The EPA is taking public comment on four separate pesticides. You will need to compose a SINGLE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT CAN BE COPIED AND PASTED INTO THE FOLLOWING FOUR SEPARATE COMMENT FORMS. Comments are due by 11:59PM EDT on February 20, 2018
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TALKING POINTS:
- I am very concerned about the use of neonic pesticides. Studies have shown that these pesticides have a detrimental impact on pollinators. Our food supply relies on pollinators to help produce fruits and vegetables. By negatively impacting bees - both managed and wild - neonic pesticides puts at risk not just bees but also our food supply. Bees and other pollinators supply up to 1/3 of the world's food supply.
- Studies have shown that neonic pesticides can drift and contaminate other areas as well as leach into the soil and our waterways. Once there, these pesticides can kill aquatic life and birds. Further, a study has recently shown that these compounds can cause migrating birds to lose weight and their sense of direction.
- "Twenty-nine independent scientist who conducted a global review of more than 1,000 independent studies of neonicotinoids found overwhelming evidence linking [these] pesticides to declines in populations of bees, earthworms, butterflies and other wildlife." Accordingly, we should move to ban neonic pesticides at this time and no extend the use of these compounds in our environment.
- Studies have found that neonicotinoids can be found in our drinking water and is found in many of our watersheds. The wide-spread use of these compounds is having a devastating impact on our ecosystem and should be restricted.
- Some studies have even questions whether neonicotinoids can harm developing brains of unborn human babies. This is simply too big of a risk to continue to allow these compounds in our environment without further research and further protection.
- For the foregoing reasons, I oppose the continued use of neonic pesticides.
SIGN AND SHARE ON TO THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Center for Food Safety
Organic Consumer Association
Sierra Club
Center for Biological Diversity
