News Briefs
June 2, 2017
IN THIS ISSUE...

Jobs

Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Job Board at www.mvcac.org

 

Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org?  

Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) should be submitted to the webmaster at rhickerson@amgroup.us.

 
Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues?

If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
Mailing Address:
1 Capitol Mall
Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
MVCAC Sustaining Member Corner
Note: MVCAC does not endorse the products below, but we do support our Sustaining Members
Central Life Sciences has announced the release of Aqua Zenivex™ E20, a reduced-risk adulticide for mosquito control professionals.  



















MVCAC Corporate Member Fiscal Status Report Submission for 2017-18 Dues
It's that time of year again! Please fill out and email or fax back this year's  MVCAC Fiscal Status Report Form  for your district's MVCAC dues to be calculated.

Dues for Corporate Members are due on July 1st of each year for the fiscal year ending June 30th of the following year.  Unpaid dues will be considered late on September 1st.  After September 1st, a late notice will be sent which will include a $50 late payment fee.  Corporate members that do not pay their dues and late fee by October 31st will be dropped from the membership rolls.

Please feel free to contact the office if you have any questions. Thank you for supporting MVCAC!

The MVCAC Staff
May 2017 Meeting Minutes Available Now
Click here to login and view the May Board Meeting and Budget Meeting minutes.
District Trustee Information Form
This year's Yearbook Questionnaire did not ask for emails for the Trustees of your district.  The Trustee Council is interested in this information in hopes to get more Trustees involved with the council. Please fill in the following form and return to rhickerson@amgroup.us or via fax at 916-444-7462.
Trustee Council needs nominees!
The Sacramento Valley, South San Joaquin and Southern Region's will need to select new Trustee Council board members. These members council terms would take affect at the 2018 Annual Conference.
 
If you have a Trustee interested in running, please submit their name and a brief letter detailing their local board involvement to Rachel in the MVCAC office no later than July 20 th so they can be considered in the election.
MVCAC Summer Meeting: July 20, 2017
Via teleconference

More information for this teleconference meeting will be posted on our website as it becomes available. 
MVCAC Fall Meeting:
October 31 - November 2
Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront Promenade
100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814

Click here to download the Fall Meeting schedule

Room rate $189/night
Make your reservations:
  1. Click here and make a reservation using the group/convention code: MQV
  2. Alternatively you can register online by clicking here
  3. Call (916) 326-5000 and ask for the Mosquito & Vector Control Association discount rate.
The group rate room reservation deadline is  October 10, 2017 .

More information for this meeting will be posted on our website as it becomes available. 
2017 IPM Achievement Awards-Call for Nominations
Are you aware of a group that's using reduced-risk pest management practices and taking a leadership role to promote these practices? The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is now accepting nominations for the 2017 IPM Achievement Awards. The awards are presented to groups, organizations, schools, or companies that develop and share their IPM (integrated pest management) practices and accomplishments in areas of leadership, education and outreach, and innovation.

To submit a nomination online, click here for the submission form. Or, visit DPR's web site, www.cdpr.ca.gov, and type IPM Achievement in the search box at the top of the page. Select Nominate an organization for an IPM Achievement Award to access the online submission form. We'll accept nominations for 2017 awards through June 30, 2017.

You can also email nominations to achieve@cdpr.ca.gov by sending a message with the information requested by the online nomination form.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me at (916) 445-8411 or Melissa.Plemons@cdpr.ca.gov.

 
Melissa
 
Melissa Plemons
Environmental Scientist
Department of Pesticide Regulation
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-445-8411
Possible District Funding Opportunities from OES for Flooding Impacts
Our advocates have had conversations with the Office of Emergency Services( OES) concerning their emergency declarations related to flooding and funding eligibility requirements for vector control agencies.  There were 51 counties impacted by storms this year.  And there were three specific emergency declarations events declared:  January 3-12, 18-23, and February 3-23. 
 
Per our conversation with OES staff, we learned the following about funding reimbursement requests:
  • Generally speaking, special districts, which includes most vector control agencies, can make their own applications for funding reimbursement to OES
  • Vector control agencies need to work closely with the counties and specifically their public health coordinator and emergency response teams
  • Applications for funding must be accompanied by a letter from the public health officer of the county
  • The public health officer must attest to the fact that mosquitos or other vectors posed an immediate threat to public health and safety resulting in extraordinary costs to the vector control agency
  • Reimbursement is limited to "extraordinary costs" based on a historical cost baseline (usually 3 - 5 years)
  • OES will reimburse 75% of the costs
 
OES has more information about the emergency declarations on their website if you need more information:   http://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/recovery/public-assistance/404-hazard-mitigation-grant-program
NPDES Updates
NPDES Coalition Report Filed with SWB
 
The 2016 NPDES Coalition Report was filed with the State Water Resources Control Board on behalf of the participating districts. You can access a copy of the report in the "Members Only" section of the MVCAC website by clicking here. If you have any questions or issues you can contact the MVCAC office.
Access your Countersigned NPDES Coalition Agreement for 2016
 
If you would like to access and print a countersigned copy of your District's NPDES Coalition Agreement you can go to the MVCAC website Members only Section and find a copy. They are grouped alphabetically by District name. If you have any problems or questions please contact the MVCAC staff: mvcac@mvcac.org
To assist MVCAC NPDES Coalition members in preparing the annual report to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), MVCAC is providing the Sacramento/Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control annual report to be used as a template. Districts need to submit four items to the State Water Board.  Your report does NOT need to be sent to your regional boards.  

The MVCAC NPDES Coalition 2016 annual report will be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) soon.

Each agency must submit the following:
  1. Cover Letter 
  2. Narrative Annual Report 
  3. Map of all treatments to WOTUS 
  4. Application Log of all applications to WOTUS 
Please submit your annual report to the SWRCB contacts below via email:
Please also bcc Rachel Hickerson:  rhickerson@amgroup.us from AMG when you send your package to the SWRCB. 
 
The cover letter should still be addressed to Victoria Whitney. The Vector Control permit annual report is due March 1st. 

Also, make sure the entire following statement is included in your cover letter and signed by the appropriate person:

Per Attachment B, Section V.B.4 of the General Permit:
"I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations." (40 C.F.R. § 122.22(d).)


MVCAC News Briefs - Zika Updates
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media.  The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Zika.
CDC Zika Virus Web Page

CDC Zika Virus Microsite

CDPH Zika Virus Web Page

6/1/17: Mosquito capable of spreading Zika found in Southern Nevada - Las Vegas Review-Journal

6/1/17: How the Zika virus affects pregnancy - The Health Site

5/31/17: 7 Babies Born With Zika-Related Birth Defects In Florida - CBS Miami

5/25/17: What the DNA of the Zika virus tells scientists about its rapid spread - Los Angeles Times
MVCAC News Briefs - Other Outbreaks
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media.  The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding other outbreaks.
5/31/17: Utah County begins mosquito spraying three nights a week - Good4Utah.com

5/31/17: "Mosquito" flies onto Discovery Channel - RealScreen

5/30/17: The Best Defense Against Ticks & Tick-Borne Disease is YOU! - Marin/Sonoma MVCD

5/29/17: Drug company uses "Escape Room" experience to educate public on dengue fever - CGTN America