Public invited to comment on EPA herbicide policy

MOSES LAKE — The Agricultural Retailer’s Association announced Wednesday it is encouraging public comment on a proposed Endangered Species Act herbicide strategy draft from the Environmental Protection Agency to bring the EPA's pesticide program into compliance with the ESA. Comments are due no later than Oct. 22.

According to the announcement the draft is a general set of restrictions on agricultural herbicide use that would be imposed on all new and re-registered herbicide registrations moving forward. This proposal would generally apply to agricultural retailers, applicators, farmers and most other agricultural herbicide users in the lower 48 states operating in pesticide use limitation areas, which will face greater restrictions due to their alleged risks to certain endangered species.

“ARA is concerned the (EPA’s) herbicide strategy is challenging, costly, and could lead the industry to an onslaught of litigation from (non-governmental organizations) and excessive enforcement actions from EPA relating to the Endangered Species Act and pesticide applications,” said the statement.

Proposed restrictions to the industry include requiring herbicide users to attain a certain number of points by adopting certain runoff reduction practices in order to use most herbicides, instituting downwind spray drift buffers as great as 500 feet for aerial application or 200 feet for ground application and more limitations, according to the announcement.

“Please take a few moments to submit comments to EPA expressing concerns with the current proposal and urge the agency to work with impacted stakeholders on a significantly modified proposal that helps protect endangered and vulnerable species while allowing America's agricultural industry to continue to use critical pesticide products in order to produce abundant, safe, and healthy food, fuel, and fiber for American consumers,” said the announcement.