USA - California Department of Pesticide Regulation proposes regulation to provide public access to pesticide information prior to applications

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) noticed a proposed regulation for a statewide system that will provide the public with information prior to intended applications of restricted material pesticides in California.

DPR’s proposed regulation builds on the process in the state of California to regulate restricted material pesticides. Applicators must be licensed, obtain a permit and provide notice to the county agricultural commissioner prior to applications of restricted material pesticides. The proposed regulation would require information about restricted material applications for the production of an agricultural commodity to be submitted electronically to DPR for public posting through a new statewide information system 24 hours prior to intended restricted material pesticide applications except for soil fumigant restricted materials, which would be posted 48 hours before an intended application.

The proposed regulation complements California’s existing regulatory system that includes the evaluation and registration of pesticides before use, restrictions on pesticide use to reduce risk to people and the environment, and the enforcement of pesticide laws and regulations by DPR and the state’s 55 county agricultural commissioners.

DPR is holding three public hearings on the regulation: Dec. 13 in Clovis, Dec. 14 in Ventura and Dec. 19 in a virtual setting. The department is additionally accepting written comments on the proposed regulation between Nov. 3, 2023, and Jan. 12, 2024.

″This proposed regulation and statewide pesticide application information system are an important advance in increasing transparency and equitable access to information for all Californians,″ said DPR Director Julie Henderson. ″The proposed regulation builds on and complements the strict regulatory programs carried out by the Department of Pesticide Regulation and county agricultural commissioners that keep people and the environment safe.″

The proposed regulation follows a two-year period of outreach conducted by DPR to inform development of the statewide information system, including four focus groups and eight public meetings held between 2021-2022 and a series of pilot projects hosted by four counties to test elements of system design in 2022. The department is currently conducting beta testing to inform the ongoing development of the technology needed to support the statewide system. The department began system development in 2021 after the state’s 2021-2022 budget allocated an initial $10 million over four years for that purpose.

The draft regulation can be viewed on DPR’s website.