EPA and IDEM are developing pesticide general permits in response to the 6th Circuit Court’s 2009 decision, which found that discharges from pesticides into U.S. waters were pollutants, and, therefore, will require a permit under the Clean Water Act as of April 9, 2011. The final permit will reduce discharges of pesticides to aquatic ecosystems, thus helping to protect the nation’s waters and public health.
You may have heard that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently requested an extension of the court to allow more time for pesticide operators to obtain permits for pesticide discharges into U.S. waters. EPA is requesting that the deadline be extended from April 9, 2011 to October 31, 2011. During the period while the court is considering the extension request, permits for pesticide applications will not be required under the Clean Water Act. There is also draft federal legislation intended to amend FIFRA and the Clean Water Act to exempt pesticide spraying from NPDES permitting requirements. Nevertheless, IDEM must continue to move forward with its draft general permit to comply with the April 9, 2011 deadline.
Comments regarding IDEM’s draft general permit are due by no later than April 4, 2011. Please direct questions or comments to:
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (Catherine Hess)
Office of Water Quality – Permits Branch
Mail Code 65-42 IGCN 1255
100 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251
(317) 232-8704 or (800) 451-6027 (toll free within Indiana)
chess@idem.in.gov
Public Notice of Draft NPDES General Permit for Pesticides Applications
Draft NPDES Pesticide General Permit
NPDES Permit Fact Sheet