Court Disapproves 'Neonic' Pesticides on Wildlife Refuges

[GreatGazoo]

Source: Common Dreams

WASHINGTON - A federal court has ruled against use of neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics) linked with destruction of bee colonies and other beneficial insects in national wildlife refuges in the Midwest region. The ruling caps a legal campaign to end the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops and other industrial agricultural practices on national wildlife refuges across the country.

The federal lawsuit was filed by Center for Food Safety (CFS), Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), Sierra Club, and Beyond Pesticides. It focused on farming contracts for five refuges in four Midwestern states (IL, IA, MN and MO). The suit sought to force the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), which operates refuges, to stop these practices until it completes rigorous analyses of their environmental impacts. In a March 16, 2015 ruling, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered:

“By no later than APRIL 15, 2015, Defendants shall file a Notice indicating the extent to which neonicotinoid pesticides are currently used on the five challenged refuges and where those pesticides are used. Assuming that these pesticides are currently used—or Defendants plan for them to be used—this claim is remanded to the agency to devise a plan to phase out their use as soon as practicable, but no later than January 1, 2016.” [Emphasis in original]
...
This was the fifth lawsuit filed by CFS and PEER challenging GE crops on wildlife refuges. Previously, the two groups successfully challenged approval of GE plantings on two wildlife refuges in Delaware, which forced FWS to end GE planting in the entire 12-state Northeastern Region. Another suit from the groups halted GE cultivation on twenty-five refuges across eight states in the Southeast.

Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2015/03/17/court-disapproves-neonic-pesticides-wildlife-refuges

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A victory for bees and all the species which rely on them !!

[Overseas]

1. K&R. Glad to hear it.

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. As nature and wildlife take a deep breath saying "stop killing us, restore us to balance"

[Thespian2]

3. Sue the Bastards

seems to be the only regulation that is effective against corporations bent upon destroying the Earth.

[JackRiddler]

4. This is good.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

5. omg, GREAT news!!!!!

I had a heart attack when I first glanced at the title.


Phew......

[TygrBright]

6. "Species which rely on them" would include us. Glad to have a little good news. n/t

[GreatGazoo]

7. "Us" indeed. and here is a little more good news

The New York State Assembly opened its 2015 session by passing as its first bill one of Assemblyman Tom Abinanti’s (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) pieces of legislation (A.298) dealing with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Abinanti’s legislation would help farmers defend against unfair lawsuits by GMO seed manufacturers. Abinanti’s bill allows farmers to assert as a defense that they didn’t plant the seeds.

“It’s unconscionable that companies like Monsanto can win lawsuits for alleged violations of their seed patents against small farmers because GMO crops are found on the farmer’s property when the farmers didn’t plant the seed,” said Abinanti. “It’s common sense that giant corporate seed manufacturers should not be able to intimidate farmers because the wind or rain carried GMO seeds from a far away farm and actually contaminated the farmer’s otherwise organic crops.”

Abinanti said that farmers – just like consumers – should have the choice to not use GMO products.

http://patch.com/new-york/rivertowns/assembly-passes-first-2015-bill-abinantis-gmo-bill-0

[glinda]

8. And MN should wonder why moose are dying?