House Ag Committee Approves Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act

The House Agriculture Committee, last week, approved the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (H.R. 953), legislation that would eliminate the duplicative permit requirement (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits) for use of pesticides that have already been approved by the EPA in the Federal Insecticide Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. H.R. 953 was introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH). Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID).

NPDES permits are required when applicators make pesticide applications directly to 'waters of the U.S.' The National Pest Management Association and other groups have long argued that NPDES permits are unnecessary based on the proper application directed from EPA approved labels on all pesticides.

NPMA has been encouraged by these developments, but the association noted that there are still several hurdles to clear in Congress and that “we need your assistance in urging legislators to pass this common sense legislation that benefits the structural pest management industry.”