California pesticide agency could loosen restrictions on most toxic rat poisons

The administration of Gavin Newsom, the California governor, is moving to loosen restrictions around the most toxic rat poisons, even as a new state report shows the rodenticides are unintentionally poisoning wildlife across the state, including endangered species.

Blood-thinning, anticoagulant rodenticides were significantly restricted when a 2024 state law approved after 10 years of legislative wrangling required the California department of pesticide regulation to limit the substances’ use unless data showed species collaterally harmed or killed by it had rebounded.

A new report from the California fish and wildlife service, also part of the Newsom administration, shows widespread poisonings of dozens of species, including mountain lions, hawks, owls, bears and bobcats. About 83% of bald eagles tested showed levels of the rodenticides in their blood, and endangered California condors also showed high levels.

Still, the Newsom administration is moving forward with the plans to undo many of the regulations in the new law, a move that points to industry influence, said Jonathan Evans, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.