Camp Pendleton conducts aerial droppings for mosquito control, West Nile Virus mitigation

Photo By 1st Lt. Charlotte Dennis | The Environmental Security Department aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton provides a map of the 2020 Camp Pendleton mosquito larvicide designated areas of operation.  

UNITED STATES

05.21.2020

Story by 2nd Lt. Charlotte Dennis 

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has a mission to protect its communities and the environment. Through mosquito control, the installation significantly reduces the risk of transmission of the West Nile Virus and encephalitis to people and animals.

“Camp Pendleton works hand-in-hand with our neighboring counties and stakeholders to share disease vector information and collaborate on surveillance-based control activities,” said Gabriel Goodman, the installation pollution manager and section head of the Environmental Security Department. Goodman is also the installation integrated pest management coordinator.

The Environmental Security Department aboard Camp Pendleton coordinates directly with the surrounding communities to share their research on several aspects of mosquito mitigation, notably on where the largest larva populations reside. With this information, the Environmental Security Department can focus their efforts on these areas to ensure the most effective management possible.

Aerial larvicide droppings are planned to cover 14 bodies of water for the year 2020 on the following days: May 22, June 19, July 17, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, and Oct. 9.

Camp Pendleton uses the same application process as the state of California. Through the hiring of contractors, the Environmental Security Department ensures the safe and successful aerial release of VectoMax FG, a group of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti) pellets that rids bodies of water of large pockets of larva.

The contractors must be certified through the state of California to perform aerial larvicide droppings, which is a comprehensive certification process required to perform this task anywhere in the state.

“These control activities stay focused on public health and safety, while ensuring we use the most sustainable approach to environmental management and stewardship in every facet of our integrated pest management program,” said Goodman.

Although there is no evidence that exposure to Bti is harmful to human health in the long term, there are strict National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance regulations that must be followed when conducting aerial larvicide droppings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the responsibility of ensuring agencies are compliant with NEPA policies, and Bti is an EPA registered larvicide.

There are also strict regulations within the Clean Water Act, specifically the section outlined as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPES.) According to the EPA, “NPES permits establish conditions under which discharges may legally occur, and are generally obtained from the permitting authority within the state where the discharge occurs.”

The EPA goes on to say that any mosquito control activity involving waters within the United States must meet NPES permit requirements. Since the contractors used on base are certified through the state of California, California is the permitting authority.

Department of Defense personnel have their own comprehensive certification process that ensures their ability to conduct after action reporting. This reporting is designed to guarantee that whenever aerial droppings are conducted, the installation knows how to determine that the proper amount was used, that no endangered species are adversely affected, and that the pellets were effective.

For a map of where these aerial dropping sites are, and for more information on Camp Pendleton mosquito mitigation, please visit: https://www.pendleton.marines.mil/About/Base-Information/Mosquito-Control/

• Date Taken: 05.21.2020
• Date Posted: 05.21.2020 19:26
• Story ID: 370606
• Location: US