On April 5th, Oakland's City Council voted unanimously to do an Environmental Impact Report to determine the safety of the proposed herbicide use in the Oakland Hills for fire prevention. This was decided in spite of the city attorney's urging to oppose it, as this ordinance could leave the city liable for its toxic effects on the health of application workers and the public. It is uncertain whether or not the council will vote again before implementing the ordinance if the EIR comes back in favor of it. Read more Jean Quan and her staff, who have been pushing for this ordinance, have been downplaying environmental concerns throughout this discussion. Read more in an April 4th Update

More information, including toxicological profiles, can be found on the East Bay Pesticide Alert Website | Indybay's Coverage of the leadup to the 3/22 City Council Meeting | Indybay's 1/26 Story about Oakland and Herbicides