CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today established a new statewide policy for mosquito control on state-owned lands aimed at helping reduce public health threats such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Gov. Lynch issued Executive Order 2008-4 directing agencies to implement the new policy, which was developed by a working group chaired by Exeter State Sen. Maggie Hassan.

“This policy will ensure a uniform state approach to mosquito surveillance, monitoring and spraying on state lands,” Gov. Lynch said. “And it makes protecting public health our first and most important priority.”

Since 2004, there have been 11 human cases of EEE reported in New Hampshire, with two people dying as a result of the illness.

In areas most at-risk, towns - supported by grants from the state - have applied larvicide or pesticide to reduce the number of mosquitoes that could potentially carry these diseases.

Gov. Lynch asked Sen. Hassan to form the working group to ensure all state agencies were following the same protocols in determining when it was appropriate to allow towns to apply larvicide or pesticide on state-owned lands.

“This policy will promote better coordination between local, state and federal officials, and further the state’s goal of educating the public regarding prevention,” Gov. Lynch said.

The new policy:

• Requires state land management agencies to promote primary prevention by providing on-site public outreach and education on mosquito-borne illnesses and how to prevent them
• Requires state agencies to allow communities to take proactive steps on state lands within their boundaries to monitor, control and reduce mosquito populations
• Specifies criteria for when state agencies shall allow larvicides and pesticides to be used
• Gives the Health and Human Services Commissioner, after considering environmental and public health concerns, the final determination regarding whether pesticides should be used on state-owned lands to control adult mosquitoes

“This policy represents good progress. It ensures that the state, in its role as land manager, is working hand-in-hand with state and local public health officials to ensure that mosquito control efforts necessary to protect the public health follow up-to-date, best practices,” Sen. Hassan said. “Our citizens want to know that we are doing what we safely and sensibly can to prevent mosquito-borne disease while also protecting our most pristine places.”

In announcing the new policy, Gov. Lynch and public health officials reminded citizens that the best protection against mosquito-borne illness is simple steps citizens can take on their own, such as wearing mosquito repellant and clothing that limits exposure.

Executive Order 2008-4

New Mosquito Control Policy