SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Some Oregon lawmakers have revived an effort to limit aerial herbicide spraying on private timberlands by placing mandatory “no-spray” buffers around houses and schools.
The Eugene Register-Guard reports (https://bit.ly/1K9Bcv1 ) that Democrats Thursday added an amendment to a bill that would prohibit aerially applying herbicides within 60 feet of a private home or school.
Such a mandate would be stricter than California’s law, which doesn’t have the mandated buffers, but more lenient than regulations in Washington and Idaho.
Rural residents have long been worried about the health impact of aerial spraying on private timberlands. The practice garnered widespread attention when a helicopter mistakenly directly sprayed several homes on Gold Beach in 2013.
Strong opposition from the timber industry helped kill more far-reaching reforms proposed by lawmakers earlier this year.
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Information from: The Register-Guard, https://www.registerguard.com
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