EPA decision today will allow big farms to apply a herbicide that contains a chemical used in Agent Orange

New herbicide approved by EPA could lead to further declines in Monarch Butterfly populations.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree had harsh words today for a decision by federal regulators that will allow the use of a controversial new herbicide called Enlist Duo. The decision follows the approval last month of genetically engineered corn and soybean seeds designed to be resistant to the new herbicide. The combination is made by Dow Chemical Company and marketed as a successor to Monsanto's GMO seeds and Roundup herbicide.

"This is taking a bad idea and making it worse," Pingree said. "Roundup and the GMO seeds that Monsanto pushed on farmers have already led to superweeds and have contributed to a huge decline of Monarchbutterflies. And now regulators have approved an even more toxic herbicide and another strain of GMO crops. It just doesn't make sense."

Pingree and others led efforts to encourage farmers and consumers across the country to oppose the approval of these new products. Over half a million people responded and sent comments to federal regulators asking that they not be approved. In Congress, Pingree wrote a letter to the EPA that was signed by 49 of her colleagues asking them to not approve the use of this new herbicide.

"Enlist Duo is made up of one chemical used in Agent Orange and another that is used in Roundup. This may kill some weeds in the short term but just imagine the long-term cost to the environment and human health," Pingree said. "And the USDA itself has said this approval will likely lead to farmers spraying upwards of 176 million pounds of this stuff on crops every year by 2020. This is not sustainable and will only end up making the superweed epidemic even worse."

Enlist Duo is made up of 2,4-D, one of the components of AgentOrange, and glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup. Scientists say glyphosate is responsible for the disappearance of milkweed in many parts of the country. And since milkweed is the primary food of Monarch Butterflies, the near collapse of that species has been linked to the increased use of the chemical.