he U.S. House of Representatives today approved bipartisan legislation to eliminate an ''unnecessary, duplicative, and costly regulatory process" under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the approved use of pesticides.
According to the House Committee on Agriculture, H.R. 953, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017, ensures states, local governments, mosquito control districts, and other lawful users of pesticides are able to protect public health and not be overburdened with regulatory processes that provide no additional protections to the environment.
Twenty-five Democrats voted in favor of the bill. Most Democrats, though, opposed the bill on public health grounds, saying the legislation would fast track permitting decisions for potentially-dangerous pesticides, putting water quality at risk.
“We’ve seen the consequences of this duplicative and unnecessary permitting requirement since it went into effect in 2011,” said U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH), the sponsor of H.R. 953. “Cities and local governments that conduct routine preventive mosquito abatement should not have to do it with one hand tied behind their backs. This bill ensures the permitting process adheres to EPA’s current authority under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to approve and regulate these lifesaving pesticides. This is a commonsense measure that provides peace of mind to those living in communities prone to mosquitos by eliminating the need for a redundant permit that diverts resources from the mission of protecting public health. Thank you to Chairman Shuster and Chairman Conaway for your leadership in helping pass this critical regulatory reform.”