Archive for April, 2013

Court Dismisses ESA Pesticides Mega-Suit

Environmental NGOs sued EPA, asking a California federal district court to essentially take over EPA’s pesticide program because EPA allegedly failed to meet all its pesticide obligations under the Endangered Species Act. The court has granted the defendants’ motions to dismiss the case. Click here to read court order dismissing the case.

SAP Meets on EDSP Tier 1 Evaluations

There will be a 4-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel to consider and review Weight-of-Evidence: Evaluating Results of EDSP Tier 1 Screening. The meeting will be held July 30, 2013–August 2, 2013, from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Environmental Protection Agency, Conference Center, Lobby Level, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202. Click here to read EPA’s Federal Register notice of this meeting.

SFIREG Committees Meet

The State-FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group is a network of state officials interested in Federal/State “co-regulation” of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. It was established by the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials with financial support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  As part of its cooperative agreement with AAPCO, EPA is substantially involved in SFIREG.

SFIREG’s Environmental Quality Issues working committee and SFIREG’s Pesticide Operations & Management working committee are each currently comprised of 10 state representatives, in addition to the Chair.

The SFIREG EQI Committee will next meet at EPA Potomac Yards, Arlington VA, on May 20-21, 2013.

SAP Meeting on EDSP Tier 2 Tests

There will be a 4-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel to consider and review proposed Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Tier 2 Ecotoxicity Tests. The meeting will be held on June 25–28, 2013, from 9 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m. EPA encourages that written comments be submitted by June 11, 2013 and requests for oral comments be submitted by June 18, 2013. However, written comments and requests to make oral comments may be submitted until the date of the meeting, but anyone submitting written comments after June 11, 2013 should contact the Designated Federal Official  listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in the Agency’s Federal Register notice of this meeting. Click here to read EPA’s Federal Register notice.