EPA’S DRAFT STRATEGY TO BETTER PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES FROM INSECTICIDES SUBJECT OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 WEBINAR

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding a public webinar on September 5, 2024 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. to discuss its insecticide strategy. The insecticide strategy was released on July 25, 2024 and details the protections from conventional agricultural insecticides they are working to put in place for federally endangered and listed threatened species and their critical environments. Eight hundred fifty species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) were identified in the draft strategy for consideration when the EPA registers or reevaluates an insecticide. The EPA’s draft strategy looks to identify protections earlier to efficiently evaluate and protect identified FWS listed species and their habitat more efficiently.

The EPA draft strategy will identify impacts by:

• Considering the species habitat,
• What the species needs to reproduce,
• Where the pesticide will end up in the environment, and
• The effect of the pesticide if it reaches the species.

By refining the strategy, they can reduce the need for pesticide restrictions when they don’t benefit listed species.

Included in the webinar is:

• Discuss the proposed three-step framework to identify potential population impacts to species, address the impacts with mitigation measures, and determine the geographic extent of those measures.
• Case study overview illustrating how the framework may be applied to representative insecticides.
• EPA expectations to implement strategy in registration and review actions.
• Opportunity for public questions and input.

Register here for the EPA Webinar.