Just in time for Labor Day barbecues, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder pushed the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to include areas of south Queens in their mosquito spraying to combat breeding and the potential spread of West Nile Virus.
Spraying occurred on September 1 between 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning.
“For too long, families in southern Queens have been forced to endure growing mosquito populations each time summer rolls around,” said Goldfeder in a release. “This plague threatens our quality of life and increases the risk of deadly West Nile virus, especially for families still struggling from Sandy.”
Since Hurricane Sandy, the area has been plagued by frequent flooding and abandoned properties, creating standing water areas that are attractive to mosquitos. Spraying will cover Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach and Lindenwood.
This announcement comes after significant lobbying from Goldfeder, who wrote two letters to the department, citing a frequent nuisance from mosquitoes in the neighborhoods surrounding Jamaica Bay.
