2010 News

June 24, 2010

Pennsylvania DEP Officials to Conduct Black Fly Spraying Along Delaware River Basin on Fri., June 25

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as an ongoing public safety measure of its environmental treatment program, will conduct a black fly suppression operation on Friday, June 25, 2010, beginning at 10 a.m. in Portland, PA. It will continue south throughout the day. Aerial spraying will be conducted in Northampton and Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania and Warren, Hunterdon, and Mercer Counties in New Jersey, weather permitting.

Helicopter Applicators of Gettysburg, PA is the scheduled contractor. A Bell 206B-III helicopter with tail number N302MG will be used to treat the area. The chemical VECTOBAC 12AS, which will be applied to the waterways, is intended to reduce the numbers of adult black flies that hatch from the rivers and streams. This product is a brown, slightly sticky liquid with an odor resembling fish oil. The active ingredient in VECTOBAC is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) which is a naturally occurring soil bacterium and not a synthetic pesticide. A product label and MSDS are available upon request. VECTOBAC is applied perpendicular to the stream flow in multiple locations along the rivers and/or streams. The discharge comes from a boom arm attached to a large tank mounted underneath the helicopter.

Residents should be advised that several landing sites may be used during this operation. These sites may include: Reliant Energy Portland, Upper Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co.; Berry Hollow Road Farm, Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co.; Braden Airpark (Easton Airport) Forks Twp., Northampton Co.; Riegelsville Borough Park, Riegelsville Borough, Bucks Co.; Erwinna/Delaware Valley Fire Co. Tinicum Twp., Bucks Co.; and Thorpe Farm, Upper Makefield Twp., Bucks Co. The Delaware River will be treated between Slateford, PA (Columbia, NJ) and Yardley, PA (Trenton, NJ). The DEP advises residents that the Tohickon Creek will not be treated at this time due to extremely low water levels in the creek.

For additional information about black fly suppression, please visit the website http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/blackfly.