To the Editor:

Two important issues that affect Newtown and area towns are topics of draft legislation in this year’s General Assembly.

The first is SB122, An Act Concerning Replanting of Trees in Public Areas Cleared by Utility Companies. This bill requires utility companies to create and administer a fund that distributes money to municipalities for tree planting projects in public areas which have been cleared by the utility. Such funding will contain between 2 million and 5 million dollars (depending on the size of the service area) and will be available to towns for vegetation restoration in those areas.

Since area towns have been, and continue to be, affected by the clear-cutting of trees along roadsides by Eversource, it seems appropriate that the utility should pay for restoration of these areas.

The other bill of interest is SB963, An Act Concerning the Use of Neonicotinoids for Non-Agricultural Use.

This bill would prohibit the use of a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids (including imidacloprid, clothianidin, and dinotefuran) by professionals including lawn care companies who use these pesticides on lawns — usually for grub control. Neonicotinoids are highly toxic to bees and other pollinators, aquatic species; they pollute water resources and have neurological effects on children, pets and even ourselves. Since there are chemical and biochemical alternatives, there seems to be no good reason to continue the cosmetic use of these pesticides. Exceptions to the law could be made for legitimate uses concerning invasive pests which threaten certain tree species.

These bills will go forward in the legislative process only if lawmakers deem their importance and support from their constituency. Please contact your state representatives and let them know of your support for these bills. To find the names of your representatives, go to cga.ct.gov, click on your representative’s name and click on “Contact Me.”

Thanks to those who take the time to participate in the democratic process.

Mary Gaudet-Wilson

Newtown