BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 896
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 30, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Anthony Rendon, Chair
AB 896 (Eggman) - As Introduced: February 22, 2013
SUBJECT : Wildlife Management Areas; Mosquito Abatement
SUMMARY : Reenacts provisions of law requiring best management
practices for control of mosquitos in wildlife management areas
that previously sunsetted. Specifically, this bill :
1)States the Legislature's intent to control mosquito production
on managed wetland habitat that is owned by the Department of
Fish and Wildlife (DFW) in a manner that: protects waterfowl
and other wildlife values; minimizes financial costs to DFW;
reduces the need for chemical treatments; increases
communication between DFW, local mosquito abatement and vector
control districts, and the Department of Public Health; and
protects humans and animals from vector-borne diseases such as
West Nile virus.
2)States legislative findings and declarations that implementing
mosquito prevention best management practices on managed
wetland habitat is critical to DFW's effort to reduce mosquito
production on its wildlife management areas.
3)Requires a mosquito abatement and vector control district
whose boundaries include one or more wildlife management areas
to periodically or at least semiannually notify DFW of those
areas that exceed locally established mosquito population
thresholds, of associated mosquito control costs, and the
basis for the thresholds. Authorizes the Department of Public
Health to review the thresholds and costs for conformity to
generally acceptable mosquito control standards.
4)Requires DFW in any wildlife management areas identified as
exceeding the thresholds identified in 3) above to do all of
the following:
a) Identify best management practices that will reduce
mosquito populations below the locally established
threshold value while maintaining and enhancing waterfowl
and other wildlife values of the habitat.
b) Develop and implement a mosquito control plan, in
consultation with the local mosquito abatement and vector
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control district that applies best management practices
and any other necessary management practices at each
applicable wildlife management area.
c) Work to secure any necessary funding through the
Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) or other sources if
capital improvements or other infrastructure are required
to implement the best management practices.
d) Develop an annual work plan each Spring, in
consultation with the local mosquito abatement and vector
control district, for each wildlife management area that
specifies intended management activities for each unit
and employs best management practices to the extent
practicable.
e) Implement best management practices referenced in
the annual work plan to the greatest extent possible,
recognizing unanticipated modifications may be necessary
due to other factors and may require alteration of
wetland management plans.
f) Meet with the local mosquito abatement and vector
control district each summer to coordinate fall flooding
of managed wetland habitat at each applicable wildlife
management area and, if chemical treatment is necessary,
conduct post-fall flooding meetings to discuss refinement
of practices.
g) Authorizes DFW to consult with the Department of
Public Health, if the wetland occupies land outside the
jurisdiction of a mosquito abatement and vector control
district, to determine which best management practices
can be implemented.
5)Requires a mosquito abatement and vector control district
whose boundaries include a wildlife management area, in
consultation with DFW, to do all the following:
a) Develop standardized monitoring procedures for
mosquito surveillance for each managed wetland habitat at
each wildlife management area, and provide a copy of the
procedures to DFW. Authorizes the Department of Public
Health to review the procedures for conformity with
generally accepted mosquito control standards.
b) Conduct posttreatment monitoring of wildlife
management areas and develop performance criteria to
document mosquito control effectiveness.
c) Provide an annual report to DFW specifying the types
and quantities of pesticides used, types of habitats
sprayed, and the total number of acres treated in a
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wildlife management area. Requires that the annual
report also include recommendations for the refinement of
best management practices to reduce the need for any
chemical treatment or other nonecological control.
6)Defines various terms for purposes of this bill.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the formation of local mosquito abatement and
vector control districts, and authorizes the districts to
conduct programs for the surveillance, prevention, abatement
and control of mosquitos and other vectors. States the
Legislature's intent that the districts cooperate with other
public agencies to protect the public health, safety and
welfare, and to protect the public from vectors and pathogens
such as West Nile virus.
2)Authorizes DFW to protect, restore, rehabilitate, and improve
fish and wildlife habitats, and to manage wetlands and other
wildlife management areas under DFW's jurisdiction.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill would reenact provisions of prior law
regarding best management practices for mosquito control in
managed wetland wildlife habitat areas which inadvertently
sunsetted in 2010. The prior law was enacted through AB 1982
(Wolk), Chapter 553, Statutes of 2004. This bill would reenact
the provisions of AB 1982 verbatim, with the absence of the 2010
sunset.
As was described in the analysis of AB 1982, this bill
reconciles two potentially conflicting state policies: the
promotion and maintenance of wetlands habitat for waterfowl and
other native wildlife, and the protection of humans and wildlife
from vector borne diseases carried by mosquitos, such as West
Nile virus. AB 1982 called for the development and
implementation of ecological controls, known as best management
practices (BMPs), in wildlife areas that can reduce the need for
chemical treatment while also controlling mosquito populations
below established thresholds. The BMPs include management
strategies that rely more on the timing of flooding, vegetation
control work, and other habitat practices, rather than on
spraying alone. Use of BMPs also reduces costs for both
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wildlife area managers and mosquito abatement districts.
With the enactment of AB 1982, the mosquito abatement and vector
control districts found that implementation of the BMPs in
cooperation with DFW produced significant benefits, including
but not limited to, better control of mosquito populations and a
reduction in necessary pesticide applications. Progress reports
issued on implementation and monitoring of BMPs in the Yolo
Bypass Wildlife Area and on Grizzly Island showed very few
problems were encountered and the BMPs did work to reduce
mosquito numbers. Overall, the numbers of acres requiring
treatment with pesticides was reduced in areas where the BMPs
were implemented. The districts would like to continue these BMP
projects with DFW, which this bill would allow.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (sponsor)
Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
Burney Basin Mosquito Abatement District
Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District
California Special Districts Association
City of Alturas
Colusa Mosquito Abatement District
County of Santa Cruz
Delta Vector Control District
Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District
Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District
Lake County Vector Control District
Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District
Merced County Mosquito Abatement District
Orange County Vector Control District
Pine Grove Mosquito Abatement District
Placer Mosquito & Vector Control District
Sacramento Mosquito & Vector Control District
San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District
Solano County Mosquito Abatement District
Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District
Sutter-Yuba Mosquito & Vector Control District
Tehama County Mosquito and Vector Control District
Turlock Mosquito Abatement District
Opposition
AB 896
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None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096