New pesticide restrictions signed into law

Insects like this summer azure, photographed at the Coastal Center’s pollinator garden, will benefit from the chlorpyrifos ban. Photo by Patrick Comins.

June 2, 2022 — A pesticide restriction bill that passed the General Assembly in Hartford with the strong support of Connecticut Audubon’s grassroots advocates was signed into law yesterday by Governor Ned Lamont.

Public Act 22-142 makes it illegal to use chlorpyrifos on golf courses or for any cosmetic or non-agricultural use.

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

Connecticut Audubon worked throughout the legislative session with a well-organized group of advocacy organizations from across the state. That group focused on individual lobbying, while Connecticut Audubon’s advocates sent hundreds of emails to their elected representatives in Hartford.

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.

Pesticide reduction has been a goal of Connecticut Audubon for several years. It was one of the key points in our list of “10 things you can do to help birds,” which we reiterated with more detail for Earth Day.

The new law 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?”

We send our thanks to the statewide anti-pesticide coalition, and to the hundreds of Connecticut Audubon members who spoke out on the issue.