‘Resolve, Directing the Board of Pesticides Control To Establish an Environmental Risk Advisory Committee To Assess Neonicotinoids’
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. Environmental risk advisory committee; neonicotinoids. Resolved: That the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Board of Pesticides Control shall establish an environmental risk advisory committee, referred to in this section as "the committee," to evaluate the environmental risks associated with the use of neonicotinoids, particularly the impact the use of neonicotinoids has on pollinator species, including, but not limited to, native Maine bee species and other insect pollinators and bird species.
1. Duties. The committee shall, at a minimum, evaluate the environmental risks associated with the use of neonicotinoids on the following:
A. Lethal and sublethal effects and exposure risk to all native Maine bee species, including bumblebees and solitary bees, as well as honeybees regulated by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 2701;
B. Lethal and sublethal effects and exposure risk to other insect pollinators and bird species; and
C. The United States Environmental Protection Agency's proposed interim decision on neonicotinoids issued in January 2020 and subsequent actions taken by the Federal Government.
2. Report. The department shall submit an interim report of the committee no later than March 1, 2021 and a final report no later than February 1, 2022 with findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters. Following receipt and review of the final report, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters may submit a bill concerning the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following appropriations and allocations are made.
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF
Pesticides Control - Board of 0287
Initiative: Provides an allocation for one Toxicologist position, contracted staffing, environmental sampling and literature review.
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS | 2019-20 | 2020-21 |
|
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
|
0.000 | 1.000 |
|
Personal Services
|
$0 | $30,000 |
|
All Other
|
$0 | $73,540 |
 |
|
|
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL | $0 | $103,540 |
SUMMARY
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill. The amendment directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Board of Pesticides Control to establish an environmental risk advisory committee to evaluate the environmental risks associated with the use of neonicotinoids, particularly the impact the use of neonicotinoids has on pollinator species, including, but not limited to, native Maine bee species and other insect pollinators and bird species. The advisory committee is required to submit an interim report by March 2021 and a final report by February 2022 with findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters has the authority to submit a bill relating to the subject matter of the report during the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
The amendment also provides funding necessary to carry out the requirements of this legislation.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)