RISE engages in regulatory advocacy

By

June 12, 2024

Collaboration lies at the heart of RISE’s (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment’s) mission, bringing tremendous value to the specialty pesticide industry and our user community. Partnering with organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), along with other allies and partners at AmericanHort, the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) has been crucial in advancing the safe and effective use of specialty pesticides and fertilizers.

Leading the discussion of the Endangered Species Act and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act at the 2024 RISE and CropLife America Regulatory Conference, the author, left, tackles tough questions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's office of Pesticide Programs Director Ed Messina, and Division Directors Billy Smith, Jan Matuszko, Dava Vogel, Anne Overstreet and Tim Kiely. (Photo: RISE)

Leading the discussion of the Endangered Species Act and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act at the 2024 RISE and CropLife America Regulatory Conference, the author, left, tackles tough questions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s office of Pesticide Programs Director Ed Messina, and Division Directors Billy Smith, Jan Matuszko, Dava Vogel, Anne Overstreet and Tim Kiely. (Photo: RISE)

ESA engagement

These alliances are pivotal to navigating the complexities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ongoing work to fully comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), ensuring that feedback and advocacy are science-driven and that mitigation strategies are both effective and applicable.

Collectively, we have submitted numerous comments to the EPA on the ESA Workplan, different ESA strategies, and draft biological evaluations and biological opinions. We also have actively participated in ESA workshops and forums to provide substantive feedback on both the science and feasibility of proposed ESA mitigation measures.

For example, the specialty industry-led discussions at the Hawaii Workshop and concerning the Vulnerable Species Pilot Project (VSPP), both integral parts of the ESA Workplan, demonstrate our collaborative advocacy — supporting an efficient, science-based approach to the ESA consultation process. As strategies regarding insecticides are set to be released this summer, RISE is preparing to continue engaging to contribute to and critique these new developments.

Advocating for critical funding

RISE’s regulatory advocacy extends to supporting a fully funded pesticide regulatory system. This, despite ongoing challenges in the federal appropriations and budgetary environment, is marked by a $6 million reduction in funding for the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) in the recently passed Fiscal Year 2024 funding bill. Though the 4 percent cut in OPP funding is less than the 9.6 percent the rest of the EPA faces, it still will have significant impacts on the OPP and its work. Our strategic lobbying endeavors reflect a sustained drive to secure necessary funding for the EPA’s OPP.

For Fiscal Year 2025, RISE has returned to Capitol Hill to lobby for a minimum of $166 million in funding for the OPP. Adequate resources are critical to ensure pesticide regulatory decisions are scientifically rigorous and timely, facilitating the introduction of innovative solutions and the maintenance of essential products.

RISE’s strategic navigation of regulatory challenges signifies its essential role within the industry. Our commitment to collaboration reaches across industry lines, uniting pest management professionals, government entities and non-governmental organizations in dialogue. This fosters a culture of learning and support that solidifies relationships between industry and regulatory agencies. Such cooperation enhances transparency, accountability and a streamlined regulatory process for pesticides.

The commitment to effective ESA assessments, the implementation of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5), and securing OPP funding solidifies RISE’s position as a vital advocate for the interests of the professional pest control industry.

About the Author

Avatar photo

PROVOST is president of Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE). She may be reached at 202-872-3860 or RISE@pestfacts.org.

Leave A Comment

Comments are closed.