Dear COA and CBA members, the fight to limit Neonicotinoid Pesticides isn’t over. More testimony is needed now to request the new CT Legislative Bill SB9 include the stronger language that was in SB6916 that we recently did a fantastic job sharing our concerns on. Thanks to everyone, all roughly 825 of you, who sent testimony in support of HB 6916 An act concerning the use of neonicotinoids last week! We were heard loud and clear! Neonic restrictions were added to the large climate and resilience bill SB9. This is good news — it provides another avenue by which we may achieve our goals — except that the language included in SB9 is weaker than the language of HB 6916. Public Hearing Monday, March 3 Submit before 3pm Friday 2/28 if possible. Additional testimony to support the restriction of the Second Generation Rodenticides is also still needed. To submit Written Testimony on including the stronger language from SB6916 in the new Bill SB9, please see: https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=ENV <https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=ENV> Or do a web search for “CGA Gov Environment Committee Submit Written Testimony” And for talking points for your Testimony, go here: https://www.ctpesticidereform.org/_files/ugd/7fddc8_8f05adc9a1834972a44e28ff2f2dff99.pdf?utm_campaign=97009522-6cce-449f-84af-1b9281c1d69e&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=f2698cfb-f8ff-44eb-b4b2-f8996e4b430a <https://www.ctpesticidereform.org/_files/ugd/7fddc8_8f05adc9a1834972a44e28ff2f2dff99.pdf?utm_campaign=97009522-6cce-449f-84af-1b9281c1d69e&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=f2698cfb-f8ff-44eb-b4b2-f8996e4b430a> Or you can do a web search for “CT Pesticide Reform” and click on the “Take Action” window. SB9 has a public hearing on Monday, March 3, so this is our chance to ask that the language be amended to match the language of HB 6916, that covers both aesthetic uses, on lawns and gardens, and agricultural ones, on some coated seeds and outdoor use at nurseries. Share your testimony with your state senator and house representative also. Let them know you want to see the strong language of HB 6916 pass to protect Connecticut's birds, pollinators, rivers, wildlife and people from wasteful uses of this "exquisitely" toxic pesticide, as the EPA has called it. To find your State Rep, please do a web search for “find your CT State Representative" And for more info on Neonics, please visit CT Pesticide Reform online. For additional info on Second Generation Rodenticides, please do a web search for "CT Audubon Society rat and mouse poisons also kill hawks and owls”, or at numerous other places online. Appreciatively, Jim Dugan New Milford Board Member CT Butterfly Association