Pesticide-Friendly Bill From Lepage Mirrors Model By Secretive ALEC

"[Maine] Gov. Paul LePage’s bill to take away municipal government’s ability to enact local pesticide ordinances closely mirrors a model bill written and promoted by a secretive national group that helps large national corporations ghost-write laws for sympathetic state legislators.

The governor’s bill – which a legislative panel will take up again next week – would prohibit Maine municipalities from restricting a wide range of chemicals used for everything from treating lawns to killing household pests and invasive moths. It has the support of local pest control and lawn care companies, but is opposed by environmental groups, the Maine Municipal Association and towns that have adopted ordinances to protect vulnerable local resources such as lobster.

Not disclosed during a lengthy May 1 public hearing is that L.D. 1505 is almost identical to a model bill advanced in state houses across the country by a business-backed organization called the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, and drafted by one of its task forces with corporate members such as pesticide makers CropLife America, Dow AgroSciences and the American Chemistry Council."

Colin Woodard reports for the Portland Press Herald May 9, 2017.