EPA schedules meetings to hear public comment on new pesticide rules

EPA schedules meetings to hear public comment on new pesticide rules

By Agri-Pulse Staff

© Copyright Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.

Washington, June 2 – With agricultural groups already calling on farmers to make their voices heard about EPA’s proposed new requirements for some pesticide applications starting April 2011, EPA has scheduled a series of public meetings along with a formal hearing and a webcast.

EPA announced its draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for point source pesticide application discharges on June 2nd. At the same time, EPA scheduled

The read or download EPA information including the Pesticide General Permit, the Pesticide General Permit Fact Sheet, the Federal Register Notice and other information, go to: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=410

EPA will accept public comments on its new pesticides proposal through July 19, 2010. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2010–0257, by one of the following four methods:

·        www.regulations.gov  Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

·        E-mail to: ow-docket@epa.gov

·        Mail to: Water Docket, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T,

·        Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004, Attention: Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2010–0257. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

To gather additional input, EPA will hold the following events. At the meetings, any person may provide written or oral statements and data pertaining to the draft permit.

• Public Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico: June 14, 2010

• Public Meeting, Boise, Idaho: June 16, 2010

• Webcast: June 17, 2010

• Public Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts: June 21, 2010

• Public Hearing, Washington, DC: June 23, 2010

Event Details:

• Albuquerque, New Mexico:  Public meeting on Monday, June 14, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the CNM Workforce Training Center, Room 101, 5600 Eagle Rock Avenue, N.E., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Boise, Idaho: Public meeting on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Bureau of Reclamation, rooms 206 & 219,
  1150 North Curtis Road, Boise, Idaho
  .

• NPDES Pesticides Webcast: EPA has scheduled a Webcast to provide information on this draft permit and to answer questions for interested parties that are unable to attend the public meetings or hearing. The webcast will be broadcast on June 17, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). (To register for the Webcast, go to: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/courseinfo.cfm?program_id=0&outreach_id=506&schedule_id=1089

• Boston, Massachusetts: Public meeting on Monday, June 21, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at EPA Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Conference Room 1529, Boston, Massachusetts.

• Washington, D.C.: Public hearing on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the EPA East Building, Room 1531, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. If you would like to present a statement at the public hearing, please contact Virginia Garelick at 202-564-2316 to register your intent to provide a public statement. Speakers will be given up to three minutes (or as time allows) to provide their comments on a first come first served basis. Any additional comments will need to be provided in writing. EPA will consider all comments received and will include copies of such in the Administrative Record.