The fight to prevent the state from conducting spraying designed to eradicate an invasive moth species will continue after four legislative initiatives met with mixed results.

The state agricultural committee passed two bills that will require full disclosure of the ingredients within the spray as well as the creation of a list of potential invasive species and the actions needed to respond.

The spraying, designed to eradicate the light brown apple moth, is set to begin in Berkeley in August. However, concerns about potential health effects have led to efforts to stop the spraying.

The first of two failed bills, sponsored by Assemblymember Sandre Swanson, D-Oakland, would have required residents in an affected urban area to vote on the spraying before it could begin.

The other failed bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, would have transferred the authority to declare a state of emergency-which allows for an expedited spraying process-from a state agency to the governor.

"We thought it was important, rather than to have a state bureaucrat make a decision ... to make sure the highest levels of state government were involved in this decision, and we wanted to make sure the governor, who is responsible to the public, was the one making the final decision," said Hancock's chief of staff, Hans Hemann.

State officials say the spraying is necessary because the moth poses a threat to over 2,000 plant species. The spray is comprised of pheromones, or sex hormones, that keep male moths from mating, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Citing concerns about the health effects of the spray at its meeting last month, the Berkeley City Council decided to give the city attorney the authority to join with other Bay Area cities in a joint lawsuit against the state to attempt to stop or delay the spraying.

Acting City Attorney Zach Cowan said the city is moving forward on the suit and has been joined by the cities of Oakland, Albany and Emeryville, and may be joined by Richmond and Alameda as well.

The bills that passed will go before the assembly appropriations committee.

The agriculture committee also passed a resolution requesting that several state departments respond to current public concerns by providing independent analysis of the spray's health effects.

Although some of the bills failed, Swanson's finance and communications director Douglas MacLean said concerned residents will not give up the fight.

"At the hearing it was packed to levels that many people had not seen before, estimated at 100 to 200 people that all got up and showed support for the ... bills," he said. "These people are determined to not sit still and they will take their health into their own hands. They have the ability to challenge the government."

Tags: LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER LONI HANCOCK