“A crucial step towards safe water” (editorial, Dec. 8) makes the obvious case for the EPA to mandate replacing lead pipes, a documented threat to human health. But another threat to our water occurs before it reaches the pipes: insecticides.

There is a bill awaiting Gov. Hochul’s signature that would stem the continued tainting of New York’s water from the most widely used class of insecticides in the U.S: neonicotinoids, or neonics. The Birds and Bees Protection Act would ban the use of neonics as seed coatings in corn, soy and wheat crops and for most lawn and garden uses. This would reduce by 80-90% the amount of the runoff chemicals leaching into New York’s soil and water.

Neonics are neurotoxins that poison pollinators, birds, invertebrates, fish and creatures up the food chain. Studies about their harms to human health link neonic exposures in the womb to elevated risk of birth defects of the heart and brain, reduced cognitive abilities and autism-like symptoms. Adult exposures are associated with memory loss, muscle tremors, metabolic disorders, decreased testosterone and lower sperm counts and motility. New York health experts have spoken out that, like lead, mercury, and other neurotoxins, there may be “no safe level” of neonic exposure.

While the EPA has taken no action to ban neonics, they are already banned in Europe and restricted in Canada. Gov. Hochul must sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act and let New York lead in protecting our water supply, our birds, bees and people.