"Without the Western Environmental Law Center’s help and expertise, we would not have been able to do what we did."

Helen Reddout, Co-Founder and President, Community Association for Restoration of the Environment

In the spring of 2003, the Western Environmental Law Center helped a local organic dairy farmer stop aerial spraying and curtail truck spraying for adult mosquitoes in Gem County, Idaho.  The Mosquito Abatement District (MAD is the appropriate acronym) had aerially sprayed mosquito adulticides such as Dibrom over farms, homes and waterways for decades.  When we sent our notice of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act in June 2003 the aerial spraying stopped and has not resumed.  In July 2006 a settlement agreement was filed with the court which prohibits any further aerial spraying for at least five years and prohibits truck spraying within 300 feet of some waterways and 150 feet of other major waterways.  The MAD will have decreased its overall use of mosquito adulticides by as much as 80% while reducing man-made mosquito breeding habitat and implementing more responsible management.