Legislation on Clean water Act and spray permits

Farm and Ranch August 19, 2010 New legislation from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss would establish that new Clean Water Act permits would not be needed on top of existing regulations for agricultural pesticide use.

Wegemeyer: “This legislation just clarifies that it was Congress‘s intent back in 1972 when they passed the Clean Water Act that pesticides were exempt from that law, that there is a separate law, the label, that governs the use of pesticides.”

That’s American Farm Bureau Federation Regulatory Specialist Tyler Wegmeyer who says the legislation is needed after a court ruling in 2009 called for new permits for pesticide spraying near water.

Wegmeyer: “Congress needs to clarify that there is already a low on the books that governs the use of pesticides in a safe manner that protects the environment. There is no additional law or programs or regulations that are needed.”

Wegmeyer says the new permits are just additional, expensive red tape.

Wegmeyer: “It is like every driver has a state driver‘s license. You have to take a test and you have to pass it. So what if a county or the federal government came through and said you have to have another driver‘s license on top of your state driver‘s license. It doesn‘t make any sense. The same is true with the application of pesticides. The rules are on the books already. Congress passed a law 35 years ago that states what you are supposed to do to apply pesticides. Having another law just makes no sense.”

Wegmeyer doesn’t think another permit would add any environmental benefit either.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net.