California Accused Of Improper OK To Strawberry Pesticide
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Environmental groups are accusing California regulators of ignoring the science and breaking public health laws when they approved a controversial pesticide for strawberry fields.
An Alameda County Superior Court judge heard arguments Thursday in the lawsuit over the state Department of Pesticide Regulation's approval of methyl iodide.
Lawyers for the environmental groups argued that officials favored the input of the chemical's manufacturer over scientist recommendations.
The state maintains that it conducted large amounts of research before approving the chemical in 2010 despite opposition from scientists who said it can cause cancer.
But Judge Frank Roesch expressed skepticism about the research, saying it appears that regulators didn't properly explore alternatives to methyl iodide. The judge gave the state until Jan. 20 to show it was not required to consider alternatives.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
