The vote came after some members of the committee expressed concerns about spraying effectiveness and impact on other forms of aquatic life.
by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — A resolution authorizing Burlington County to provide aerial mosquito spraying over township wetlands failed when a majority of the Township Committee opted not to support the pact.
Mayor Stephen Benowitz, Deputy Mayor Jim Cann and Committeewoman Jill Popko voted against the resolution.
Councilmen Richard Carson and John Moniyhan voted in favor.
The vote came after a discussion was held between the governing body and Erin Nooney, of the county health department.
The discussion was prompted after some members of the committee previously expressed concerns about spraying effectiveness and impact on other forms of aquatic life.
Mr. Nooney, however, stated the sprayings remain effective and that they haven’t seen indications other aquatic life are impacted.
”It does work, it does kill mosquito larvae,” he said. “We haven’t had any indications of resistance at all from any of our treating areas.
”We don’t indiscriminately spray. We go out in the area, we sample, bring mosquitoes back to the lab, make sure they’re mammal biters that are going to bite people, make sure they’re in the proper stage and then we treat the area based on what we find from that,” he added.
Committeewoman Popko also requested they provide the township with their statistical data from previous sprayings to which Mr. Nooney consented.
She also said she found a cooperative study from Cornell University, Michigan State, Oregon State and the University of California at Davis that she said reveals the chemical used does have an “acute” effect on aquatic life as well as the dragonfly.
She also maintained that the chemical kills bees.
Mr. Nooney said he was unaware of the study.
Deputy Mayor Cann also requested the county increase its community outreach in terms of informing residents of ways to avoid the Tiger Mosquito.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Benowitz, who said he voted against the sprayings last year, reiterated his stance against the measure.
”The effectiveness in controlling mosquito-borne illnesses in New Jersey has not been proven,” he said.
Mr. Nooney said other county mosquito abatement efforts would continue to be utilized.
The matter was previously discussed at the March 10 Township Committee meeting, where Committeewoman Popko and Deputy Mayor Cann said the county representatives had previously acknowledged ineffectiveness of spraying.
”It was, in their own words, not working anymore, that the (chemical used in the) spray had passed its life span, that it wasn’t effecting the mosquitoes,” she said. “So it seems to me that not only is it a waste of money and time, but as I said last year, it’s giving our residents a false sense of security.”
Mr. Nooney was invited at Committeeman Moynihan’s suggestion.
After the March 10meeting, Eve A. Cullinan, director of the Burlington County Health Department, told the Register News that aerial sprayings, do not target Tiger Mosquitoes, affirming Deputy Mayor Cann’s prior comments about the insects breeding in confined spaces.
However, she said the aerial spraying is effective for addressing other mosquito species.
”The (aerial spraying) helps us control our native species, which can carry viruses and diseases,” she said, noting the native mosquitoes also present a nuisance issue to residents.
For more information on county mosquito abatement efforts, as well as other educational materials, visit www.co.burlington.nj.us/mosquito.

