| The California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2023 (AB 1322) needs your support! Please reach out to the representatives listed below and let them know you do not want toxic rodenticides to harm wildlife like owls, raptors, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, and small mammals that are critical to the health of our ecosystem. Protect wildlife at Los Cerritos Wetlands and across the state of California by making your voice heard! KEY FACTS ● The California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2023 would expand restrictions on toxic rat poisons and set a moratorium on a deadly first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide. ● The legislation would extend an existing moratorium on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. ● Widespread rodenticide use harms children, pets and wildlife. ● More than half of wildlife tested in California have been exposed to rodenticides. The bill is now before the Senate Appropriations Committee chaired by Senator Anthony Portantino, and that committee will decide whether to advance the bill on September 1st. During this critical step in the process, many bills are “held,” and do not advance. We would greatly appreciate your help urging Senator Portantino to advance the bill. Contact information for Senator Portantino is available here and an email template is listed below, which we encourage you to add your voice to. COPY & PASTE EMAIL: Dear Chair Portantino and Committee Members, I strongly support the California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2023 (AB 1322) that protects California wildlife and communities against harmful rodenticides. Anticoagulant rodenticides are poisoning California wildlife and have been documented in at least 38 nontarget species, including the critically endangered San Joaquin kit fox and California condor. The problem is so severe that over 70% of wildlife tested in California are exposed to rodenticides. National Park Service researchers have documented the presence of anticoagulant rodenticides in 39 out of 40 mountain lions tested in the Santa Monica Mountains, which are already threatened with local extinction from habitat fragmentation and lack of wildlife connectivity. In September 2022, the four unborn kittens of a pregnant mountain lion named P-54 also tested positive for anticoagulant rodenticides. AB 1322 is desperately needed to extend the existing moratorium on dangerous second generation anticoagulant rodenticides and strengthen future restrictions on anticoagulant rodenticides, including the first generation anticoagulant diphacinone, to better protect wildlife, children, and pets. Please advance the bill past Senate Appropriations. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, FIRST LAST EMAIL ADDRESSES & CONTACT INFO: Senator Portantino’s Contact Info Other Chair Members & Staff: Staff member for Anthony Portantino; Ashley Ames (Ashley.Ames@sen.ca.gov) Senator Angelique V. Ashby (staff member; Cassidy.Denny@sen.ca.gov) Senator Steven Bradford (staff member; Christopher.Morales@sen.ca.gov) Senator Aisha Wahab (staff member; Zachariah.Oquenda@sen.ca.gov) Senator Scott D. Wiener (staff member; Raayan.Mohtashemi@sen.ca.gov) Thank you to Raptors are the Solution for spreading the word about this important issue. |
