November 27, 2000

I am Edna Sussman, the incoming Executive Director of Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Inc. I am here to urge that Westchester opt into the Pesticide Neighbor Notification law set forth in the recently enacted New York State legislation.

Westchester County has already taken the initiative to protect the public from pesticide hazards. Westchester County has been pursuing a pesticide reduction program for years and has succeeded in reducing its own use of pesticides in maintenance of the Westchester Parks System by 25% over the last 4 years. In further pursuit of this policy, last month the Westchester Board of Legislators adopted a local law establishing a program for the phase out of the county's own use of pesticides and adopting a control policy that largely relies on non-chemical pest control strategies. In adopting that law, this County's legislators expressly found and declared that "pesticides are linked to a number of acute and chronic health problems".

Studies have linked pesticides to nervous system damage, cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive impairment, immune system damage and other health problems. It has been noted that children, who play on lawns and floors, with their undeveloped systems, are particularly susceptible to the hazards associated with pesticides. People with ashthma or allergies are also particularly affected. Adoption of the Neighbor Notification Law is the next step for the County to further reduce pesticide exposure and protect the population of Westchester from the health ramifications of such exposure.

We are not urging here legally mandating a phase out of the private use of pesticides. We are simply talking about a notice provision so that people have an opportunity to protect themselves, their children and their pets. With the 48 hour notice required by the law, people will have an opportunity to make sure that they are indoors or away from home while pesticides are applied next door and to shut their windows so pesticides don't drift in. Businesses in many fields that involve products or services potentially of danger to the population are subject to regulations that require them to expend funds to protect the public. Car manufacturers have emission standards to meet, seat belt requirements and a panoply of other requirements. Building contractors must meet building codes in their construction. All of these legal requirements cost those businesses money. They are a cost of doing business in a field of potential danger to the public. Such additional costs are mandated here to enable the public to reduce its exposure to pesticides.

Data compiled under the Pesticide Reporting Law, which reports commercial applications of pesticides, shows that out of the 62 counties in the State of New York, Westchester is one of the largest users of pesticides, ranking 5th by pounds and 7th by gallons. Suffolk County, another big user of pesticides in the metropolitan area, has already opted in and mandated pesticide neighbor notification in order to protect its population. Westchester should do no less in enabling the people of Westchester to protect themselves from exposure to pesticides.