Washington, DC – Local water districts in Idaho will not have to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for the application of pesticides and herbicides to waterways according to a recent Environmental Protection Agency guidance, and Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig and Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and C.L. “Butch” Otter are commending the EPA’s action and urging the full application of the guidance in EPA Region 10, which covers Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Ambiguity over the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal’s ruling in Headwaters, Inc. v. Talent Irrigation District resulted in local water districts and officials wondering whether the ruling would be used to prohibit the use of aquatic herbicides and pesticides. The Idaho delegation requested that the EPA provide clarity as to the affects the ruling would have on pesticide and herbicide usage. Earlier this month, the EPA clarified the ruling to allow the continued use of aquatic products, particularly for protection of human health and the environment.

In a letter signed by the four Idaho congressmen to EPA Acting Administrator Marianne Horinko, they noted the importance of the clarification. “Herbicide and pesticide applications are often essential for the control of aquatic weeds that clog waterways and threaten water supplies for irrigators, growers, ranchers, and other water users. Additionally, the threat of mosquito born illnesses makes it essential to ensure that local officials are able to utilize needed pesticides in a timely fashion to ensure human health.”

Full text of the letter accompanies this news release

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