Press Releases
Voice of OC posts press releases as a way of providing readers with information directly from businesses, cities, county and state agencies, political organizations and nonprofits. We do not edit or rewrite press releases. We allow readers to comment on releases, and we encourage readers to contact the originator of a given release for more information. To submit a press release email engagement editor Julie Gallego at jgallego@voiceofoc.org.
OCMVCD Statements:
The aerial application scheduled for September 9-10, 2015 has been cancelled. No aerial applications have been conducted or will be conducted for the remainder of the 2015 mosquito season.
OCMVCD has received notification that the permitting process to enter restricted airspace over Orange County can take up to five business days. If granted, the District would have to reinstate our notification process to all affected communities and municipalities.
In respect to requests by the public to be afforded more time to receive this information and get answers to any concerns or general inquires about the application, the District would have to extend the pre-flight notification period.
This series of events would significantly delay the applications. This delay would diminish the goal of reducing adult mosquito populations during peak West Nile virus transmission period.
In consideration of these factors, aerial applications are no longer planned for the 2015 season.
The District asks that the public remains vigilant with personal protective clothing and mosquito repellents. Inspect your yard for standing water after the recent rainfall where mosquitoes can breed.
Refer to the OCMVCD (www.ocvcd.org) website for more information about West Nile virus and the shared responsibility of vector control.
Clarke/Dynamic Aviation Statements:
The safety of any mosquito control operation is our primary concern, and appropriate communications with regulatory bodies is of paramount importance.
Dynamic Aviation, the subcontracted flight services provider for the operation, was not able to secure final permission for the federal Temporary Flight Restriction over approximately half of the established spray block. As we could not safely recommend flight operations in that area without the requisite permits, we recommended to OCMVCD to delay the operation.
The contractors in the operation failed to meet the expectations of Orange County Mosquito & Vector Control.