Bill Text: NY A04700 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides for the phase-out on varying time schedules of state use of various categories of pesticides on state property; provides that it does not apply to certain antimicrobial pesticides; requires the department of environmental conservation to adopt a pest management plan for every state department, agency, and public benefit corporation; provides for waivers and exemptions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to environmental conservation [A04700 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A04700-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4700 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 5, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, ENGLEBRIGHT, PEOPLES-STOKES, DINOWITZ, JAFFEE, PAULIN, COLTON, L. ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CUSICK, GOTTFRIED, LUPARDO, SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the phase-out of state use of pesticides The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds and declares 2 that pesticides are linked to a number of acute and chronic health prob- 3 lems and that it is therefore the policy of the state to phase-out 4 pesticide use by the government for many pest control purposes and to 5 adopt a pest control policy that substantially relies on non-chemical 6 pest control strategies. 7 § 2. Article 33 of the environmental conservation law is amended by 8 adding a new title 8 to read as follows: 9 TITLE 8 10 PHASE-OUT OF STATE 11 USE OF PESTICIDES 12 Section 33-0801. Definitions. 13 33-0803. Phase-out of state use of pesticides. 14 § 33-0801. Definitions. 15 As used in this title: 16 1. "Antimicrobial pesticide" means a pesticide that: (a) is intended 17 to disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of 18 microbiological organisms; (b) is intended to protect inanimate objects, 19 industrial processes or systems, surfaces, water, or other chemical 20 substances from contamination, fouling, or deterioration caused by 21 bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, algae, or slime; or (c) in the 22 intended use, is exempt from or otherwise not subject to, a tolerance 23 under appropriate provisions of federal law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01320-01-9A. 4700 2 1 2. "Antimicrobial pesticide" does not include: (a) a wood preservative 2 or antifouling paint product for which a claim of pesticidal activity is 3 made; (b) an agricultural fungicide product; or (c) an aquatic herbicide 4 product. 5 § 33-0803. Phase-out of state use of pesticides. 6 1. Effective January first, two thousand twenty-one, no state depart- 7 ment, agency, or public benefit corporation or any pesticide applicator 8 employed thereby as a contractor or subcontractor for pest control 9 purposes, shall apply on state property any pesticide classified as 10 toxicity category I by the United States environmental protection agen- 11 cy, or any pesticide classified as a known, likely, or probable human 12 carcinogen by the United States environmental protection agency, except 13 as provided for in subdivision four of this section. 14 2. Effective January first, two thousand twenty-two, no state depart- 15 ment, agency, or public benefit corporation, or any pesticide applicator 16 employed thereby as a contractor or subcontractor for pest control 17 purposes, shall apply on state property any pesticide classified as 18 toxicity category II by the United States environmental protection agen- 19 cy, any pesticide classified as a possible human carcinogen by the 20 United States environmental protection agency, or any pesticide classi- 21 fied as restricted use by the United States environmental protection 22 agency or the department, except as provided in subdivision four of this 23 section. 24 3. Effective January first, two thousand twenty-three, no state 25 department, agency, or public benefit corporation or any pesticide 26 applicator employed thereby as a contractor or subcontractor for pest 27 control purposes shall apply any pesticide on state property, except as 28 provided in subdivision four of this section. 29 4. The provisions of subdivisions one, two, and three of this section 30 shall not apply to the following: 31 (a) pesticides otherwise lawfully used for the purpose of maintaining 32 a safe drinking water supply at drinking water treatment plants, waste- 33 water treatment plants, reservoirs, and related collection, distrib- 34 ution, and treatment facilities; 35 (b) antimicrobial pesticides; 36 (c) pesticides in contained baits for the purposes of rodent control; 37 and 38 (d) pesticides classified by the United States environmental 39 protection agency as exempt materials under 40 CFR 152.25. 40 5. On or before January first, two thousand twenty-one, the depart- 41 ment shall adopt a pest management plan for every state department, 42 agency, and public benefit corporation. Such plan shall take effect on 43 January first, two thousand twenty-one and shall be consistent with the 44 provisions of this title. Such plan shall address pest population moni- 45 toring, least-toxic pesticides for use prior to January first, two thou- 46 sand twenty-three, and non-chemical pest control strategies for use 47 after such date, which will effectively manage pest problems in a 48 comprehensive manner. 49 6. Should any state department, agency, or public benefit corporation 50 determine that a human health emergency warrants the use of a pesticide 51 that would otherwise not be allowed under this title, it may apply for a 52 single-use waiver from the department of health. The department of 53 health shall determine if such a waiver is warranted based on the 54 following criteria: 55 (a) the pest situation poses an immediate threat to human health; andA. 4700 3 1 (b) viable alternatives do not exist (such a determination shall be 2 made in consultation with the Cornell cooperative extension service 3 integrated pest management program). 4 As a condition of approval, the department of health shall require a 5 commitment from every state department, agency, and public benefit 6 corporation that the underlying causes of the pest outbreak will be 7 addressed in order to prevent future outbreaks. 8 7. The following activities shall be exempt from the provisions of 9 this title: 10 (a) Pesticides used for agricultural research purposes at the state 11 university college of technology at Alfred, the state university college 12 of technology at Canton, the state university college of agriculture at 13 Cobleskill, the state university college of technology at Delhi, the 14 state university college of technology at Farmingdale, the state univer- 15 sity college of agriculture at Morrisville, the state university college 16 of technology at Utica/Rome, and the New York state statutory colleges 17 at Cornell, including the agricultural experiment station at Geneva and 18 its field offices. 19 (b) The use of rotenone and associated resins as a piscicide for 20 purposes directly related to the reclamation of freshwater water bodies 21 to prepare for the reintroduction of native species. Water treated with 22 rotenone shall not be used as potable water or for irrigation of crops. 23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
