By: Lani Wean, West Virginia Field Organizer
Date: February 2026
About: WV HB 4907 Restricting the Use of Pesticides
To: West Virginia House Health and Human Resources Committee
Good afternoon. My name is Lani Wean, and I’m the West Virginia Field Organizer at Moms Clean Air Force, a national organization that works to protect children from air pollution and toxic chemicals. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you all today about the need to restrict the use of pesticides that include paraquat, atrazine, and other harmful substances in close proximity to schools. Thank you for prioritizing the health and safety of our children by introducing and supporting this bill. I ask that each of you vote YES on HB 4907.
As you well know, more than 70 countries have banned the use of paraquat, including major agricultural-producing nations like China, Brazil, the European Union, and Turkey. In West Virginia, only a small percentage of farmers use paraquat. However, because the majority of paraquat in our state is used on corn crops, it has the potential to show up in a range of common foods and goods used daily by adults and children alike.
The evidence linking paraquat to severe health impacts is clear. Studies show that those who live, work, or play near areas where paraquat has been sprayed could be twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. What’s more, two recent investigations in California and Pennsylvania found that paraquat is not always being used according to the instructions on the label. And in 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a review that showed paraquat can linger in the air longer than had been previously estimated. When I think about my friends’ children, my nieces and nephews, and future generations of West Virginians, it breaks my heart to know that we have waited this long to address the use, and especially misuse, of this extremely harmful substance. Our children deserve to learn and play in environments where their safety is assured.
Nearly all pesticides are made from toxic petrochemicals—they are derived from fossil fuels. This bill targets some of the very worst: pesticides that have the potential to seriously harm the health and safety of those working with or near it. Moms Clean Air Force fully supports the banning of each substance included in HB 4907 within 1,000 feet of our West Virginia schools. Pesticide exposure has been linked with harmful health effects in humans, including decreased fertility, cancer, liver damage, thyroid problems, immune effects, and cholesterol changes. Children are particularly vulnerable: their bodies (including the brain and nervous system) are undergoing rapid and delicate developmental phases, and their immune systems are physiologically immature. In addition, children experience higher exposures for their smaller size, and they spend more time near the ground where pesticides often concentrate.
While the 1,000-foot marker is a solid first step, evidence shows that health harms such as pediatric cancers may be associated with pesticide applications up to 2.5 miles away from the source. The children in my life—those of my friends, family, and neighbors—are not only at school during the daytime. My good friend’s five-year-old son, who is one of my favorite human beings on earth, also plays soccer, basketball, and attends after-school activities on school grounds. I do not want the experiences that bring him joy—the core memories for any child—to also be the things that harm him. It is our collective duty as parents and children's advocates, and yours as lawmakers, to protect our youth through the passage of this bill and beyond.
The passing of HB 4907 would impact seven public high schools and 101 public elementary and middle schools in West Virginia. For years, we have allowed these harmful substances to be used too close to the places where thousands of children work and play on a daily basis. I want to thank you for taking this opportunity to make that right, and I appreciate this chance to speak up for my loved ones who are living on the frontlines of this harmful pollution. Moms Clean Air Force strongly supports HB 4907, and I ask that each of you vote YES to pass this legislation. Every child has the right to breathe clean air. Thank you.