States Sue to Cut Pesticide Use in Public Housing

ALBANY, New York, September 13, 2004 (ENS) – Six state attorney generals have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in an attempt to reduce the use of pesticides in public housing. The suit charges the federal agency is failing to comply with a 1996 law that requires the use of safer pest management practices in thousands of public housing developments across the United States. The lawsuit was filed last week in federal court in Brooklyn by attorneys general from New York, Connecticut, Illinois, New Mexico, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "There is no reason to subject children and other residents of public housing to potentially harmful chemicals when there are other effective ways to deal with pests," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. "We must use common sense and other tested, effective methods of pest control to ensure that kids are as safe as possible no matter where they live." The suit aims to force HUD to require housing authorities to use integrated pest management, a method that eliminates pests without toxic pesticides. The practice relies on regular inspections and traps, as well as preventative actions such as installing screens, repairing structural […]

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