Boulder County Revives Drone Herbicide Spraying Plan After Judge Dismisses Environmental Lawsuit
On November 1, a weed-control plan that had drawn strong opposition in Boulder County, Colorado, moved forward again: the county plans to use drones to spray herbicide over several hundred acres of rugged wildland around Red Mountain in Boulder County. The county says the goal is to clear invasive weeds and reduce the wildfire risk posed by dense cheatgrass and similar growth.
Red Mountain lies in a biologically rich part of Boulder County known for rare species, wildlife habitat and nearby farms and ranches. The herbicide at the center of the dispute is indaziflam, sold under the brand name Rejuvra. Azuraya Wycoff, whose Yellow Barn farm sits at the foot of Red Mountain, says the plan's impact reaches far beyond one county's weed control. The City of Boulder submitted its own multi-year research report to the county in September. The county's overall weed program covers more than 2,000 acres, not just Red Mountain.
Environmental advocates sued in 2024, arguing that drone spraying could expose people directly through drift and violate federal pesticide law. A federal judge dismissed the plaintiffs' claims on October 9, and the case was closed. Opponents are now pushing a "pause the spraying" campaign, urging residents to join and press the county to reconsider.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 农业无人机在田野上空喷洒作业（资料图）。Shreesha Sharma摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / An agricultural drone spraying over a field (file photo). Photo by Shreesha Sharma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
