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New York lawmakers push for chlorpyrifos ban

Lawmakers in New York have voted to ban a common pesticide within the next two years.

The Democrat-led Senate passed legislation earlier this week that would immediately prohibit aerial spraying of chlorpyrifos, and completely outlaw its use by December 2021.

The bill is headed to Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has not publicly weighed in on the issue.

A similar measure is already in place in Hawaii, and Senators in California are considering restrictions as well.

Studies have linked chlorpyrifos to neurological problems in children, but the USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy says the safety of the insecticide is grounded in sound science.

Under the Obama Administration, the EPA proposed a federal ban on chlorpyrifos in 2015, but former administrator Scott Pruitt reversed that decision two years later.

The chemical is used on more than 50 different crops, including corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

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