FoGP logo

AB 1788 Information UPDATE

On Apr 3, 2019

Now that this legislation has moved out of the CA State Assembly, the next step will be the Senate…


It’s easy to locate your CA Senator… go to http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Here are some bullet points that you can use to make your points:

  • I care about protecting California’s wildlife. Please support AB 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act.
  • Rodenticides (rat poisons) designed to kill rodents are poisoning California’s native wildlife. Rodenticides are consumed by rats, who in turn are consumed by other wildlife, resulting in secondary poisoning and contamination of the food chain. Rodenticide poisoning is widespread. A recent analysis of 11 studies found that more than 85% of California mountain lions, bobcats, and Pacific fishers have been exposed to these dangerous poisons.
  • This bill would ban second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) throughout the state, except for agricultural use or by special permit. It would also ban the use of less potent, though still very dangerous, first generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs) on state-owned lands.
  • Since the California Department of Pesticide Regulation pulled second generation anticoagulants from consumer shelves in July 2014, there has been no decrease in the rate of wildlife poisoning from these products. The continued use of rodenticides by licensed pest control applicators still allows rodents to consume rodenticides and then poison non-target wildlife (and even pets) who consume the rodents themselves. In fact, based on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s own studies, from 2014 to 2018, an estimated 70 to 90% of various tested wildlife species in the state were found to have SGARs in their systems. Simply put, the evidence shows that a consumer ban on SGARs alone is insufficient to protect California’s ecosystems and further steps must be taken. AB 1788 would ensure that use of these harmful toxins are prohibited full-stop in the State of California, while still leaving licensed applicators and consumers with ample tools to address rodent infestations.
  • In addition to harming wildlife, anticoagulants rodenticides pose an unreasonable risk to children who may accidentally ingest these highly toxic poisons. Between 1999 and 2009, the American Association of Poison Control Centers received reports of an average of 17,000 human exposures to rodenticides each year, with 85% of these exposures, (i.e., approximately 15,000 per year), occurring to children less than 6 years of age.

And don’t forget to save your letter’s text, since we’ll ask you to email it to the next committee in June!

Also, provide your full name and full residential address at the end of your email.

and one more thing we ask… please SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS!


more information…

We urge you to stay informed and when we ask that you contact your representatives, we hope you’ll respond with the same enthusiasm as when this legislation first came before the committees. It’s important to eliminate rodenticides for future generations of wildlife and ALL life!

https://aldf.org/article/bill-regulating-super-toxic-rodenticides-advances-out-of-california-assembly/

Thanks to the support of thousands of Californians over the past month, AB 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act, has passed through three Committees and now heads to its next crucial step, a floor vote by the entire California Assembly, as early as this week! We urgently need your help to complete this next hurdle by phoning your representative.

You can find your representative at http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/. Click on your Assembly Member’s name to go to their webpage. Their phone numbers are usually found at the bottom of that page.

Please make the call this Monday or Tuesday.

AB 1788 would ban second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) throughout the state, except for agricultural use or by special permit. These are the most toxic — “one feeding kills” — poisons that stay in rodents’ systems for weeks and contaminate the food chain, causing poisoning to California’s iconic wildlife. The bill would also ban the use of less potent, still very dangerous, first generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs) on state-owned lands.

Data from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, the National Park Service, UCLA, and other scientists have shown that predator species such as owls, hawks, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions, as well as endangered species such as the spotted owl and Pacific fisher have been exposed to these poisons. Figures vary between species exposure as the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s analysis of 11 wildlife studies has determined these poisons were documented in 88% of tested bobcats, more than 90% of tested mountain lions, and 40% of tested barred owls.

This bill is common-sense legislation that simply curbs the use of the very worst of these super-toxic poisons in certain situations, while still allowing the use of rodenticide products that are less dangerous.-¹ Even so, the national pest control industry is doing everything it can to stop this bill from passing and that’s where we need your help!

Please help make AB 1788 law with a simple phone call to your State Assemblymember, asking him or her to vote “yes” on AB 1788.

Sample Message: I am your constituent, and I care about protecting California’s wildlife. Please vote YES on AB 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act.

Thank you very much for your support!

AB 1788 is important to Griffith Park wildlife, as well as ALL wildlife in our neighborhoods. Rodenticides (rat poisons) designed to kill rodents are poisoning California’s native wildlife. Rodenticides are consumed by rats, which in turn are consumed by other wildlife, resulting in secondary poisoning and contamination going up the food chain. Rodenticide poisoning is widespread. A recent analysis of 11 studies found that more than 85% of California mountain lions and bobcats are exposed, and these species reside in Griffith Park.

CALL NOW to leave a short voice message of SUPPORT to your district representative!
Attached is the list of representatives that need to hear from you!

Autumn Burke / Inglewood (916) 319-2062 or (310) 412-6400

Ian Calderon / Whittier/Norwalk (916) 319-2057 or (562) 692-5858

Mike Gipson / Compton/Carson (916) 319-2064 or (310) 324-6408

Blanca Rubio / Azusa, Baldwin Park, San Gabriel Valley (916) 319-2048 or (626) 960-4457

Miguel Santiago / Central Los Angeles/DTLA (916) 319-2053 or (213) 620-4646

Comments

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related ARTICLES

Hiking in the ‘Ocean´ of Griffith Park

Hiking in the ‘Ocean´ of Griffith Park

  I moved to Beachwood Canyon from my hometown of San Diego 13 years ago. Honestly, if I´d had my way back then, I would have moved straight to the beach and never looked back. But my boyfriend at the time wanted to be near both nature and his work, so we...

read more
Dodder Demystified

Dodder Demystified

  Griffith Park is home to a strange plant by the common name of California Dodder (Cuscusta californica). Dodder can be found on every slope of the Park. Many people describe it as spaghetti or noodles that become entangled and twisted as it climbs onto the...

read more