Archive for March, 2019

“Ninth Circuit Hears Pesticide Clash Over EPA Inaction”

Courthouse News published the above-titled article, which reads in part as follows:

“An en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit appeared reluctant to uphold a three-judge panel August decision requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to ban pesticide chlorpyrifos over potential jurisdictional issues during a hearing held in San Francisco on Tuesday.

‘You don’t have an order on your objections and you are asking us to get to the merits even though there has been no ruling on your objections,’ said Circuit Judge Richard Paez — one of 11 judges to sit on the panel.

“EPA Releases for Public Comment Draft Guidance for Plant Regulators, Including Plant Biostimulants”

EPA posted the following notice on its website:

“EPA has released for public comment Draft Guidance for Plant Regulators, Including Plant Biostimulants. Read a pre-publication copy of the draft guidance.

In recognition of the growing categories of products generally known as plant biostimulants, this draft document gives guidance on which products are (and are not) subject to regulation under FIFRA as plant regulator pesticides, and what kinds of claims can be made for them. The draft guidance provides examples of each. EPA is taking this step to provide clarity to our state regulatory partners, to industry, and to the interested public in this emerging product area.

Pesticide Industry Regulatory Conference

CropLife America posted the following information on its website, http://www.croplifeamerica.org/events:

CLA and RISE 2019 Regulatory Conference

  • Wed, Apr 3, 20193:00 PM  Fri, Apr 5, 201912:00 PM
  • Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel (map)

The CropLife America & RISE Regulatory Conference is the preeminent scientific and technical forum for the pesticide industry and regulators. Speakers will provide technical and policy input on issues related to pollinators, ecological and human health risk assessment, endangered species risk assessment, MRLs and international trade, and much more. Come participate in interactive sessions and network with conference attendees. Click here to view the agenda.

EPA Meets on Pesticide Models

EPA published a Federal Register notice that reads in part as follows:

“An Environmental Modeling Public Meeting (EMPM) will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. This Notice announces the new time for the meeting. Location, agenda topics and supplementary information can be found in the original notice published in the Federal Register, of December 28, 2018 (83 FR 67282) (FRL–9987–26). The EMPM provides a public forum for EPA and its stakeholders to discuss current issues related to modeling pesticide fate, transport, exposure, and ecotoxicity for pesticide risk assessments in a regulatory context.