The amendment to Senate Bill 659, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015, has found support from nearly 100 organizations including the American Soybean Association (ASA).
The bill would clarify that federal law does not require the redundant permit for already regulated pesticide applications. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee adopted the amendment on Jan. 20 by a vote of 12-8.
The ASA has supported the elimination of the duplicative permitting requirement for pesticide applications over water for years. Pesticides that are over or near "waters of the U.S." are subjective to the court to obtain a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), all pesticides are reviewed and regulated for use with strict instructions on the EPA approved product label," a letter from the ASA states. "A thorough review and accounting of impacts to water quality and aquatic species is included in every EPA review. Requiring water permits for pesticide applications is redundant and provides no additional environmental benefit.”
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