U.S. EPA announces plan to revamp its pesticide approval process

By Jenna Hoffman

On Tuesday, April 11, U.S. EPA released its first-ever workplan to protect endangered species from pesticides.

This comprehensive plan, EPA says, meets at the intersection of opportunity and obligation in the Endangered Species Act (ESA), while maintaining pesticide access to farmers and other users.

Need for Reform

EPA believes the current pesticide approval system has major setbacks that make the process "unsustainable and legally tenuous." It currently has nearly 20 years of work to complete in pending litigation or court-enforceable deadlines covering over 1,000 pesticide products for the ESA.

"The workplan reflects EPA's collaboration with other federal agencies and commitment to listening to stakeholders about how they can work with the Agency to solve this longstanding challenge," says EPA Administrator Michael Regan.

How it Works

Courts historically determine ESA cases for the EPA, but this new workplan will provide a path for the agency to fast-track meeting ESA obligations on its own.

To read the entire report click here.