US Federal certificate now required to apply restricted use pesticides on tribal land

The US federal certificate is now required for Montanans to spray restricted use pesticides on tribal land, says Montana State University Extension Pesticide Education Specialist Cecil Tharp.

Restricted use pesticide dealers within tribal boundaries must register their businesses by April 7, Tharp said. In addition, private, commercial and government applicators applying restricted use pesticides within tribal boundaries must apply for the federal permit immediately.

Tharp said Montana applicators who already have a state pesticide license don’t have to have the federal certification card in their possession prior to spraying, but they must be able to prove that they applied for the federal permit. Applicators not currently holding a restricted use pesticide license can’t apply restricted use pesticides until they have a state pesticide license, as well as a federal pesticide license in their possession. All restricted use applicators must have the federal certification in their possession by Aug. 6.

The federal certificate is free. It is good for five years for private applicators and one year for commercial/government applicators.

“Simply make a copy of your state pesticide license and send it to EPA region 8 with the federal certification application,” Tharp said. This application is available now.

Tharp predicts that hundreds of Montanans will apply for the federal certificate and said he expects the rule to affect many applicators within every tribe in Montana.

“This is a pretty big deal,” Tharp said. “This is something we have been waiting for a long time.”

Federal certification has long been required, but it wasn’t available, Tharp said. Since certificates are now available, compliance will be enforced. Home owners or individuals who apply general-use, over-the-counter products on land they own, rent or lease are exempt, however.