The Oregon congressman has higher hopes for the Save America’s Pollinators Act this time around
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) announced plans to reintroduce the Save America’s Pollinators Act this morning during a press conference at Northeast Portland’s Sabin Elementary School, home of the tickle bees.
This will be the fourth time he’s introduced this piece of legislation, which is aimed at saving the nation’s honey bee populations by suspending the use of neonicotinoids.
Neonicotinoids are pesticides that have been linked to bee deaths in numerous peer-reviewed studies. Researchers have shown direct over-exposure to neonicotinoids can cause instant bee die-offs and that prolonged exposure causes slow colony deaths. The chemicals are widely used in both agricultural and residential settings.
Blumenauer’s bill would stop the application of these chemicals until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can prove through scientific methods that neonicotinoids don’t adversely impact pollinator species.
The past three times he’s introduced the Save America’s Pollinators Act, beginning in 2015, it’s failed to move under Republican leadership in the House. But, he told Street Roots, “This is a different era.”
Not only do Democrats have control of the House, but the act’s co-sponsor, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), is now Chairman of the House Rules Committee.
“In the past the Rules Committee wouldn’t give us the light of day. I don’t think that’s the case this time,” Blumenauer said. “The majority in the House being Democrats, who want to get things done, means that we have an excellent chance of moving these things forward.”
The Republican-controlled Senate will be more challenging, but he said he’s confident he will find support among individuals who will help move the bill there as well, citing past bicameral and bipartisan support.
“This is an area of looming crisis. This is something that, in terms of what we’ve seen with bee die-offs, is a problem that appears to be growing,” he said.
He pointed to a recent global analysis published in the journal Biological Conservation that indicated the rate of extinction for insects is 8 times faster than that of other species, suggesting they could be completely wiped-out within a century.
GET INVOLVED: Plant a pollinator garden or become a backyard beekeeper
Neonicotinoids are a class of chemical that is systemic, meaning once a plant or seed is treated, the toxins spread through the plant’s tissues and into the pollen and nectar that attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Oregon Department of Agriculture investigations determined neonicotinoids were the cause of massive bumblebee die-offs in several pesticide spraying incidents beginning in 2013. In 2015, the department banned the use of four neonicotinoids on certain tree species, but their use continues to be standard in agriculture. American corn and soybean seeds are commonly coated with these chemicals.
Earlier this month, the Tillamook Beekeepers Association reported 40 percent of honey bee colonies in its region on the Oregon Coast died last year. In the Tillamook Headlight Herald, its president asked the community to help by planting bee-friendly plants and avoiding pesticides.
Lawmakers in Oregon are considering additional limits on the use of neonicotinoids this session. One bill aimed at banning their use, House Bill 2619, has already been introduced, and another that would restrict their use to licensed applicators is expected to drop any day.
“One out of 3 of every forkfuls of food are pollinated,” Blumenauer said. “It’s very important for Oregon agriculture.”
FURTHER READING: Harmful pesticides found in store-brand foods
It’s estimated that one-third of honey bee colonies in the United States have been lost since Blumenauer first introduced his pollinator bill, according to a statement from his office.
“One-third of food produced in North America – including nearly 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables such as almonds, avocados, cranberries, and apples – depends on pollination by bees, contributing over $3 billion to the United States agricultural economy and over $125 billion globally,” it said.
While neonicotinoids are contributing to the decline of bees and other pollinators, they’re not the only cause. Habitat destruction and climate change are also known culprits.
Blumenauer said transportation legislation that Democrats plan to advance is one way to address lost habitat.
“There are hundreds of millions of acres of land that is in right-of-way for transportation corridors,” he said. “How they are designed, and the plant materials that are used, can be pollinator friendly.”
Citizens can help bees, too, by avoiding neonicotinoids and planting pollinator gardens.
There are seven chemicals with different names in the neonicotinoid class, and they can be found in dozens of pesticides manufactured for home use, including many popular Bayer and Ortho products. They are: Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Acetamiprid, Thiamethoxam, Dinotefuran, Nitenpyram and Thiacloprid.
Email Senior Staff Reporter Emily Green at emily@streetroots.org. Follow her on Twitter @greenwrites.
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