Suffolk County has adopted a new law creating a "no-spray" registry for people who do not want their property subject to adult mosquito control (aerosol and fog applications). Larval control (application to water that's breeding mosquitoes) is not included. Here's how it works:

• The law went into effect on August 19, 2001. For 2001, the law only applied to ground applications. A committee has been established to determine how to apply the law to airspray in 2002.
• A county resident must complete a "No Spray" request form and send it to Vector Control. The County has 20 work days after receipt of requests to place registrants on the list.
• The law requires Vector Control to "make a good faith effort to exclude each registrant's property by stopping adulticide spraying from trucks within 150 of either side of the registrant's property". Operationally, this will mean a cutoff on the street in front of the property and 150 feet on either side.
• The law does not apply to treatments conducted as a response to a public health emergency, as determined by the Commissioner of Health. That means that when treatment is needed to respond to West Nile Virus or other mosquito-borne disease, all properties in a treatment area will be covered. In such a situation, Vector Control will attempt to contact registrants in treatment area by telephone, but this cannot be guaranteed in a health emergency.
• Placement of a property on the registry may prevent effective mosquito control not only for the registrant but also the surrounding area. The "no-spray" areanot only excludes the registered property from adult mosquito control, but also some neighboring properties. A sufficient number of registrants in a community could prevent control in that community. Registrants should consider the effect of their decision on their neighbors.
• The registry is public information. Vector Control will make listings and/or maps of registered locations (minus names and telephone numbers) available to the public through the Internet and by other means. This will allow registrants to verify their status. It will also help inform households that are affected by the registry about their status. Names and other information may be available to the public via Freedom of Information or other applicable law.
• After August 19, 2001 the new registry replaced the previous registry that required a medical request. All "old" registrants were added to the new list for 2001, and do not need to renew until 2002. The beekeeper list is not affected.
• The registry will be canvassed prior to each spray season to determine which households want to maintain their status and to remove obsolete entries.
• Should you wish to be on the registry, you must fill out the attached form and return it to Suffolk Vector Control. Forms must be signed and contain all the required information. Accurate and complete information, including tax map number of the registered property, is essential to make the registry work. 

Go to the "No Spray" form- Form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print

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