Archive for March, 2020
EPA Offers Webinar to Discuss Draft Biological Evaluations for Carbaryl and Methomyl
Mar 27th
Editor’s note: EPA posted the following press release:
“On April 16, 2020, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs will host a webinar to present the draft biological evaluations (BEs) for the insecticides carbaryl and methomyl. Register for the webinar here.
EPA used its revised method for conducting BEs to assess whether registered uses for these pesticides may impact endangered species. EPA announced the revised method and the draft BEs for carbaryl and methomyl in March 2020.
The revised method incorporates high-quality pesticide usage data into the agency’s biological evaluation process for the first time. It was informed by input from a wide range of stakeholders including states, tribes, environmental NGOs, and agricultural stakeholders.
Comment on EPA’s Draft Biological Evaluations for Carbaryl and Methomyl
Mar 20th
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has requested public comment on the Agency’s draft biological evaluations for the FIFRA registration review of the pesticides carbaryl and methomyl. EPA must receive any comments must on or before May 18, 2020.
CRE Comments on Atrazine PID
Mar 3rd
On February 29, 2020, the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness filed comments on EPA’s Proposed Interim Decision on the atrazine FIFRA re-registration. CRE’s comments make the following and other points.
CRE commends EPA’s PID for improved data quality in some respects. In particular, the PID’s Community Equivalent Level of Concern (“CELOC’) is superior to the grossly flawed CELOC that EPA included in the Agency’s Ecological Risk Assessment for atrazine. We request that EPA emphasize in the record that the new 15 ppb CELOC applies to all watersheds. We also request that EPA not use either the new or old CELOC quantitatively or qualitatively for “final effects determinations.”