A Roanoke County man began pondering the safety of herbicide spraying by a power company subcontractor when he and a neighbor discovered a deer "clearly in distress" within a week to 10 days of the July 31 spraying.

David Barudin lives along Back Creek and off Crystal Creek Drive. He said the deer, which he described as a fawn, was panting and vomiting and later died.

In late July and early August, workers for Appalachian Power Co. subcontractor Osmose Utilities sprayed herbicides along the right of way of a nearby power line to limit the growth of trees and vegetation that could threaten the line.

"Whether or not the spraying contributed to the death of the fawn, its death really drew my attention to how these chemicals could affect wildlife and the environment," Barudin said.

His concerns will lead to a meeting next week, brokered by a Roanoke County supervisor, between concerned neighbors and Appalachian.

The herbicides were distributed manually, using a hose and nozzle. No aerial spraying occurred, and dye helped workers track spray boundaries, according to Todd Burns, a spokesman for Appalachian.

Burns, along with a Virginia Tech weeds specialist and a pesticides expert, doubt the two events are related.

"It is highly unlikely that the deer could have consumed enough treated foliage to make it sick, let alone kill it," said Mike Weaver, director of Virginia Tech pesticide programs.

A herbicide is a pesticide that kills plants or inhibits their growth.

Appalachian's subcontractor combined DuPont Lineage Clearstand and DuPont Krenite S and diluted the mix in about 100 gallons of water, Burns said.

Barudin said he and others are particularly worried about interaction between the herbicides and Back Creek.

But Lloyd Hipkins, a Virginia Tech weed specialist, said, "Lineage Clearstand can be sprayed to the edge of streams and over transient waters."

Hipkins added that "the Lineage Clearstand formulation is recommended for use on wildlife management areas, including grazed areas."

Burns said the herbicide mix combined 142 ounces of Krenite S and 7 ounces of Lineage Clearstand with the 100 gallons of water.

He said the spraying closest to the creek and Barudin's home stopped at a utility pole about 45 feet from Back Creek.

Electrical tap lines serving several homes span Back Creek. But the main portion of the single-phase, 7,200-volt line parallels Crystal Creek Drive along the hillside on the opposite side of the road from the creek.

Barudin said he is not comforted by the formula used for mixing the chemicals.

"No matter how diluted, they are potentially harmful," he said. "Our concern is why take the risk when trimming can be done safely using chain saws and weed whackers?"

Burns said the power company generally prefers herbicides over trimming to keep vegetation at bay.

Herbicide spraying is cheaper, and the company's expenses affect customers' utility bills, he said.

Chain saws, bucket trucks and other landscaping power equipment rely on petroleum products that can be pollutants, Burns said.

And trees tend to grow faster after trimmings, he said.

Summer spraying is most effective, he said, because a surfactant helps the herbicides stick to leaves and the work occurs well in advance of the snow and ice storms that can topple trees and spark outages.

Julia Bovey, a spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, offered a different view.

"Spraying chemicals out into the environment is rarely, if ever, the best option," she said.

"Good old-fashioned pruning and clearing" offers an alternative with "no risk of poisoning people and their drinking water," she said.

Bovey said the council's experience with herbicide issues through the years suggests residents are right to ask hard questions about the spraying.

Barudin has shared his concerns with Charlotte Moore, a member of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. She has helped organize a meeting for Barudin and other concerned neighbors next week. Appalachian will participate.

Moore said she is working on behalf of Barudin, a constituent in her district, but is also an environmentalist who supports residents trying to protect the environment.

Barudin said he has spoken with Gary Robertson, executive director of water operations for the Western Virginia Water Authority. Robertson said he will attend the meeting simply to learn more about the concerns.

He said Appalachian agreed several years ago to refrain from spraying herbicides over the authority's reservoirs.