ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) PROPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF PESTICIDES TO PROTECT TWENTY-SEVEN ENDANGERED SPECIES

A range of mitigation measures are being proposed by the EPA to protect twenty-seven endangered species that are considered to be “particularly vulnerable” to pesticide effects. By implementing the restrictions, the EPA hopes to minimize impacts on the vulnerable species before any required consultation by the Endangered Species Act. Consultations are a time-consuming process that can take years.

Included in the designated pilot species are twelve plants, seven invertebrates, four mussels, a fish, a bird, a mammal, and an amphibian. Each of the twenty-seven species identified as vulnerable have a small population, limited range of geography, and are highly susceptible to environmental stressors the EPA news release states. The Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the EPA are considering the development of a pesticide programmatic consultation or streamlining process using the Vulnerable Species Pilot that would include the evaluation of pesticide exposure to pilot species. To view the EPA draft document, click here.

The EPA expects that by implementing earlier mitigations that a programmatic or other consultation will be more efficient and allow final determinations by the FWS on the impact to the pilot species. EPA expects the proposed mitigation measures to be applied to the majority of conventional outdoor use pesticides. To protect the pilot species, the EPA has designated broad, efficient, and effective mitigation measures to protect the pilot species and clear enough use-limitation instructions so that pesticide users can clearly understand. Geographic specific mitigation measures will be communicated by the EPA’s agency site here.

The EPA is in development of and expects to release a similar plan soon for herbicides.