(Boston Orange 摘譯) 波士頓第二區市議員愛德華費連 (Ed Flynn) 今 (17)日公開指稱”波士頓市囓齒動物行動計畫(Boston Rodent Action Plan，簡稱BRAP)”，不符所需，呼籲指定專人負責。
波士頓市議員愛德華費連早從2020年，甚至新冠病毒疫情爆發之前，就關注鼠患橫行情況，每年都為病蟲害議題召開公聽會，去年還到紐約拜訪該市”減緩鼠患
(Rodent Mitigation)”主任，有”鼠皇 (Rat
Czar)”之稱的Kathleen
Corradi，討論如何處理全美各地鼠患肆虐的生活品質問題。
2023年1月，Flynn議員為設立病蟲害控制 (Pest Control) 辦公室召開公聽會，今年1月他在市議會提案，並為正式成立一個這樣的辦公室舉行公聽會。今年稍早，他也和波士頓市政府相關部門，以及Corrigan博士就報告及建議晤談。
Flynn議員感謝Corrigan博士和相關部門合作，論了全面垃圾貨櫃化，減少齧齒類鼠患繁衍機會，針對商業區及下水道的巡視社區等的建議，但BRAP卻並未正式指派一名專人，只負責協調所有市府部門來解決蟲害鼠患危機。Flynn議員還表示，儘管波士頓市公共衛生委員會指出，目前老鼠並未對波士頓居民構成公共衛生威脅，但他堅定地不同意這說法。他聽過老鼠鑽進小孩搖籃的事，認為人們不可以淡化鼠患對居民生活品質影響的嚴重性。
CITY OF
BOSTON LAUNCHES BOSTON RODENT ACTION PLAN
An
extensive report by renowned urban rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan lays out
the foundation for City to build upon to greatly improve the delivery of basic
city services, better target rat mitigation efforts, and increase coordination
across city departments
Mayor Michelle Wu today
announced the launch of the Boston Rodent Action Plan (BRAP),
a new coordinated, multi-agency initiative to mitigate the rodent population in
Boston and maintain an excellent quality of life established for Boston
residents, families, and visitors. The City of Boston also released the BRAP
report, commissioned by the Inspectional Services Department
(ISD) and authored by Dr. Bobby Corrigan, a leading Urban
Rodentologist renowned across the country. The report details the factors
contributing to the urgent rodent population in the city. It will serve as a
foundation for the BRAP’s aim to improve ongoing City efforts to address this
critical quality of life issue better impacting residents and neighborhoods
across Boston.
"Boston takes pride
in distinguishing our city through delivering exceptional basic city services
for safe and clean streets, beautiful public spaces, and responsive and
accessible city government,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We’re working
to make Boston a home for everyone. Except for rats. Our rodent action plan,
which is informed by this data-driven report, will guide our approach across
our neighborhoods."
In an effort to better
address areas of concern and coordinate actions taken by city departments, the
City also has established a Boston Rodent Action Plan working group to target
better prevention and intervention measures to address Boston’s rat mitigation
efforts. This group comprises relevant City departments including the
Operations Cabinet, Inspectional Services Department, Public Works Department,
Boston Public Health Commission, Parks and Recreation, Community Engagement
Cabinet, Boston 311, Boston Housing Authority and the Boston Water and Sewer
Commission. The working group will ensure that we are using our City resources
to address the root causes of rodent populations and drive engagement with
residents and property owners to help keep neighborhoods and public spaces safe
and clean.
“Boston doesn’t like rats, and rat mitigation is one of the
priority quality of life issues for this administration,” said Chief of
Operations Dion Irish. “We are excited and optimistic about the enhanced
collaboration amongst city agencies whose work impacts rodent mitigation.
Dr. Corrigan’s report will be a valuable resource that will aid us in building
on the great work already being done towards developing and implementing an
action plan that prioritizes addressing root causes, utilizes data &
technology, and reduces environmental hazards.”
The report highlights
various causes and effects of rodent infestation, including poor trash
mitigation, storage, and removal. Given its position as one of the oldest
cities in the Northeast, it also outlines Boston’s infrastructure as an
inherent factor that significantly influences the rodent population. This,
coupled with densely populated neighborhoods, intertwining alleyways, old sewer
systems, and century-old cobble or brick streets and sidewalks, provide an
environment for rodents to thrive.
“The Rodent Action Plan
is a strong tool to coordinate multiple City departments that play a crucial
role in approaching this complex issue,” said ISD Commissioner Tania
Del Rio. “By integrating best practices in waste management, public
education, infrastructure improvements, and environmentally friendly pest
control, we are confident the BRAP will yield positive results for Boston’s
residents. The Inspectional Services Department is excited to be a part of this
initiative."
“We strive to make our
parks and green spaces feel like home to Boston residents, and addressing the
rodent issue is a crucial part of that mission,” said Parks
Commissioner Ryan Woods. “By integrating our efforts with the
cross-departmental Boston Rodent Action Plan, we can ensure our parks and
public spaces remain safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone in our community.”
“Every Boston resident
deserves a home that is rodent free,” Boston Housing Authority
Administrator Kenzie Bok said. “At BHA, we know that it takes
coordination between all city agencies and departments to effectively combat
rats in a neighborhood. I applaud Mayor Wu for leading on this issue and I’m
confident that this initiative will make a significant difference for the
quality of life for our BHA residents and for families across Boston.”
Broadly, the report
outlines that the City take the following actions:
- Build on the City’s ongoing
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Integrated pest management
stresses addressing the environmental root causes first and from there
utilizing various extermination approaches
- Ensure the goal of rat management
program, whenever possible is preventative instead of reactionary
- Utilize data related to
complaints, physical inspections, geo-mapping, population cluster models,
and additional emerging technology to target efforts
- Establish a Priority Action
Neighborhood (PAN) plan for the top 3-5 most afflicted neighborhoods to
reduce currently established rodent hot spots
- Incorporate specialized
infrastructure-specific rat control for Parks, Sewers and Alleys, and
major construction zones
- Move towards alternative baits
and other effective tools for controlling rats that do not present
environmental threats to wildlife
Dr. Corrigan's report
emphasizes how human behavior significantly contributes to the rodent
population which he calls 'a modern-day city conundrum.’ Storing trash in
unprotected plastic bags is a norm in some areas of the city, which is a key
factor in the rodent population. Dr. Corrigan also establishes that the No. 1
driver of rat populations in all cities, including Boston, is the food refuse
dynamic, often disposed of in plastic bags. The report outlines that the
City in partnership with residents, business owners and property owners
changing this behavior will be critical in ultimately reducing the rodent
population, and it needs to be done consistently throughout the city for a
sustained period of time.
As Boston continues to
grow as a city, tackling the rodent control challenge will require investment
in data and technology aimed at mitigation. Dr. Corrigan, in the report, also
suggests incorporating technology such as rodent sensors, remote rat monitor
technology above ground, and shared routine camera scoping below ground/sewers
to trace infestations and vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the report highlights
the need to manage trash in large housing complexes, parks, green spaces,
sewers, and utility systems. Additionally, BPHC has determined that the current
rodent population at this time does not pose a high public health threat to
Bostonians.
The formation of this
report and changes to the City’s approach were informed by an extensive
community engagement process during the annual Spring Pest Management Campaign
led by ISD that runs from March through July. City workers conducted various
neighborhood walkthroughs and administered rodent control treatment services to
impacted areas, which also greatly informed residents, business owners, and
elected officials of the challenges posed by Boston’s rodent population. For
more information regarding the Boston Rodent Action and an update on City
efforts, please visit boston.gov/rats.
