The Endangered Species Act has faced dozens of legislative attacks in Congress recently, with the most recent one showing up in this year’s version of the Farm Bill. The latest proposal would allow pesticides to be approved without considering the harm they pose to endangered species, essentially making it legal to kill an endangered species with a pesticide.

Having worked as an endangered species conservation scientist for the state of California for 15 years, I know that unregulated pesticides pose significant threats to populations of fish, bees, birds and other wildlife. Consider how many birds, insects, and bats pollinate the crops we rely on for food and fiber. The Endangered Species Act is one of our nation’s most effective environmental laws, and serves as an essential safety net for imperiled plants, fish and wildlife. The success stories are easily found, such as the resurgence of our national bird, the bald eagle, since the control of DDT.

The Endangered Species Act passed Congress in 1973 with nearly unanimous support, and a national poll by Tulchin Research in 2015 showed that 90 percent of voters support it. The Endangered Species Act allows for flexibility in protecting endangered wildlife and ensures that federal, state, tribal and local officials work together to bring imperiled species back from the brink of extinction.

I urge our congressional delegation to oppose exempting pesticide use and any weakening of the Endangered Species Act in the Farm Bill.

Gail Presley

Rockland