EPA Public Comment Period Open for Oxitec Friendly™ Mosquito
EPA OPENS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR OXITEC’S EXPERIMENTAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR THE FRIENDLY ™ MOSQUITO
This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a notice of receipt of an application for an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) for the release of Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti Friendly™ mosquitoes in Monroe County, Florida. This marks the opening of the 30-day public comment period, after which the EPA will review the comments as part of their evaluation of Oxitec’s Friendly™ Mosquito EUP project.
The following is the link to the EPA documents and public comment section: https://www.federalregister.
Comments must be received on or before April 9, 2018.
The purpose of Oxitec’s proposed pilot project is to determine the efficacy of Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti Friendly™ mosquitoes as a control method of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Monroe County.
“The Aedes aegypti is a very difficult mosquito to control,” said Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) Executive Director Andrea Leal. “We are constantly looking at new technologies to combat this mosquito and we look forward to the EPA’s review of the Oxitec mosquito.”
The link to EPA’s docket containing information on the EUP application is also available on the FKMCD website (http://www.keysmosquito.org). For more information, please contact the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District by email ([email protected]) or phone (305-292-7190).
About the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District
The mission of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is to control the mosquito population using the most effective methods, techniques, equipment and insecticides; thus enhancing the quality of life for all residents and reducing the possibility of mosquito transmitted diseases.
Follow FKMCD on Twitter at @FlKeysMosquito and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Keys
Mosquito Control District, please visit www.keysmosquito.org.