The following are archives of postings to the "recent news" page, and are not updated from the original posting. If a link is broken, please use an Internet search of key words to find related information.

Atrazine; Availability of Revised Risk Assessments. On January 31, 2003, the US EPA released its Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) for the active ingredient atrazine, and public comment on this IRED was taken until April 29, 2003. EPA is proposing a new drinking water level of concern, enhanced monitoring in targeted watersheds with community drinking water systems suspected of reaching the drinking water level of concern, and potential use prohibitions in these watersheds when levels in drinking water are not reduced. The IRED (including pages 96-98 of the pdf document, which detail the proposed changes) and the public comment received can be viewed at the link above. A final reregistration decision will be issued after considering the public comment received and reviewing recent studies concerning the ecological effects of atrazine.

Comment Requested on the Endangered Species Protection Program for Pesticides. In a December 2nd Federal Register Notice, EPA is seeking comment on a proposed implementation approach of the Endangered Species Protection Program under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). In a second, forthcoming notice (an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), the EPA, Department of Interior, and Department of Commerce will be seeking public input on ways that such counterpart regulations could improve the ESA consultation process with respect to pesticide registrations. This program would fulfill EPA's responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for registering and regulating the use of pesticides to minimize the effects to listed species. This Federal Register notice contains instructions for commenting, and links to the public docket which contains supplemental information.

Common Mechanism of Toxicity for Triazine Pesticides. Under the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), EPA is required to consider the cumulative effects of pesticides that affect the body through the same key pathways when establishing, modifying, revoking, or deciding to leave a tolerance in place. EPA has announced a comment period for its determination for certain triazine herbicides, including atrazine, simazine, propazine, and the degradants diaminochlorotriazine (DACT), desethyl-s-atrazine (DEA), and desisopropyl-s-atrazine (DIA). The comment period closes June 2, 2002.

Diazinon Home and Garden Product Cancellations Requested. EPA published a Federal Register notice on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 announcing the Agency's receipt of requests by registrants to voluntarily cancel all of their diazinon home and garden end-use products. This notice affects 75 diazinon product registrations held by 35 companies. The public has 180 days (until June 7, 2004) to comment on this notice. Unless substantive comments are received that merit further review, EPA intends to grant the cancellation requests, which will become effective December 31, 2004. The Federal Register Notice, including instructions on how to comment, can be found here.

Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List: Regulatory Determinations. The EPA is announcing its determination to not regulate nine contaminants on this candidate list under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including the pesticides aldrin, dieldrin, and metribuzin. This determination means public water suppliers will not be required to test for these contaminants. This notice provides background information for these determinations and how to provide comment, which will be received until August 2, 2002.

EPA's Clean Sweep Report 2001. A summary report detailing the Clean Sweep program administered by the States, in which unwanted pesticides are properly disposed. This report includes data up until the year 2000. Nebraska's participants, partners, and others involved in the waste pesticide collection program should be proud of their accomplishments, especially when compared with larger pesticide-using states having more years of collections. For more specific information on Nebraska's program, visit our Waste Pesticide Collection Program page.

EPA's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) has selected 18 members of the program as "PESP Champions" of 2002. The Champions were selected based on their outstanding efforts promoting integrated pest management (IPM) and toward advancing pollution prevention. The 18 PESP Champions are: American Pest Management Inc., California Dried Plum Board, California Melon Association, Cranberry Institute, Gerber Products Co., Glades Crop Care Inc., Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Low Input Viticulture and Enology of Oregon, Massey Services Inc., Michigan Cherry Committee, Monroe County School Corp., National Grape Cooperative, New York City Board of Education, Northeast Utilities, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, U.S. Department of Defense Armed Forces Pest Management Board, and U.S. Hop Industry Plant Protection Committee.

Ethoprop Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision. Lists the restrictions to be implemented on the use of products containing the active ingredient, ethoprop, including rate reductions for potatoes, cancellation of golf course uses, and deleting post-plant treatments for corn. This decision is a part of an overall risk assessment of organophosphate pesticides required under the Food Quality Protection Act. More information on this assessment and the documents available for review can be found at the Organophosphate Pesticide Tolerance page.

Herbicide Applications to Irrigation Canals Still Regulated Under FIFRA. On April 1, 2002, EPA released a statement concerning it's interpretation of FIFRA and the Clean Water Act (CWA) in relation to aquatic herbicide uses and irrigation canals. Specifically, the agency ruled that an application of aquatic herbicides consistent with the FIFRA label to ensure the passage of irrigation return flow is a nonpoint source discharge not subject to NPDES permit requirements under the CWA. These types of pesticide applications had come into question in an earlier court case in California, where it was ruled that a permit was required under the CWA.

Many Uses of Diazinon Canceled. The U.S. EPA recently announced the availability of its Interim Reregistration Eligibility Document (IRED) for the active ingredient diazinon. With this announcement, EPA opened a comment period for this document which ends November 25, 2002. The IRED document represents EPA's formal regulatory assessment of the health and environmental data for the chemical and presents the Agency's determination regarding which pesticidal uses are eligible for reregistration. The Federal Register Notice contains information for commenting.

Many Uses of Dimethoate Canceled. EPA issued this Federal Register Notice on March 13, 2002 to announce the cancellation of some pesticide products containing dimethoate and the deletion of certain uses on the labels of others. This notice lists which products will be canceled and instructions for use and sale of existing products, as well as those labels to be modified. Other technical information concerning the justification for these cancellations can be found on EPA's web site.

Naled Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision. Lists the restrictions to be implemented on the use of products containing the active ingredient, naled, including many worker protection measures, the prohibition of residential uses, and drift management measures. This decision is a part of an overall risk assessment of organophosphate pesticides required under the Food Quality Protection Act. More information on this assessment and the documents available for review can be found at the Organophosphate Pesticide Tolerance page.

Notice to Pesticide Retailers: Many Chlorpyrifos Uses Canceled. This fact sheet provides information to retailers for making decisions about what to do with inventories of cancelled products remaining after December 31, 2001. Additional information can be found on EPA's web site.

Organophosphate Pesticides: Revised OP Cumulative Risk Assessment. A technical assessment and model of the risks associated with pesticide use in fulfillment of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). This assessment combines the estimated risk from food, water, and residential exposures. EPA will accept comments on this revised assessment until August 21, 2002. The Federal Register Notice can be seen here.

Objections to Tolerances Established for Certain Pesticide in Food. The EPA has received objections to the tolerances established on various food items for several pesticides, including some having registered uses in Nebraska. This Federal Register Notice is seeking comment on these objections, which argue that EPA did not follow the law in establishing the tolerances, particularly the guidelines for protecting children. Comments must be received by August 19, 2002.

Oxyflourfen Reregistration Eligibility Document - Comment Period. This fact sheet details information available in EPA's reregistration eligibility document (RED) for the herbicide, oxyflourfen. This active ingredient can be used, among other things, for chickpeas, field corn, soybeans, rights of way, and certain types of orchards. This fact sheet lists potential mitigation measures for reducing risks to human and environmental health, including PPE requirements, reduced application rates, and no-spray zones. Comment will be received until December 30, 2002. See the EPA Pesticide Registration- Chemical Status web page for the federal register notice and all of the RED information.

Pesticide Registration Notice: Spray and Dust Drift Label Statements for Pesticide Products. This action is intended to help control pesticide drift from spray and dust applications in order to protect human health and the environment, and will make cases of drift more enforceable by state and federal pesticide authorities. These proposed rules will apply to all pesticide products labeled for use outdoors that can be applied as sprays or dusts. The application sites for affected products include, but are not limited to, agricultural crops, forestry, rights-of-way, recreational areas, lawns, and home gardens. The comment period has been extended until March 31, 2002. See also the December 2001 issue of The Label for a good overview.

Phase Out of Wood Products Treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA). A Q&A fact sheet for consumers of these wood products. Consumers should take precautions around wood products treated with CCA, but EPA does not recommend removing or replacing structures with CCA-treated lumber. The February 12, 2002 press release can be viewed here.

Proposed Changes to the Endangered Species Act: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have published proposed "counterpart regulations." These regulations propose changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation process for pesticides to make it more efficient and timely, thereby improving the protections for endangered and threatened (listed) species. These proposed regulations have a 60- day public comment period until March 30, 2004.

Public Input Sought for EPA Pesticide Program. For thirty days beginning February 4, 2002, the public is invited to receive and participate in on-line discussions of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee. This committee is a national advisory committee chartered by EPA to obtain advice and input from public stakeholders on pesticide issues.

Tetrachlorvinphos Interim Risk Management Decision Document. The Federal Register Notice announcing EPA's decisions regarding risk management measures for products containing tetrachlorvinphos. These measures include label modifications for powder products to be applied to pets, for those to be used as spot treatment sprays, and for feed-through products for horses. In addition, the paint-on use of the EC formulation will not be allowed. The EPA public docket contains additional information on how these decisions were developed.

Washington State temporarily bans clopyralid for turf uses; product shows up in compost. The purpose of the ban is to keep clopyralid, a long-lasting herbicide, from potentially contaminating compost. Evidence has been growing that when clopyralid-tainted compost is used to enrich soils, it can harm certain flowers, such as asters and sunflowers, and vegetables, such as beans, peas and tomatoes.

Water Treatment Effects on Pesticide Removal and Transformation. A technical document providing: 1) a literature review on the impact of various water treatment processes on pesticide removal and transformation in drinking water, and 2) a description of how EPA will consider these impacts in making drinking water exposure assessments as part of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Comment period ends January 22, 2002. See the Federal Register Notice for instructions.

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