The Birds & Bees Protection Act

Bill Summary:

The Birds and Bees Protection Act (S1856 Hoylman-Sigal/A3226 Glick) prohibits 80-90% of the neonic pollution entering New York’s environment every year by prohibiting: (1) neonic-treatments on corn, soybean and wheat seeds—the single largest and most widespread neonic use; and (2) non-agricultural “lawn and garden” uses that are approved at much higher rates per acre than in agriculture, creating toxic hot spots of neonic contamination in urban and suburban areas. Extensive Cornell University research has found these uses provide no overall economic benefits or are easily replaceable with safer, effective alternatives. The bill also preserves the ability for use of neonics against invasive species where warranted. Read more about neonics. 

The bill has passed the NYS Assembly and is pending passage in the NYS Senate. Now's the time to exert your muscle!

Contact Information for NYS Legislative Leadership:

Senate President Andrea Stewart Cousins – 518-455-2585 (Albany); 914-423-4031 (District); 212-298-5585 (NYC)

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie – 518-455-3791 (Albany); 718-654-6539 (District)

Contact Information for Key Committee Members:

Michelle Hinchey – 845-331-3810 (District); 518-455-2350 (Albany)

James Skoufis – 845-567-1270 (District); 518-455-3290 (Albany)

John Mannion – 315-428-7632 (District); 518-455-3511 (Albany)

Monica Martinez –  631-341-7111 (District); 518-455-2765 (Albany)

Anthony Palumbo – 631-461-9100 (District); 518-455-3121 (Albany)

Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick – 516-766-8383 (District); 518-455-2400 (Albany)

Hinchey (Hudson), Skoufis (Orange County), Martinez (western Suffolk), and Palumbo (far eastern Suffolk) especially need influencing; these are members of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, so please comment!

Sample Script:

Hello,

My name is ______ and I’m a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE] from [TOWN/CITY] and a member of [ORGANIZATION IF APPLICABLE]. I’m calling today in support the Birds and the Bees Protection Act (S1856 Hoylman-Sigal), which would curb wasteful use of neurotoxic neonic (knee-OH-nick) pesticides that are a leading cause of mass losses of bees and other pollinators we depend on for food. They also extensively pollute New York water, putting our health at risk, especially the health of children.

I strongly support the bill and I hope [REPRESENTATIVE] does too. Can we count on the [REPRESENTATIVE’S] support to ensure the bill passes this session?

Talking Points:

The script above should be more than sufficient for the call. Likely, you will talk to a staff member who will simply log whether you support or oppose the bill. However, if you would like to say more, some talking points and a bill summary are provided below.

• The Birds and Bees Protection Act (S1856 Hoylman-Sigal/A3226 Glick) would protect our state against toxic neonic pesticide contamination. It has already passed the NYS Assembly.

• An overwhelming body of scientific evidence identifies neonics as a lead driver of mass losses of bees and other pollinators. That’s bad news for New York’s ecosystems and New York farmers that rely on pollination provided by bees. Already, top crops like apples, blueberries, and cherries are affected, with recent research showing that farmers are growing fewer of these crops because of a lack of bees and other pollinators. 

•  Neonic pesticides extensively contaminate New York water supplies, especially on Long Island where they are the most commonly detected insecticides in the Long Island aquifer (specifically, the neonic chemical imidacloprid). As a resident of [TOWN/CITY], I’m particularly concerned about the toxic levels of neonics in our water sources because most conventional drinking water treatment fails to remove neonics, Long Islanders are at considerable risk of seeing these neurotoxic pesticides in their tap water.

•  A growing body of evidence also links the neonic water contamination we see in New York to a broad range of environmental harms, including mass losses of birds, the collapse of fisheries, and birth defects in white-tailed deer.

• New York health experts are also raising alarms about neonics’ threats to New Yorker’s health, likening neonics to other neurotoxins like lead and mercury, for which there is no safe level, especially for children and pregnant women. 

• Worryingly, evidence shows that New Yorkers are extensively exposed to neonic pollution and the problem is only getting worse. A recent study found neonics in 96% of 171 pregnant women tested from New York and several other states—with the highest rates in Hispanic women—and also that those neonic levels have been steadily increasing over the past several years.

• Every year New York fails to act, more bees and birds die, more of our water is contaminated, and more New Yorkers are harmed. 

• The Birds and Bees Protection Act is a commonsense measure to curb dangerous neonic pollution in New York. It would eliminate 80-90% of the neonics entering the state’s environment every year by prohibiting only those uses that are unnecessary or easily replaced with safer alternatives.

• With the problem only getting worse, I ask you to support a renewed Birds and Bees Protection Act in the 2023 session, and do all that you can to ensure that it passes the full legislature as soon as possible. Thank you for your time and concern.