By Andi Anderson
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced its final Herbicide Strategy, designed to protect endangered species and critical habitats from the risks associated with conventional agricultural herbicides.
This strategy focuses on reducing the impact of herbicides on over 900 endangered and threatened species across the lower 48 states.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA), enacted in 1973, requires government agencies to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize endangered species or their habitats.
The EPA’s new strategy aligns with the ESA by proposing a series of mitigation measures, such as spray drift and runoff/erosion controls, to limit the negative effects of herbicides on listed plants and animals.
This strategy will result in changes to pesticide labels over the next several years, with specific measures outlined for various regions to protect species most at risk. Applicators will be required to visit EPA’s Bulletins Live!
Two websites to check for additional restrictions in Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs) where endangered species are present.
Mitigation measures in the strategy include limiting herbicide spray drift by controlling droplet size and windspeed, as well as implementing buffers between treated areas and sensitive habitats.
The EPA also provides guidelines to reduce herbicide runoff and erosion through methods such as contour farming, cover crops, and vegetative filter strips.
The EPA plans to extend similar strategies for fungicides, insecticides, and rodenticides to further protect endangered species and their habitats from all types of conventional pesticides.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Illinois, Rural Lifestyle