- United States
- Calif.
- Letter
Today I take pen in hand to write and urge greater oversight and hearings on the operations of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Specifically I’m writing to urge you to oppose the use of certain chemicals used in agriculture, called neon’s. These chemicals are harming helpful insect populations like bees, and they seep into our soil and groundwater with likely health effects on humans and other animals as well.
Now that the EPA run by Lee Zeldin, and a bevy of anti-environmentalists, fringe thinkers, climate deniers and amoral lawyers, the EPA has been completely co-opted in its mission of protecting any environment or anyone.
Zeldin’s mission of ruining our environment comes at the direction of corporate interests and lobbyists and their permissive stance on dangerous chemicals — all in the name of profits.
They have never stopped using and pushing a certain class of pesticides called neonics, produced by one of the biggest creators of these pesticides.
Despite progress in blocking the use of some pesticides, some of the most important creatures in our state and the country – bees – continue to decline. Countries outside the United States have already recognized that these chemicals are harming the ability of vital pollinators to do their job.
We must do the same.
These chemicals may also pose a serious threat to human health.
It’s disturbing that corporations are at the heart of all kinds of disinformation, and yet, despite lawsuits, they continue to push profits over safety and the environment.
We need Congressional pressure on companies like Bayer and Monsanto to stop making these kinds of pesticides. In the era of climate change, increasing waterways pollution from toxic runoff from fields, only Congress has the power to force the EPA to step in, and reverse course on approvals of these kinds of chemicals.
The growing season is here. We can’t wait for more testing and discussions. A moratorium on neonic use, modeled on what other countries have done, is in order. Call hearings on this an similar matters, while we have an environment conducive to bees, other small creatures and human health.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
