Connecticut Audubon Society Opposes a Bill in Hartford to Weaken Pesticide Regulations

The Connecticut General Assembly is considering a bill that would undo a ban on the use of so-called cosmetic lawn pesticides at schools in Connecticut. This ban has successful prevented Connecticut’s school children from being unnecessarily exposed to hazardous pesticides, and it has had the added benefit of keeping those pesticides out of our environment.

Connecticut Audubon Society has joined with other environmental and health organizations in the state in opposing the bill. This week we wrote to Rep. J. Brendan Sharkey, the House Majority Leader, on behalf of our members, expressing our view that the current law should stand and that the new proposal should be voted down. Here’s the letter:

April 4, 2012

Rep. J. Brendan Sharkey
Legislative Office Building, Room 4100
Hartford, CT 06106-1591

Dear Representative Sharkey,
Connecticut Audubon Society, the state’s leading independent conservation organization, opposes the legislation currently before your committee to rollback the ban on lawn pesticides at Connecticut schools in favor of integrated pest management (bill number 5155).

The purpose of the current law is to help safeguard Connecticut’s children from exposure to dangerous pesticides used on school lawns, playing fields, etc. The law has a residual conservation benefit in that many of Connecticut’s most common birds – including the American Robin, the official state bird of Connecticut – use lawns and playing fields to search for the insects that make up the bulk of their diet.

Allowing IPM, which is tantamount to allowing the use of pesticides, would subject Connecticut’s school children to an unnecessary risk, while also threatening many of our state’s birds by killing their food source and exposing them, directly and indirectly, to toxic pesticides.

Connecticut’s landmark pesticide ban has been a success. On behalf of our statewide membership, we urge you resist attempts to replace it with the integrated pest management bill.

Sincerely,

Milan Bull
Senior Director of Science and Conservation