California aims to restrict popular pesticide

California regulators are recommending new restrictions on a widely used pesticide blamed for harming babies’ brains.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation is issuing temporary guidelines Thursday for chlorpyrifos while it considers long-term regulations.

The department is calling for a ban on using the chemical in crop dusting, discontinuing its use on most crops and increasing buffer zones around where it’s applied.

The pesticide is currently used on about 60 different crops, including grapes, almonds and oranges.

The action comes as the Dow Chemical Co. pesticide is increasingly under fire.

A federal appeals court in August ruled the Trump administration endangered public health by keeping the pesticide on the market despite extensive evidence showing harm to babies.

Hawaii passed legislation in June to ban its use.