Proposed legislation (2021-22 MA Legislature), filed by Rep. Dr. Tami Gouveia, Sen. Adam Hinds and currently before the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA), replaces the Commonwealth’s outdated and expensive mosquito management system with one that is more effective, affordable, transparent, ecologically responsible, and scientifically based.
Please ask legislators to encourage the ENRA committee to report this bill favorably from their committee or provide an extension ahead of the Feb. 2 committee deadline!
S.556/H.937, "An Act providing for the public health by establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth"
This legislative briefing, organized by the MASSQuito Coalition and delivered on January 26, 2022, conveys the need for ecological mosquito disease management in Massachusetts.
Presenters include:
Representative Dr. Tami Gouveia, Bill Sponsor (1:19)
Senator Adam Hinds, Bill Sponsor (3:19)
Michele Calopy (5:05)
MASSQuito Coalition Representative, Executive Director of LEAD for Pollinators
-Introduction of Subject Matter Experts, overview of presentation
Sarah Hoyle (8:36)
Pesticide Program Specialist at Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
-Why Implement Ecological Mosquito Management?
Dr. Flaminia Catteruccia (13:21)
Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard University, TH Chan School of Public Health; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
-Using insecticide sprays for mosquito control: how effective is it?
Dr. Brita Lundberg (20:10)
Chair of the Board at Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility
-The Health Risks of Pyrethroid Insecticides
Kyla Bennet, PhD, JD (28:10)
Director of New England Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
-Gaps in the study commissioned by Task Force...and why we need legislative action
QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION
"How effective is having landscapes that attract dragonflies?" (34:42)
"How does this very testimony get presented to the Mosquito Control Task Force for some 21st Century science?" (35:51)
"With this legislation passed, will cities and towns in MA be responsible for enacting a specific procedure, or is it up to local government?" (36:54)
An update on the opt-out provision from Brian Rosman, Sen. Comerford's office (37:30)
"What is in the bill to promote field research to adjust thresholds for control as time goes on and experience increases? And what are the procedures for adjusting those protocols and thresholds?"
(40:46)
"Is there anything in the bill to monitor and restrict private applicators, potentially an even more significant source of pesticides in the environment?" (41:25)
Rep. Gouveia recognizing other legislators (42:06)
"Is the task force considering or promoting ecological measures for mosquito control?" (43:30)
"What is the timeline of this bill being passed and how much support does it have?" (44:30)
"This panel makes a compelling and powerful case against any use of pesticides at all. I’m curious if any of the speakers think there are any situations where they would support the use of pesticides to control the spread of disease? If not…why not just ban them…?" (46:20)
Closing, Michele Calopy (50:43)
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Mosquito Control Task Force Hearing
February 10th, 2022 - 4-6PM
Details to be posted, here:
www.mass.gov/s...
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Please visit the MASSQuito Coalition Website for numerous resources for policy makers, homeowners and advocates: www.nofamass.o...
Coalition fact sheet on the proposed legislation: www.nofamass.o...