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Last week ANLA, in collaboration with SAF, submitted comments to the EPA’s Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA-SAP). The panel is reviewing efficacy guidelines that would be considerably stricter for pesticide labeling and could limit the arsenal of chemical options for treating some pests. Furthermore, the stricter guidelines would not provide an exception for dealing with new and/or invasive pests – when rapid response is often required before efficacy studies can be completed.

Filed under: EPA • pest • regulation

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US EPA, through their relationship with The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs is providing new pesticide training materials for farmerworkers’ families through the Project LEAF (Limiting Exposures Around Families). Project LEAF is a program to prevent take-home pesticide exposure to farmworker children. Pesticide take-home exposure occurs when farmworkers take-home pesticide residues that may cling to their skin, clothing, hats, boots, tools, lunch coolers, car seats and any other items in the work environment. Their children may then be exposed to these pesticide residues.

Filed under: disease • EPA • pest

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Marc Teffeau, Joe Bischoff

President Obama has nominated Gina McCarthy to be the Environmental Protection Agency's next administrator. She would succeed Lisa Jackson, who left that post on February 14. McCarthy has served as the agency's assistant administrator for air and radiation. She will take the helm of the nation’s environmental agency at a time when climate change is expected to be a high priority.

Filed under: EPA • regulation

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The Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Lisa Jackson, announced last week that she will be stepping down from her position. Resignations of senior officials in an administration are common at the end of a first term. She cited interests in returning to New Jersey to pursue other challenges and spend more time with her family. Under Ms. Jackson’s leadership, the EPA has been particularly tough on the fossil fuel industry. The agency issued greater restrictions on power plant emissions, including the first ever regulations limiting the release of mercury into the atmosphere.

Filed under: EPA • regulation

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Craig Regelbrugge, Joe Bischoff

EPA has requested that a U.S. district court dismiss a “mega-suit” which challenges the registration of 382 pesticide active ingredients as it fails to identify specific violations of the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit alleges that more than 300 pesticides were not subjected to proper analysis required under the ESA. The plaintiffs asked the Court to issue an order requiring EPA to engage in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries to determine the effects of the pesticides on various endangered and threatened species.

Filed under: EPA • regulation