Advocates act to ensure passage of new pesticide bill

Pollinators such as Tiger swallowtails will face one less hazard thanks to new restrictions on chlorpyrifos.

May 23, 2022 — Timely advocacy on the part of Connecticut Audubon members and others around the state led to passage of a bill in Hartford that will cut the use of an insecticide that’s dangerous to birds.

Public Act 22-142 makes it illegal to use chlorpyrifos on golf courses or for any cosmetic or non-agricultural use. It is expected to be signed by the governor.

Chlorpyrifos is a double-threat to birds: it can kill them directly, and it also kills the insects birds rely on for food.

With an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 acres of golf courses in the state, plus an untold number of lawns, the statewide effect could be significant.

Almost 850 Connecticut Audubon members sent messages to their elected officials in Hartford last month urging them to vote for the bill, as part of a statewide anti-pesticide coalition.

This bill will also help carry out the recommendations in the 2021 Connecticut State of the Birds report, “Three Billion Birds Are Gone. How Do We Bring Them Back?”