Attorneys General Sue Over Pesticides in Public Housing

The attorneys general of ten states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have filed a lawsuit charging that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development relies too heavily on chemical pesticides in public housing developments. According to the Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, passed in 1996, federal agencies are required to use nonchemical integrated pest management strategies, such as fixing leaky pipes and filling holes in walls, when possible, relying on pesticides only as a last resort. “Integrated pest management will lead to more effective pest control while decreasing residents’ exposure to toxic pesticides,” said New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who led the petition. More than one million U.S. families live in public housing.