EPA has decided to delay implementation of its pesticide applicator certification and training rule.
In January EPA
published its final revisions to its rule for certification of pesticide applicators, which would set more strict national standards for applicator certification and training. While NAAA was successful in convincing EPA to eliminate language declaring aerial application as "high risk," and in increasing the recertification period when additional continuing education credits (CEUs) will be required to five years, among other successes, the rule would still prohibit people under 18 from handling or applying restricted use pesticides even if they pass a certification test, complete CEUs, and wear proper protective equipment.
In January, Trump ordered a 60-day freeze on the implementation of all yet-to-be-implemented rules, including the certification and training rule.
Now, EPA will further delay the effective date for the rule to May 22, 2017. EPA writes in the Federal Register that it is “taking this action to give recently arrived Agency officials the opportunity to learn more about [the regulation] and to decide whether they would like to conduct a substantive review of any of those regulations.”
NAAA will be working to eliminate the age requirement from the rule to allow all who can pass a certification exam, earn requisite CEUs, and wear proper protective equipment are able to work safely with pesticides.
