The Environmental Protection Agency released a report called “Revised Method for National Level Listed Species Biological Evaluations of Conventional Pesticides.”
It’s an important step toward creating a more workable solution to evaluate pesticides under the Endangered Species Act.
“Protecting threatened and endangered species while ensuring farmers have access to tools to control pests are two objectives that can co-exist using available science,” says Chris Novak, CEO of CropLife America. “While we are still reviewing the EPA proposal, we appreciate the agency’s commitment to a process that’s efficient, protects species, and is based on the best available science.”
He says the best way to balance those objectives is to rely upon real-world data and analysis that reflect where and how pesticides are actually used. Pesticide usage data is an important part of this revised method and represents a major step forward by the EPA to use the best scientific and commercial data available.
“CLA continues to encourage a collaborative process among all the involved governmental agencies to find a long-term, transparent, and timely approach for harmonizing the pesticide registration process and ESA consultations,” Novak adds.
