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More information on the NPDES permits

Because the Senate failed to bring the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act up for a vote before the October 31^st deadline, regulations requiring applicators to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit in order to apply pesticides on or near water officially take effect today.  Jean Payne, President of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association says this means additional work for America’s farmers and ranchers.  She says a lot of the regulation is going to be for growers with water near their property.  While the permit may say on or near water, Payne says, the problem becomes the definition of water is always changing.  In some states it may actually mean a body of water and in others it could be any place that could have water some day.  Examples:  a waterway, a ditch or even a low spot.   

Payne tells Brownfield the new permit requirements have unintended consequences.  For example, if you have a pond on your farm and you treat for aquatic weeds, Payne says there is no doubt you will need to obtain a permit from your state EPA.  She says it won’t matter if it is on your own private property and you’re going to do the application, theoretically you will need a permit and that also includes ponds and fountains outside businesses. 

Payne says many associations feared Congress would not take action on the regulation and worked ahead with their state EPA organizations and back in the spring people involved in the agriculture industry sat down with their state EPA’s and provided input on what the permit from that state would look like to make it livable for growers.

For the first 120 days that the permit is in effect, EPA says it will focus on providing compliance assistance and education of the permit requirements, rather than on enforcement actions.

AUDIO: Jean Payne, IFCA (6:28mp3)