Saving America’s Pollinators Act of 2021
Saving America's Pollinators Act of 2021
This bill addresses the use of certain pesticides and the health and status of native bees and other pollinators.
First, the bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Pollinator Protection Board to develop an independent review process for pesticides that pose a threat to pollinators and their habitats.
All active ingredients and pesticide products that contain one or more specified neonicotinoid pesticides must be deemed to generally cause unreasonable adverse effects to the environment. Under the bill, the registration of all uses of neonicotinoid pesticides must be immediately and permanently canceled.
The EPA must revoke any tolerance or exemption that allows the presence of a neonicotinoid pesticide, or any pesticide chemical residue that results from neonicotinoid pesticide use, in or on food.
The continued sale or use of existing stocks of neonicotinoid pesticides is prohibited, and the EPA may not register any such pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
The bill requires the Department of the Interior, the EPA, and the Department of Agriculture to coordinate monitoring activities and report on the health and population status of native bees and other pollinators.
Finally, a state or federal agency may be granted an exemption to use neonicotinoid pesticides if the board votes that use of the pesticide is warranted (1) in an emergency situation to avert significant risk to threatened or endangered species, (2) to quarantine invasive species, or (3) to protect public health.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research.