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Saturday Morning News

West Nile Virus Puts New York Government, Environmentalists at Odds

Aired July 22, 2000 - 9:14 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Which is the larger problem, mosquitoes or the pesticides used to kill them? In New York, the answer varies depending upon whom you ask. But as the city struggles to maintain control over the mosquito-transmitted West Nile virus, the biggest bug may be the dispute between city leaders and environmentalists.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New York City's mayor is blasting state and federal officials, saying their restrictions on pesticide spraying near water is hurting the city's efforts to control the West Nile virus.

MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK CITY: The reality is that danger to human life is more important than birds, fish, and insects. And the reality is that they should be approving spraying in lakes that are in areas in which we have found birds that are infected.

FEYERICK: When it comes to lakes and wetlands, the federal government bans insecticide within 100 feet because it can be toxic to water life. Traces of mosquito poison turned up in two clusters of dead fish last year.

A scientist, conservationist Ellen Pratt, said such spraying hurts the ecosystem, including the very creatures that prey on mosquitoes.

ELLEN PRATT, CONSERVATIONIST: It poisons the fish, which eat the mosquito larvae. It poisons the turtles, which eat the mosquito larvae.

FEYERICK: New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation says it's working with the city but admits its hands are tied until the federal government changes pesticide laws.

(on camera): The New York City Health Department says it has weighed the mosquito problem against the possible side effects of insecticide spraying. A spokesperson says mosquitoes are the bigger threat. (voice-over): And despite the city's assurances that people are not in danger from mosquito poison, spraying opponents have sued the city, charging it with breaking federal law by exposing people to pesticide.

KARL COPLAN, ATTORNEY, NO-SPRAY COALITION: Because involuntarily exposing millions of people to pesticide is a far worse health threat than West Nile virus.

FEYERICK: And despite pressure from New York City, the state's conservation agency is digging in, saying it's still illegal to spray close to water, even though it may be where mosquitoes breed.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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