BILL NUMBER:  S7528

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the use of the herbicide atrazine


 PURPOSE :
To ban the use of the chemical atrazine, making it unlawful to
distribute, sell, offer for sale or use within the state or deliver
for transportation or transport in intrastate commerce.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :
Section 1: amends the environmental conservation law to add a new
section 37-0331 making it unlawful for any person to distribute, sell,
offer for sale or use the chemical atrazine within this state or
deliver for transportation or transport in intrastate commerce or
between points within this state through any point outside this state.
Section 2: effective date

 EXISTING LAW :
None.

 JUSTIFICATION :
According to a USA Today article dated Tuesday, March 2, 2010,
entitled: Weed killer upsets frogs' hormones, An herbicide that
              

contaminates tap water consumed by millions of Americans has been
found to produce gender-bending effects in male frogs, turning some
into females and chemically causing them unable to reproduce in
others. According to a study released on Monday, March 2, 2010 in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, frogs an experiment
were exposed to amounts of the weed killer atrazine that are
comparable to the levels allowed in drinking water by the
Environmental Protection Agency, causing male frogs to begin growing
eggs in their tests. In this experiment, 10% of the males exposed to
atrazine - one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world -
actually changed sez; some were able to breed and lay eggs. Nearly all
the other males had low testosterone and sperm levels, which made them
unable to reproduce. Even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
said in October, that it planned to reassess atrazine's safety,
including its cancer risk.  The European Union has banned the
chemical.

About 75% of stream water samples and 40% of groundwater samples
contain atrazine, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Natural
Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, detected
atrazine in 90% of tap water samples from 139 water systems.
Inexpensive faucet-top water filters can remove the chemical.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
New Legislation.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
January 1, 2012, provided, however, that effective immediately, the
addition and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and
directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.