Out of concern that widespread spraying of pesticides – such as has occurred over the past two decades to combat West Nile Virus – could have potential health implications, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) is sponsoring legislation that would create a panel to research the issue.

The bill, A03170, would mandate the formation of a temporary state pesticide commission with 11 unpaid members charged with studying the effects of pesticide application in cities having a population of a million or more (which, in New York State, includes only New York City), and making recommendations based on its findings.

“The city has been regularly spraying pesticides to control West Nile Virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, over the past quarter century,” said Assemblyman Colton, “and while residents are urged to remain indoors while spraying is taking place in their neighborhood, at times there have been reports of people being sickened, possibly by the pesticides. The reality is, while West Nile Virus can, in rare cases, be deadly, we don’t know what the impact of regular, widespread applications of the pesticides is on the health of New Yorkers. We really need to have that information, in order to be able to make an informed decision about how and when to deploy the pesticides to protect the health of the city’s residents.”

New York City began seeing cases of West Nile Virus in 1999, the first time that the disease had been detected in the Western Hemisphere, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While most people who get West Nile Virus are either asymptomatic or have mild-to-moderate symptoms, that year, there were 59 confirmed cases and seven deaths from the disease in the city, and adjacent Westchester and Nassau counties. Every year since, West Nile Virus – which poses the greatest risk to older people and people with compromised immune systems -- has been detected in the city, according to the NYC Department of Health.

Because of this, the city’s Office of Emergency Management has developed a regimen of aerial and ground applications of various pesticides in areas where the disease has been detected. This has continued over the years, in summer through early fall, based on the city’s monitoring of the mosquito population. The aerial applications are aimed at young mosquitoes, and are done over “marshes and other large natural areas,” not residential areas, according to NYCDOH. When necessary, residential areas and parks are sprayed during the nighttime hours with pesticides formulated to kill adult mosquitoes, with residents in the areas to be sprayed urged to remain inside. In 2025, there were pesticides were applied at various locations in the five boroughs on 31 days. Notification is given 24 hours in advance of each application.

NYCDOH says, “When used correctly, pesticides pose no significant health risks to people or their pets,” though it also notes that individuals with sensitivity to the ingredients in the pesticides “may get a rash or have short-term eye or throat irritation.”