www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 It’s rare to see activists seeking to restrict pesticides cheering for pesticide regulators. But on Monday, March 24, dozens of activists from all over the state gathered in Shafter, in the Central Valley, to cheer along the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for its launch of a new statewide notification system. “Today is a good day,” said Erika Alfaro, a public health nurse and a member of the Monterey County group Safe Ag Safe Schools, one of some 200 member organizations that comprise Californians for Pesticide Reform, at a livestreamed press conference. “This will allow farmworker communities to take precautions. I can tell my patients to close their windows, take down their clothes [from a line], to do the proper things to protect themselves and their families.” It’s not that pesticide usage— which chemical, on which crop, on how many acres—is a secret. Applying agricultural pesticides is a closely regulated activity in California, and in advance of usage, growers submit notices of intent to county ag commissioners within four days of an intended application. This all leads to publicly accessible data—but only after the fact. For years, farmworkers and organizers have been urging regulators to produce a notification system before the fact. The new system, called SprayDays, provides notifications of fumigant applications 48 hours in advance, and of other chemicals 24 hours in advance. As of Feb. 24, farmers must file notices of intent electronically to provide data to the system—otherwise, their process is unchanged. Users can view a live map, and have the option to sign up to receive emails or text messages at spraydays.cdpr.ca.gov. The map does not disclose the exact location but gives a 1-mile radius, and does not name the grower—steps that should assuage industry concerns. It’s an incredibly user-friendly, intuitive tech experience that paints a clear picture of what is happening where. On March 25, I could see pesticide applications planned overnight in Monterey County—the insecticide methomyl on 26 acres in Chualar and on 19 acres in Marina. (SprayDays lists all intended applications, not actual applications—notices of intent are just that, and may not proceed based on factors like weather or pest presence.) The tool was developed based on four 2022 pilots in communities around the state, including Watsonville. (Notably, Monterey County and Kern County are the only two counties that previously had advance notification tools.) DPR pitched the $10 million idea to state lawmakers in 2021, arguing the budget allocation would enhance transparency, health and safety, and environmental justice. In a statement accompanying the launch, DPR Director Karen Morrison said, “This system is a significant step forward for DPR in fostering awareness and transparency. We look forward to continuing to refine SprayDays with feedback and engagement from all Californians.” To that end, DPR will release a report in three years on the system’s effectiveness; a public comment period is coming later this year or early in 2026. “DPR encourages growers, applicators, all interested parties and the public to provide comments to… inform any future adaptations necessary to meet the goal of increased transparency and continued safe, legal pesticide use in California,” an info sheet from the agency reads. Of course, that’s where DPR’s goal diverges from activists, who may hope that more transparency leads to less pesticides. Those two divergent visions are exactly why transparency is so important. Will more information lead to more restrictions? Or will the public realize how prevalent chemicals are and get more comfortable with them? The answer remains to be seen. “What happens down the road is a question for the community,” says Cesar Lara, a labor leader and member of Safe Ag Safe Schools, who also spoke in Shafter. “The industry says everything is safe. If everything is safe, what’s the harm with information and knowledge?” Knowledge is power, and this is a major milestone in equipping the general public with knowledge. As members of Californians for Pesticide Reform chanted in Shafter, “si se pudo”—not yes we can, but yes we could. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Get the Drift California launches a first-ever statewide pesticide notification system. By Sara Rubin BIG LITTLE LAWSUITS…As they say on land, everyone poops, and the same thing is true in the sea. Luckily for Squid, it’s a well designed ecosystem and Squid does not have to pay a sewer bill. But for the 6,500-plus connections within Carmel Area Wastewater District, there are fees. The district last raised those fees three years ago, so ratepayers—who approved the increase via Proposition 218—had to get used to it. Not so for ratepayer Hunter Leighton, who objects to CAWD’s fee for accessory dwelling units, arguing it should be lower than full-size homes. Now he’s taking CAWD to small claims court over three years of fees, totaling $2,858.46, for his ADU, alleging the sewer district is violating Prop. 218 “in many ways.” Building an ADU, he tells Squid’s colleague, “You assume your taxes will go up a little bit, but not a large amount.” CAWD General Manager Barbara Buikema says she’ll be in court on May 15 to defend the district’s basic premise of setting then collecting fees. Meanwhile, Leighton has a second court date coming. On March 19 he filed his small claims case, plus another case at traffic court in Marina; he’s appealing a parking ticket issued by the City of Monterey in November. Funny how a working government—sewer systems, parking garages—costs money. So too does forcing public officials to show up in court. POOR POSER.…Squid knows most denizens of Monterey Bay pretty well, which is why Squid’s beak dropped when a supposed local sea creature was introduced as the new Monterey Bay Union FC mascot. The creature’s name is Kelpie but looks nothing like kelp, which has brownish-green blades and bulbs. Kelpie is primarily blue and has some sort of Medusalike “hair,” with bulging eyes, a bright green face and, for some weird reason, scaly fins. Kelpie inexplicably wears a brown hat. To Squid, Kelpie looks kind of like a blue and green version of Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ nonsensical, bright orange mascot. One local Reddit user called Kelpie a “West Coast Gritty.” Kelpie comes with its own faux backstory. Kelpie supposedly has been living amidst the kelp forests as a “proud protector” for centuries, but is also somehow made of kelp—in reality this algae is amazing, but not immortal. The team’s tale goes on to offer that Kelpie was so attracted to the “new and buzzing energy” at the Union games that Kelpie stepped on dry land for the first time to join the team. Squid only has this to say—borrowing from a famous vice presidential debate quote by Lloyd Benson to Dan Quayle: Squid has served with Monterey Bay’s creatures. Squid knows Monterey Bay’s creatures. Those creatures are Squid’s friends. You, Kelpie, are no such creature. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “If everything is safe, what’s the harm with information?” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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