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<DIV><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT size=2><EM>From Bee Culture
</EM><A title=http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2009.11.04.15.54.archive.html
href="http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2009.11.04.15.54.archive.html">http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2009.11.04.15.54.archive.html</A></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">EPA Proposes New Pesticide Labeling to
Control Spray Drift and Protect Human Health </DIV>
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<P></P><B>WASHINGTON</B></STATE></PLACE> – The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has rolled out proposed guidance for new pesticide labeling to reduce
off-target spray and dust drift. The new instructions, when implemented, will
improve the clarity and consistency of pesticide labels and help prevent harm
from spray drift. The agency is also requesting comment on a petition to
evaluate children’s exposure to pesticide drift.<BR><BR>“The new label
statements will help reduce problems from pesticide drift,” said Steve Owens,
the assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances. “The new labels will carry more uniform and specific directions on
restricting spray drift while giving pesticide applicators clear and workable
instructions.” <BR><BR>The new instructions will prohibit drift that could cause
adverse health or environmental effects. Also, on a pesticide-by-pesticide
basis, EPA will evaluate scientific information on risk and exposure based on
individual product use patterns. These assessments will help the agency
determine whether no-spray buffer zones or other measures – such as restrictions
on droplet or particle size, nozzle height, or weather conditions – are needed
to protect people, wildlife, water resources, schools and other sensitive sites
from potential harm. <BR><BR>In addition to the draft notice on pesticide-drift
labeling, EPA is also seeking comment on a draft pesticide drift labeling
interpretation document that provides guidance to state and tribal enforcement
officials. A second document provides background information on pesticide drift,
a description of current and planned EPA actions, a reader’s guide explaining
key terms and concepts, and specific questions on which EPA is seeking input.
These documents and further information are available in docket
EPA–HQ–OPP–2009–0628<B> </B>at <A title=http://www.regulations.gov/
href="http://www.regulations.gov/"><B><FONT
color=#0000ff>http://www.regulations.gov</FONT></B></A><B>
</B>.<U><BR></U><BR>In a second Federal Register notice, EPA is also requesting
comment on a petition filed recently by environmental and farm worker
organizations. The petitioners ask EPA to evaluate children’s exposure to
pesticide drift and to adopt, on an interim basis, requirements for “no-spray”
buffer zones near homes, schools, day-care centers, and parks. EPA will evaluate
this new petition and take whatever action may be appropriate after the
evaluation is complete. For further information and to submit comments, please
see docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0825 at <A title=http://www.regulations.gov/
href="http://www.regulations.gov/"><B><FONT
color=#0000ff>http://www.regulations.gov</FONT></B></A><B> </B>. <BR><BR>More
information: <BR><B><A
title=http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/spraydrift.htm
href="http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/spraydrift.htm"><FONT
color=#0000ff>http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/spraydrift.htm</FONT></A>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face="Gill Sans MT" size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Laurie Davies Adams<BR>Executive
Director<BR><B>Pollinator Partnership </B><BR>423 Washington Street, 5th
floor<BR>San Francisco, CA
94111<BR>415-362-1137<BR>LDA@pollinator.org</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial
color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0
face="Gill Sans MT" color=#0000ff size=4 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="14"><B><A
href="http://www.pollinator.org/">www.pollinator.org</A></B></FONT><FONT lang=0
face="Gill Sans MT" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"></B><BR><A
href="http://www.nappc.org/">www.nappc.org</A><BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0
face="Gill Sans MT" color=#000000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="12"><B><I>National Pollinator Week is June 21-27, 2010. <BR>Beecome
involved at <A
href="http://www.pollinator.org/">www.pollinator.org</A></I></FONT></B></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>