Light Brown Apple Moth Eradiction Program

Light Brown Apple Moth Eradiction Program

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (Department) is preparing a Programmatic EIR to evaluate effects of implementation of eradication strategies and methods for the light brown apple moth (LBAM) in portions of the state where infestations have been identified by trapping programs to date. The LBAM attacks at least 2,042 different plants including many agricultural, horticultural, and forest species of great economic and ecological value. The Department is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop the most effective strategy and methods to achieve the overall goal of eradication of LBAM from California. Preliminary actions were undertaken as emergency actions in 2007 in the Monterey-Santa Cruz area. Additional actions are proposed for the Monterey-Santa Cruz area and the San Francisco Bay Area in 2008. Depending upon the success of these initial actions, subsequent eradication activities would be scheduled for 2009 and beyond. Because the LBAM is a new pest to the North American Continent that affects a broad range of plants (at least 2,042 plants including native plants, forest species, agronomically important crops, and ornamentals), both APHIS and the Department have taken immediate action to eradicate LBAM from California to prevent its spread to susceptible host plants throughout the United States and neighboring Mexico and Canada. The pest is prolific, and the number of generations produced in a growing season varies from one to more than four (depending on environmental conditions). Because the LBAM infestations are local or regional, the overall strategy is to eradicate the pest rather than control. A final Action Plan was approved on February 8, 2008.

Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Solano

California Coastal Commission (CCC), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, District 5 (DOT), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), Department of Pesticide Regulation, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Water Resources, Resources Agency, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality

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