Groups Sue California DPR Over Pesticide Pollution

SAN FRANCISCO - A coalition of environmental and community groups filed suit Wednesday against the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, claiming the agency has failed to protect the public from pesticide air pollution over the past two decades.

The seven groups, led by the Pesticide Action Network and Californians for Pesticide Reform, allege that the DPR has failed to enforce the 1984 Toxic Air Contaminant Law, which requires the agency to evaluate pesticides as possible air pollutants, and regulate them to protect public health.

The lawsuit claims that the DPR has only completed the review process for four of the more than 900 pesticides registered in California. The complaint lists more than 70 registered pesticides they claim are potential air contaminants.

"They're not taking action on pesticides that are known to be problematic," said Susan Kegley, a senior scientist at the San Francisco-based Pesticide Action Network. "The consequences of not enforcing the law is that more people are being exposed to these chemicals."

Almost one-third of pesticides used in California are linked to serious health ailments such as asthma, cancer, Parkinson's Disease, sterility and birth defects, according to the plaintiffs. They say more than 90 percent are prone to drift away and become airborne toxins.

The plaintiffs complain the DPR has not taken action to limit use of pesticides listed as toxic air contaminants, and that the evaluation process has lacked transparency.

DPR officials would not respond directly to the lawsuit. But they said although the agency has only completed the formal review process for four pesticides, it has listed more than 30 pesticides as toxic air contaminants through an expedited process.

"DPR wants to protect the environment through legal procedures that allow us to work most efficiently and effectively rather than being bureaucratic for the sake of being bureaucratic," DPR spokesman Glenn Brank said.

The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, seeks to compel the agency to assess all pesticide air contaminants, reduce their health impacts and make the review process more transparent.

The San Joaquin Valley, California's agricultural heartland, is home to some of the state's worst air pollution, and one of the nation's highest asthma rates.

Source: Associated Press