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Pesticides: Endangered Species Protection Program
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Introduction

Although the Office of Pesticide Programs has included endangered species considerations in its risk assessments for many years, the Endangered Species Protection Program (ESPP), as an entity, started in 1988. It is largely voluntary at the present time and relies on cooperation between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), EPA Regions, States, and pesticide users. ESPP is located in the Field and External Affairs Division (FEAD) of the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP).

The information at this site is similar to what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects to distribute once our Endangered Species Protection Program is in effect. The limitations on pesticide use are not law at this time, but are being provided now for your use in voluntarily protecting endangered species from harm due to pesticide use. We encourage you to use this information. We also welcome your comments.

The Endangered Species Act is intended to protect and promote the recovery of animals and plants that are in danger of becoming extinct due to the activities of people. Under the Act, EPA must ensure that use of pesticides it registers will not result in harm to the species listed as endangered and threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or to habitat critical to those species' survival. To implement the Endangered Species Protection Program, labels of certain pesticides will direct users to bulletins with information similar to what appears here. This program will protect endangered and threatened species from harm due to pesticide use.  Exit EPA disclaimer  

Goals

ESPP has two goals:

  1. To provide the best protection for endangered species from the use of pesticides.
  2. To minimize the impact of our program on pesticide users.

Protection of endangered and threatened species

In order to protect listed species from detrimental effects from the use of pesticides, we do the following:

  • We use sound science to assess the risk of pesticide use to listed species.
  • We attempt to find means to avoid concerns for listed species.
  • When we cannot avoid concerns, we then consult with the scientists at the FWS.
  • The FWS issues a biological opinion on the potential for adverse effects on particular species and we implement use limitations that are either specified in the opinions or developed from those opinions.
  • This implementation is done by:
    1. adding a generic label statement;
    2. developing county bulletins that contain maps of species locations and pesticide use limitations;
    3. distributing the bulletins and other materials by a wide variety of methods; and
    4. providing a toll-free telephone number to assist users in determining whether they need a bulletin and where to obtain one.
  • We encourage individual States to develop their own plans by whatever approach they determine is best for them as long as the approach meets the goals of protecting endangered species while minimizing the impact on pesticide users.
  • States are also a part of the county bulletin review process, along with other agencies, and are encouraged to include State agencies oriented toward agriculture and those oriented toward fish and wildlife as well as pesticide users and environmental groups in their review process.

Minimizing the impact on pesticide users

We cannot adequately protect endangered species without having some impact on pesticide users. In order to minimize the impact, we try to assist users in dealing with the impacts of the program. Some of the things we try to do are:

  • using the minimum limitations that will protect the species;
  • recommending that States provide us with alternative, but protective, use limitations that are appropriate for their location and situation;
  • recommending alternative pesticides;
  • working with USDA to inform users about wetlands reserve and conservation reserve programs to offset impacts by offering compensation for land taken out of production; and
  • occasionally the FWS will provide reimbusement for crops not harvested when the crops are important to a species.

The Program has come a long way since 1988 and we hope it will continue to evolve so that endangered and threatened species will be protected in areas where pesticides are in use and that this protection will be accomplished with a minimal impact on pesticide users.

These questions and answers on the endangered species program were prepared in 1999 for a national workshop on endangered species.

 

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