All Three New York Pest Associations Unite in Common Effort

NEW YORK — Craig Thomas, president of the New York State Pest Management Association (NYSPMA) and Jim Langford, president of the Long Island Pest Control Association (LIPCA) along with Eddie Trilhe, president of PPCANYC, Professional Pest Control Association of NYC, announced that all three associations will now share the lobbying costs to protect PCOs' common interests in the New York State Legislature.

New York recently elected a new governor, Eliot Spitzer, who has demonstrated that he will be much tougher on pesticide issues than his predecessor. He took a proactive role in NYC’s stringent rules on pesticides used in city owned property. He selected a new deputy secretary for the Environment and a Commissioner of the DEC who both have long records of opposing pesticide usage and are strong advocates for increased enforcement.

Just in the first two months of 2007 the New York State Legislature has already introduced 39 bills that could directly affect the pest control industry.  Some of these bills that may have a direct impact on pesticide users are: IPM requirements for schools, hospitals, day care and child care facilities, the display and storage of pesticides offered for retail sale, various changes regarding registration of pesticide products,  establishment of standards for the storage and maintenance of pesticides,  prohibition of application of pesticides to a public utility right-of-way, granting private citizens broad authorization to commence civil judicial actions under certain titles of the environmental conservation law,  provision for the phase-out of state use of pesticides on state property and for state agency pest management plans, allowing local governments to regulate pesticide use and notification more stringently than the commissioner of environmental conservation, establishing requirements regarding pesticide applications in food selling establishments, and the creation of a temporary state pesticide commission to study the effects of the application of pesticides in N.Y. City

Thomas, Langford and Trilhe underlined the need for unity and stated that strength in numbers will not only benefit the interests of all three associations, but all of the structural pest management professionals in the entire state. The trio also encouraged New York pest management professionals to contribute to the NYSPMA PAC fund where all monies raised go directly to lobbying efforts.

 For further information, contact the NYSPMA at 877-521-PEST or LIPCA at 631-467-0063 or PPCANY at 718-945-5429.