Letter to Michael Regan, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency - Schumer Reveals: New Yorkers Being Bit By "Record' Number Of Mosquitos As More & More West Nile Virus Pools --Over 1K-- Confirmed; With Climate Change, Mosquito Season Could Last Even Longer; Senator Announces New Fed Push To Boost Funds Localities Need To Beat Back The Bug & Diseases Before Spread

Letter

Dear Administrator Regan:

I write today to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hold a call or virtual meeting with New York officials to ensure they have access to effective nonchemical mosquito control tools. As you are likely aware, New York State is seeing an uptick in mosquitos this year, so it is vital that localities on the front lines have the necessary tools and information to protect public health and address the growing mosquito population.

The EPA has historically provided state and local mosquito control departments with tools to control mosquito populations, and with this year's mosquitos becoming a larger nuisance than normal, we need EPA's help. The information provided by the EPA has been essential for state and local governments as they play a critical role in providing information through their outreach programs. Additionally, the EPA provides nonchemical effective mosquito control tools that they can use without posing unreasonable risk to human health and the environment and these are more important now as localities carry out prevention and vector population management. Mosquito population management by state and local agencies is a key component to protecting the public from mosquito borne diseases such as West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, and chikungunya. This is particularly important this year as New York City Health Department has identified a record-breaking number of West Nile virus-positive mosquito pools throughout the five boroughs, already surpassing the previous high recorded in 2018. Furthermore, CDC has identified 7 confirmed West Nile cases in New York State as of September 7, 2021. Beyond the state and local entities, the public plays an essential role in decelerating mosquito population growth through practices that eliminate potential breeding habitats such as standing water around the home.

With state and local entities, as well as the public, having a role in mosquito control, it is crucial that the EPA ensure this information is widely accessible. While I appreciate the EPA making this critical information accessible on their website, I believe it is imperative that the EPA host a virtual meeting with state and local mosquito control departments to ensure they have the most effective control tools and are able to adequately convey this information to the public.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my staff with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

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