EPA Proposes More Restrictions on Pesticides to Protect Pollinators
28 May 2015 To further support U.S. President Obama’s Federal Pollinator Strategy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday it is proposing additional restrictions on the use of what it calls “acutely toxic pesticides” during times when bees are most likely to be present.
Specifically, EPA is proposing additional mandatory label restrictions to protect managed bees under contract pollination services from foliar applications of pesticides that are acutely toxic to bees on a contact exposure basis.
“Applications of acutely toxic pesticides would be prohibited when flowers are in bloom when bees are brought to farms for pollination services. While the proposed restrictions focus on managed bees, EPA believes that these measures will also protect native bees and other pollinators that are in and around treatment areas,” the Agency said.
EPA said it is also encouraging states and tribes to reduce pesticide exposure by developing pollinator protection plans. The purpose of these plans is to support pollinator health by facilitating local communication among beekeepers, growers and others and to put into place tailored measures to protect pollinators, it said.
EPA invites comments on the proposal for thirty-day comment period at www.regulations.gov in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0818.
EPA will accept public comments on the proposal starting May 29, 2015.
Read about other actions EPA is taking to protect pollinators: http://www2.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/epa-actions-protect-pollinators
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