft recommendations will be accepted through 5pm on February 14, 2022.
3) Watch the listening session to show the task force that there’s public interest in reforming our current system. Sign up to watch here >>
Please seriously consider signing up to deliver oral comments. This is super critical to the process. Task Force members need to hear directly from concerned members of the public!
- Find more details about this listening session, including talking points on the action page of MASSQuito Coalition partner, Mass Rivers Alliance (from which most of this alert copy was borrowed from).
- Find more talking points on ecological mosquito management more generally on the MASSQuito Coalition site.
On January 26, 2022, Senator Adam Hinds, Representative Dr. Tami Gouviea and the MASSquito Coalition hosted a legislative briefing about the need for ecologically sound mosquito disease management program for our Commonwealth. WATCH/SHARE THE VIDEO, HERE.
Also: “what’s up with the community opt-out process?…”
As of Feb. 1, 2022, The State’s website for “Application for Municipality Opt-Out of SRMCB Spraying” still contains the following “UPDATE”“The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs completed its review of applications for the 2021 season, and decisions were announced in July. This program is now closed for 2021 season. Guidance will be forthcoming for the 2022 season. If you have any further questions, please direct them to EEAopt-out@mass.gov.
”We strongly encourage all interested parties to contact the above email asking when we should expect that guidance, and to request to be added to the list for immediate notification when guidance is released. “
Also of note (shout out to Senator Jo Comerford!): On January 19th, Senator Comerford issued this letter to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs regarding the mosquito spraying local opt-out process.