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In the never-ending battle between D.C.’s residents and its rats, Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) introduced new legislation yesterday to help alleviate the rodent problem.

The Rat Prevention Control Act of 2014, introduced by Graham at Tuesday’s Council meeting, aims to solve the District’s rat problem by requiring businesses applying for a basic business license with a food establishment endorsement to include a “detailed rat prevention plan that includes plans for food storage, garbage disposal, and debris removal.”

At yesterday’s meeting, Graham noted that, in the Great War on Rats, the rats are currently winning. Graham went on to blame D.C.’s rat problem on the “booming construction” and “hot night life,” according to WAMU, and said “Rats prosper on battery cables. Pizza is much better. Dog poop — can I use that word? — is like an energy bar to rats.”

But not everyone is on board with Graham’s proposed legislation. Ward 1 Council candidate Brianne Nadeau isn’t too keen on the timing and effectiveness of Graham’s bill. “I’ve been working with both residents and business owners since my time on the ANC and now as the founder of Sustainable U to identify collaborative ways of addressing the rat problem facing the ward,” Nadeau said in a release. “If after 15 years, Graham is finally going to step up to address this problem, we’d like him to join in the community effort and support business leaders who are looking for resources that help create long-term solutions such as overall waste reduction and compacting. And we must also be offering solutions for residential waste.”

Sheldon Scott — manager of ESL Management, which operates Marvin, the Brixton, and several other bars and restaurants around U Street, Adams Morgan, and Dupont Circle— said that “this legislation adds an extra burden to the process of opening a new business that is largely unnecessary, because it duplicates processes already in place through the Department of Health to address rats.” He added that the bill “does nothing to support cooperative efforts on behalf of public and private entities to effectively address these issues.”

In the war against rats, we all lose.