[Pollinator] neonics, EPA and neonic safety to bees and aquatic insects

[Lisa Horth]

All,
FYI...

EPA Releases Four Neonicotinoid Risk Assessments for Public Comment
For Release: January 12, 2017

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published preliminary
pollinator-only risk assessments for the neonicotinoid insecticides
clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran and also an update to its
preliminary risk assessment for imidacloprid, which we published in January
2016. The updated imidacloprid assessment looks at potential risks to
aquatic species, and identifies some risks for aquatic insects.

The assessments for clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran, similar to
the preliminary pollinator assessment for imidacloprid showed: most
approved uses do not pose significant risks to bee colonies. However, spray
applications to a few crops, such as cucumbers, berries, and cotton, may
pose risks to bees that come in direct contact with residue. In its
preliminary pollinator-only analysis for clothianidin and thiamethoxam, the
EPA has proposed a new method for accounting for pesticide exposure that
may occur through pollen and nectar.

The 60-day public comment period will begin upon publication in the Federal
Register, which will happen soon. The EPA invites public comment on all of
these preliminary assessments, but we are especially interested in getting
input from stakeholders on the new method for assessing potential exposure
and risk through pollen and nectar. EPA may revise the pollinator
assessment based on comments received as well as additional data that we
anticipate receiving during 2017. We hope to release the final
neonicotinoid risk assessments for public comment by mid-2018.

Along with the risk assessments, the EPA is also issuing an updated
registration review schedule for the four neonicotinoids to reflect the
data being submitted in 2017.

EPA encourages stakeholders and interested members of the public to visit
the dockets for the neonicotinoid pesticides and sign up for email alerts
to be automatically notified when the Agency publishes the next documents
for review and comment. View the neonicotinoid registration review
<https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/schedule-review-neonicotinoid-pesticides>
schedule for links to the individual dockets.


-- 

Associate Professor
Dept of Biological Science
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
lhorth at odu.edu
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