Bill Introduced To Force EPA To Use Science

July 30,1999

A bill has been introduced in the Senate to require the Environmental Protection Agency to use more scientific evaluation when issuing rules on pesticide use. EPA must meet the first deadline Aug. 3 to re-evaluate 3,000 uses of pesticides. Agricultural interests are concerned EPA will rely on arbitrary assumptions to meet the deadline.

The Food Quality Protection Act, under which EPA faces the Aug. 3 deadline, "was put in place to ensure the highest level of food safety," says Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), a sponsor of the latest bill. "I am very concerned that EPA is not using sound scientific evidence to do so but instead is relying on theoretical computer models of worst-case scenarios."

Under the bill, EPA would have to identify data on which decisions were based; issue guidelines specifying the kind of information needed to support a new or existing tolerance guideline; revise procedures to guarantee faster processing of pesticide registration materials, experimental-use permits and requests for new ingredients, and establish a permanent pesticide advisory committee of consumers, agricultural producers, pesticide manufacturers and members of state and federal agencies.

USDA also would have to provide EPA with information on food consumption, pesticide use and pesticide residues, review actions proposed by EPA and report to Congress the impact of EPA's regulatory decisions on U.S. exports.

National Cotton Council President Ron Rayner said the bill "will lessen the chance that safe and effective pesticides will be removed form the market without justification and streamline the process of evaluating new pesticides."