<Your name>
<Your return address>
<Your city, state and zip>

Environmental Protection Agency
Steven Robbins
Ariel Rios Building 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC   20460

<Date>

Dear Mr. Robbins,

	The Environmental Protection Agency protects the population from harmful effects that pesticides could cause.  Many harmful chemicals have been phased out and replaced with better alternatives because of negative effects that were unknown at the start of use.  Such is the case with pesticides that contain nicotine.  Neonicotinoid pesticides are harmful to beneficial and important insects such as honey bees because the nicotine causes over-activity of the nervous system, ultimately leading to death.1
	Honey bees are equally susceptible to insecticides just as every other soil insect.  “Neonicotinoids block a specific neuron pathway that is more abundant in insects than mammals.  Two common Neonicotinoids, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam, are highly toxic to honey bees.”2 
	 Neonicotinoid pesticides need to be reevaluated.  The impact of declining honey bees on agriculture is too large to ignore.  Measures need to be taken to decrease environmental hazards that can weaken the bee’s immune system and reevaluating or restricting pesticides is one measure.  I hope to hear your thoughts on this issue.    
								Sincerely,
         									<Your name>

1 Fishel, Frederick M, 2005.  Pesticide Toxicity Profile: Neonicotinoid Pesticides.  Retrieved on 1 March 2008.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI117.    
2 Mussen, Eric, 2004.  Neonicotinoids and Bees.  Retrieved on 17 February 2008.  http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/mussen/05-06=04.pdf.