Saving America's Pollinators Act of 2013 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the registration of imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotafuran, and any other members of the nitro group of neonicotinoid insecticides to the extent such insecticide is registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for use in seed treatment, soil application, or foliar treatment on bee attractive plants, trees, and cereals until the Administrator has made a determination that such insecticide will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators. Requires such a determination to be based on: (1) an evaluation of the published and peer-reviewed scientific evidence on whether the use or uses of such neonicotinoids cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators, including native bees, honeybees, birds, bats, and other species of beneficial insects; and (2) a completed field study that meets the criteria required by the Administrator and evaluates residues, including residue build-up after repeated annual application, chronic low-dose exposure, and cumulative effects of multiple chemical exposures.
Prohibits the Administrator from issuing any new registrations of the pesticides listed in this Act for any seed treatment, soil application, and foliar treatment on bee attractive plants, trees, and cereals under FIFRA until the Administrator has made such determination with respect to such insecticide.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Administrator, to: (1) regularly monitor the health and population status of native bees, (2) identify the scope and likely causes of unusual native bee mortality, and (3) submit to Congress and make public an annual report on such health and population status.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2692 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2692
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
take certain actions related to pesticides that may affect pollinators,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 16, 2013
Mr. Conyers (for himself and Mr. Blumenauer) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
take certain actions related to pesticides that may affect pollinators,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Saving America's Pollinators Act of
2013''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
(1) Pollination services are a vital part of agricultural
production, valued at over $125,000,000,000 globally and worth
$20,000,000,000 to $30,000,000,000 in agricultural production
annually in the United States.
(2) One-third of food produced in North America depends on
pollination by honey bees, including nearly 95 varieties of
fruits such as almonds, avocados, cranberries, and apples.
(3) Over the past several years, documented incidents of
colony collapse disorder have been at a record high, with some
beekeepers repeatedly losing 100 percent of their operations.
(4) During the winter beginning in 2012 and ending in 2013,
United States beekeepers, on average, lost 45.1 percent of the
colonies they operate.
(5) According to scientists of the Department of
Agriculture, current estimates of the survivorship of honey bee
colonies show they are too low to be able to meet the
pollination demands of United States agricultural crops.
(6) Scientists have linked the use of systemic
neonicotinoid insecticides to the rapid decline of pollinators
and to the deterioration of pollinator health.
(7) Neonicotinoids cause sublethal effects including
impaired foraging and feeding behavior, disorientation,
weakened immunity, delayed larval development, and increased
susceptibility to viruses, diseases, and parasites and numerous
studies have also demonstrated acute, lethal effects from the
application of neonicotinoid insecticides.
(8) Recent science has demonstrated that a single corn
kernel coated with a neonicotinoid is toxic enough to kill a
songbird.
(9) In June 2013, over 50,000 bumblebees were killed as a
direct result of exposure to a neonicotinoid applied to Linden
trees for cosmetic purposes.
(10) In January 2013, the European Food Safety Authority
determined that the most widely used neonicotinoids pose
unacceptable hazards to bees, prompting the European Union to
suspend their use on agricultural crops.
SEC. 3. URGENT REGULATORY RESPONSE FOR HONEY BEE AND POLLINATOR
PROTECTION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency shall suspend the registration of imidacloprid,
clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotafuran, and any other members of the
nitro group of neonicotinoid insecticides to the extent such
insecticide is registered, conditionally or otherwise, under the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et
seq.) for use in seed treatment, soil application, or foliar treatment
on bee attractive plants, trees, and cereals until the Administrator
has made a determination that such insecticide will not cause
unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators based on--
(1) an evaluation of the published and peer-reviewed
scientific evidence on whether the use or uses of such
neonicotinoids cause unreasonable adverse effects on
pollinators, including native bees, honey bees, birds, bats,
and other species of beneficial insects; and
(2) a completed field study that meets the criteria
required by the Administrator and evaluates residues, including
residue build-up after repeated annual application, chronic
low-dose exposure, cumulative effects of multiple chemical
exposures, and any other protocol determined to be necessary by
the Administrator to protect managed and native pollinators.
(b) Conditions on Certain Pesticides Registrations.--
Notwithstanding section 3 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136a), for purposes of the protection of
honey bees, other pollinators, and beneficial insects, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall not issue
any new registrations, conditional or otherwise, for any seed
treatment, soil application, and foliar treatment on bee attractive
plants, trees, and cereals under such Act until the Administrator has
made the determination described in subsection (a), based on an
evaluation described in subsection (a)(1) and a completed field study
described in subsection (a)(2), with respect to such insecticide.
(c) Monitoring of Native Bees.--The Secretary of the Interior, in
coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, shall, for purposes of protecting and ensuring the long-term
viability of native bees and other pollinators of agricultural crops,
horticultural plants, wild plants, and other plants--
(1) regularly monitor the health and population status of
native bees, including the status of native bees in
agricultural and non-agricultural habitats and areas of
ornamental plants, residential areas, and landscaped areas;
(2) identify the scope and likely causes of unusual native
bee mortality; and
(3) beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act and each year thereafter, submit to
Congress, and make available to the public, a report on such
health and population status.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1066)
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture.
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