DEC regulates pesticides and handles compliance assistance, public outreach activities, and enforcement of the requirements in the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL).
DEC’s NYSPAD (New York State Pesticide Administration Database) can be used to search and download information regarding several pesticide topics, including:
- Pesticide Products
- Pesticide Applicators and Technicians
- Businesses that Apply Pesticides
- Pesticide Certification Courses and Exams
- Dealers of Restricted Use Pesticides
Please click on the icon below to enter the NYPAD search database.
Hot Topics:
New Neonicotinoid Legislation Passes in New York State
Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) was amended in 2023 and early 2024 to prohibit the use of certain neonicotinoid pesticides on outdoor ornamental plants and turf beginning on December 31, 2024, for some products, followed by others on December 31, 2026. In addition, Article 37 of the ECL was amended to prohibit the sale, offer for sale or use, or distribution within the state any corn, soybean, or wheat seeds coated or treated with pesticides containing clothianidin, imidacloprid, or thiamethoxam on January 1, 2029. These amendments to the ECL have been referred to as the “Birds and Bees Protection Act”.
Beginning December 31, 2024, Article 33 (ECL 33-1301(13)) prohibits the treatment of outdoor ornamental plants and turf with pesticide products containing clothianidin or dinotefuran and beginning December 31, 2026, this prohibition is further expanded to include pesticide products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or acetamiprid.
There are several exemptions to this prohibition which would allow the application of pesticide products containing clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or acetamiprid. These exemptions include:
- Applications on agricultural commodities;
- Structural commercial applications within one foot of a building foundation perimeter to manage structural pests provided that the application is not conducted on any blooming plants;
- Applications by, or under the supervision of, a certified applicator for treatment against invasive species affecting woody plants; and
- Applications conducted in accordance with a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) written order to address an environmental emergency.
Pesticide applicators conducting applications for the treatment of invasive species affecting woody plants or applications in accordance with a NYSDEC written order to address an environmental emergency must take an NYSDEC-approved neonicotinoid course annually and maintain a record of this course for three years.
NYSDEC is currently developing the written order process for environmental emergencies.
This amendment also requires NYSDEC, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and Cornell to conduct a study to identify practicable and feasible alternatives to the use of neonicotinoids. The results of the study must be submitted to the governor on or before January 1, 2026, and posted on the NYSDEC’s website.
Read the full language of ECL 33-1301(13).
The amendment to ECL Article 37, “Substances Hazardous or Acutely Hazardous to Public Health, Safety or the Environment” Title 11 regulates neonicotinoid pesticide coated or treated seeds.
Beginning January 1, 2029, this amendment prohibits the sale, offer for sale or use, or distribution of any corn, soybean, or wheat seeds coated or treated with pesticides containing clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or any other neonicotinoid as determined by NYSDEC regulation in New York State.
There is an exemption to this prohibition which allows farms to request a waiver from NYSDEC to use corn, soybean, or wheat seeds coated or treated with pesticides containing clothianidin, imidacloprid, or thiamethoxam.
This waiver process will be developed through NYSDEC regulation in consultation with NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, as required by the amendment. The amendment requires this waiver to be based upon a pest risk assessment, report, and the farm owner completing integrated pest management training.
The NYSDEC must annually report to the legislature the number of waivers granted.
Read the full language of ECL 37-1101.
In addition, section 71-3703(7) of the ECL was amended to provide penalties for violations of section 37-1101 of the ECL. This penalty provision imposes a maximum civil penalty of one thousand dollars for each day the violation continues and a maximum civil penalty of two thousand five hundred dollars for each day the second violation continues.
Read the full language of ECL 71-3703(7).
For questions regarding these amendments to the ECL, please contact the Bureau of Pesticides Management at: 518-402-8727 or [email protected].
Agricultural Production of Cannabis and Hemp in New York
The legal sale and use of cannabis has not been recognized on a federal level. Hence, there are no pesticide products registered in New York that specifically list cannabis as an application site. However, the Directions for Use of some pesticide labels are broad enough to be deemed allowable on cannabis.
While agricultural production of hemp is allowed on the federal level, there are relatively few products that list hemp as an allowed site.
DEC has prepared guidance, New York State Pesticide Regulations for Agricultural Production of Cannabis and Hemp (PDF), to help the public determine which products are allowed for use on cannabis and/or hemp in New York.
Aquatic Permits for Application of ProcellaCOR in Lake George
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued two Environmental Conservation Law Article 15 permits for the use of the herbicide product ProcellaCOR in Lake George to control the invasive species Eurasian watermilfoil. These permits limit the ProcellaCOR treatment to two areas of the Lake. A total area of 3.6 acres are permitted to be treated in Jelliffe-Knight Bay (PDF) and a total of 4 acres are permitted to be treated in Blairs Bay (PDF). These permits were issued in conjunction with an Adirondack Park Agency freshwater wetland permit and authorized by the DEC’s State Pollution Discharge Elimination System Pesticides General Permit. For more information regarding DEC’s Lake George Article 15 pesticide permits please contact the Bureau of Pesticides Management’s Warrensburg office at 518-623-1200.
2023 Glyphosate Annual Report
Paragraph 12 of Article 33-1301 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) and the corresponding regulations in Part 325.42 of Title 6 New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations (6 NYCRR), make it unlawful for state departments, agencies, public benefit corporations or their contractors, to apply products containing the active ingredient glyphosate on state property. However, the law permits the application of glyphosate for the following uses:
to maintain critical infrastructure;
to maintain roadside vegetation to ensure public safety;
to manage habitat for one of the following purposes:
control invasive species:
control pests of significant public health importance;
control noxious plants injurious to ecosystem health; or
protect critical native plant species; or
conduct research into the environmental motility of glyphosate or to develop suitable alternatives to glyphosate for agricultural and environmental uses.”
Prior to applying glyphosate on state property, the state department, agency, or public benefit corporation must develop a glyphosate use determination documenting that:
the application falls under the above permitted uses
there will be no actual or significant threat of direct human exposure to glyphosate and
that there are no effective and practicable alternatives to the use of glyphosate.
Paragraph 12 of Article 33-1301 also requires that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) post on its website the amount and location of glyphosate usage on state property by April 1st each year.
6 NYCRR Part 325.42 now requires all state departments, agencies, and public benefit corporations that apply glyphosate on state property, or contract with pesticide applicators to apply glyphosate on state property, to report the following to DEC every year by January 15th:
the official name of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation;
the pesticide agency or pesticide business registration number, if applicable;
the pesticide product name;
the United States Environmental Protection Agency registration number of the pesticide product;
the amount of pesticide product applied; and
the location of application.
DEC, in cooperation with Cornell University’s Pesticide Sales and Use Reporting Program (PSUR), reviewed and compiled the glyphosate report data. The data has been compiled into one table and converted into a PDF. There are 4 versions of the PDF organized by:
Agency (PDF, 430 KB)
Zip Code (PDF, 497 KB)
County (PDF, 450 KB)
Municipality (PDF, 529 KB)
A legend (PDF, 159 KB) has been provided to help readers understand the specific location identifiers some agencies use to report the location of application.
The total amounts applied have also been summarized by Agency, County, and Product Name in the Glyphosate Report Summary for 2023 (PDF, 323 KB).
The reporting community, DEC, and PSUR work together to provide the best information that can reasonably be compiled. However, the data may be neither entirely accurate nor complete. The glyphosate report submissions are accepted by DEC at face value. Neither DEC nor PSUR can attest to the accuracy of the data. For instance, reporters may report the diluted amount applied instead of the undiluted amount as required by DEC. The data does, however, go through a manual review for obvious or likely errors. When obvious errors are identified, the Department follows up with the report submitter and corrections are made.
2022 Glyphosate Annual Report
With the addition of paragraph 12 to Article 33-1301 of the Environmental Conservation Law, it is now unlawful for any state department, agency, public benefit corporation, or any pesticide applicator employed thereby as a contractor or subcontractor, to apply glyphosate on state property. However, the law permits the application of glyphosate on state property for the following uses:
- to maintain critical infrastructure;
- to maintain roadside vegetation to ensure public safety;
- to manage habitat for one of the following purposes:
- control invasive species;
- control pests of significant public health importance;
- control noxious plants injurious to ecosystem health; or
- protect critical native plant species; or
- conduct research into the environmental motility of glyphosate or to develop suitable alternatives to glyphosate for agricultural and environmental uses.
Prior to applying glyphosate on state property, the state department, agency, or public benefit corporation must develop a glyphosate use determination documenting that:
- the application meets the allowable use criteria;
- there will be no actual or significant threat of direct human exposure to glyphosate; and
- there are no effective and practicable alternatives to the use of glyphosate.
Paragraph 12 of Article 33-130 also requires that the Department of Environmental Conservation post on its website the amount and location of glyphosate usage on state property by April 1st each year.
In order to compile this information, the Department requested that all state departments, agencies, and public benefit corporations that apply glyphosate on state property, or that contract with pesticide applicators to apply glyphosate on state property, report the following to DEC every year by January 15th:
- the official name of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation;
- the pesticide agency or pesticide business registration number, if applicable;
- the pesticide product name;
- the United States Environmental Protection Agency registration number of the pesticide product;
- the amount of pesticide product applied; and
- the location of application.
DEC, in cooperation with Cornell University, reviewed and compiled the glyphosate report data. The data is available for view in 4 different formats that have been sorted by the following criteria:
- Agency (PDF, 468KB)
- Zip Code (PDF, 879KB)
- County (PDF, 533KB)
- Municipality (PDF, 899KB)
The total amounts applied have also been summarized by Agency, County, and Product Name in the Glyphosate Report Summary for 2022 (PDF, 130KB),
The glyphosate report submissions are accepted by DEC at face value. Neither DEC nor Cornell can affirm that the data reported is entirely accurate. For example, reporters may report the diluted amount applied instead of the undiluted amount as required by DEC. DEC and Cornell review reports in an attempt to identify these obvious or likely errors, but not all errors can be identified or rectified. When errors are identified, the Department follows up with the report submitter and corrections are made.
Reclassification of Certain Neonicotinoid Pesticide Products to Restricted Use Pesticides
Effective January 1, 2023, DEC reclassified certain neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticide products as "restricted use". Products containing imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiamethoxam that are labeled for foliar and/or widespread outdoor use and/or seed treatment have been reclassified as restricted use. The reclassification will ensure proper use by trained applicators, and require sales and use data to be annually reported to DEC in accordance with the Pesticide Reporting Law. This will provide a practical mechanism for obtaining information on use location and amounts for products which are currently registered as "general use" in New York State and can be used by the general public. Products labeled for directed application to trees and/or the ground around trees and plants are not included.
Glyphosate Reporting Requirement
Subdivision 12 of Section 33-1301 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) prohibits the use of glyphosate by state agencies, state departments, public benefit corporations, or their contractors and subcontractors on state property. However, exemptions were written into the law to allow state agencies, state departments, public benefit corporations or their contractors and subcontractors to apply glyphosate on state properties under limited circumstances for critical uses.
State departments, state agencies, and public benefit corporations must report all applications of glyphosate products on state property to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) by January 15th for applications conducted during the previous calendar year. Glyphosate applications on state property made by contractors or subcontractors of state departments, state agencies, or public benefit corporations must also be captured in the report. Contractors and subcontractors may report their glyphosate applications on behalf of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation that has contracted with them, but it is the responsibility of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation to ensure that all glyphosate applications are reported to the DEC accurately and on time.
The following information must be reported using the Glyphosate Reporting Form developed by DEC:
- The official name of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation
- The pesticide agency or pesticide business registration number, if applicable*
- The pesticide product name
- The USEPA Registration Number of the pesticide product
- The amount of pesticide product applied
- The location of application (in cases where address is not standard, use mile marker, or cross-roads)
*Reports submitted by contractors or subcontractors related to ECL Section 33-1301 Subdivision 12 must use the agency or business registration number (if applicable) of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation that has contracted with them.
The Glyphosate Reporting Form must be submitted electronically by email to [email protected] no later than January 15th every year.
The file name of the Glyphosate Reporting Form must include the official name of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation making pesticide applications or contracting pesticide applications. Contractors and subcontractors who submit reports must include their official name in the file name in addition to the official name of the state department, state agency, or public benefit corporation that has contracted with them.
- Example: Name of State Agency_Name of Contractor - Glyphosate Reporting Form.xlsx
State departments, state agencies, and public benefit corporations are required to maintain copies of reports, even if the reports are submitted by a contractor or subcontractor. Copies must be maintained for a minimum of three years following the date(s) of the application(s) and must be available for inspection upon request by the department.
Questions can be directed to [email protected] or call 518-402-8727.