The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Pesticide General Permit, with plans to implement the regulation in April, 2011. The proposed regulations would affect any applicators who apply pesticides to, near, or above water.

On Aug. 5 Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln (AR-D) and ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (GA-R) introduced S.3735, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Paperwork Reduction Act. The bill was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

On Aug. 10 Agriculture Committee Ranking Member, Frank Lucan, introduced the House version H.R. 6087. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

S. 3735 and H.R. 6087 seek to ensure that all pesticide uses be under the legal primacy of FIFRA and would restrict EPA from creating redundant environmental regulations