BULLETIN: A magistrate has allowed mosquito spraying to go ahead in several hours in the north end of Portsmouth as planned, according to Town Solicitor Donato Andre D'Andrea.
The magistrate, in Superior Court, Newport, denied a request for a temporary restraining order sought by two residents of Common Fence Point, Jay Miller and Christopher Museler.They had argued the chemical spray, to be administered by a truck-borne fogger, is potentially harmful to humans and fish.
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A last-minute legal effort is under way to block the Town of Portsmouth's plans to spray neighborhoods with a mosquito-killing insecticide Thursday evening.
The town's solicitor was to appear in Superior Court, Newport, at 3 p.m., to defend against a motion for a temporary restraining order.
The town received approval from the state Department of Environmental Management, with advice from the Health Department, to disperse the chemical 10 +10 ULV in the Common Fence Point and Island Park neighborhoods.
The town had received complaints from residents about one of the worst mosquito infestations in recent memory.
It's not immediately clear who filed the motion.
Save the Bay sent a letter early in the afternoon urging Portsmouth to reconsider its plans, but the organization has said it would not take legal action against the town.
This post was first published at 3:22 p.m. and updated at 5:06 p.m.