NCGA
Urges Growers to Voice Support of ESA Counterpart Regulation (3-30-04)
The National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) is encouraging its members to voice their support
of a proposed rule that would simplify
the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pesticide regulatory
program and bring it into compliance with the Endangered Species
Act (ESA).
The proposed rule, known
as the “ESA counterpart regulation,” would
integrate endangered species consultations into EPA’s pesticide
registration process. The regulation would also streamline EPA’s
interface with other regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service. The
proposed regulation comes after repeated claims by environmental
activists that EPA’s pesticide registration process doesn’t
do enough to protect endangered species.
Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association
(KCGA) and chairman of the Triazine Network, said the regulation
will not only improve protection of endangered species and their
habitats, but it will also allow continued access to important pesticides.
“We support a regulation that preserves endangered species
and their habitats. We also support a policy that minimizes impacts
to user groups. This regulation does both of those things,” he
said. “The use of pest management products actually enhances
habitat by managing invasive and non-native species that may be harmful
to endangered plants and animals.”
The proposed regulation
would eliminate the need for EPA to conduct informal consultation
and obtain written concurrence from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for certain actions that EPA determines
are “not likely to adversely affect” any listed species
or critical habitat. Another provision of the rule would allow FWS
to conduct formal consultation in a manner that takes advantage of
EPA's expertise in evaluating ecological effects of federal regulatory
actions on threatened and endangered species and critical habitats.
“EPA is uniquely qualified to conduct ESA assessments, consultation
and enforcement based on the wealth of data from its FIFRA (Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act) pesticide registration
program,” White said. “We agree that endangered species
assessments should be integrated into EPA’s current registration
and re-registration process to conserve government resources and
ensure timely access to vital products.”
To submit prepared
comments through the KCGA web site, click here. Comments
on the regulation
must be received by EPA no later than April 16.
Comments may also be mailed
to the Assistant Director for Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Room
420, Arlington, Va. 22203; or via e-mail to PesticideESARegulations@fws.gov.
E-mail comments must include “Attn: 1018-AI95” in the
subject line, and the name and return address of the sender.