DOD-EPA Pesticide Stewardship Partnership

1. DOD-EPAPesticide Stewardship Partnership Steve Hopkins, USEPA Office of Pesticide Programs Hopkins.steve@epa.gov 703-308-0334

2. Integrated Pest ManagementPesticide Risk Reduction • For at least 30 years, DoD & Service Guidance mandated Integrated Pest Mangement – Institutionalized! • Pollution Prevention and Risk reduction are major goals of EPA and DoD. • DOD partnership is important and vital to EPA – A contribution seldom recognized.

3. Current EPA Activitieswith Potential DoD Impacts • Container Rule – promoting ready-to-use, returnable, recyclable containers. • Operational benefits & risk reduction: • Save labor • Reduce spillage • Reduce mixing errors • Eliminate cleaning costs • Streamlined operations • Claim cost equivalence for applicators. • Consider specifying returnable/reusable? • Buildings & structures • Vegetation Management, Invasives.

4. Rodenticide Risk Mitigation Decision • Public comment – Closes March 19, 2007 • Changes: • Publicly available • Only in solid blocks, • Only sold with or in tamper proof bait stations. • Second generation anti-coagulants • Restricted Use – risks to non-target wildlife. • Clearer label requirements to avoid risks to children, pets and non-target species. • POC Kelly Sherman (sherman.kelly@epa.gov) or 703-305-8401.

5. Next in Line • Fumigants collectively under review • Are fumigants operationally / logistically significant to DoD? • Future input may be important: • Know what you use • Know the Frequency, Methods & Rates • Influence label restrictions • Risk assessments done on full label rates.

6. Endangered Species • Some groups being proactive – (Utilities, Cherry Growers) • GIS to ID potential ESP habitats. • Maintain baseline data on Pesticide use, timing, application methods. • Overlay to identify conflicts and develop avoidance alternatives, mitigation strategies.

7. IPM Measurement? • Over the last 30+ years, the DoD Integrated Pest Management Approach Has added value to DoD military operations and deployed warfighter protection while providing Ecological benefits to the American people and, through the OEBGD, to the entire world. • BUT - have we documented the success of pesticide stewardship? • Quantify the results achieved with less than label rate? • Quantify the risk reduction through less toxic alternatives? • Quantify Improved operational effectiveness with better technologies? • Increases in bird, butterfly, mammal populations and species diversity? • How can EPA help to document/validate?

8. Value Added? • Document the Ecological value added of Pesticide use – “Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) techniques (targeted application, low volume foliar spray & mix) can reduce pesticide use by 25% initially. After IVM is established, the need for intervention is reduced because native low-growing plant communities are well established and sustaining. Then herbicide application rates drop by another order of magnitude.” Rick Johnstone, IVM Partners

9. Projects of Interest • ROW IVM MOU - Ecological Benefits of IVM: • Reduces pesticide risk • Promotes Healthy Ecosystems • Less Runoff, Fire danger, Smoke pollution • Measurable Ecological Benefits of IVM • Greater native plant diversity • Stable, natural ecological community • T&E species habitat improvement • Exotic species control • 273,000 miles of High Voltage Transmission ROW • Enforcable rules – April 2007. • DoD interested in particiipating?

10. Projects of Interest • Bio Pesticide Demonstration for Dollar Spot control in Turf Grass (Golf Courses) • DoD/Services – big golf course owners. • Requesting DoD/Service participation in Dollar Spot Evaluation Workgroup. • POC Diana Horne, Horne.Diana@epa.gov

11. Projects of Interest • EPA Community IPM Initiative – Pesticide Stewardship where we work, play, learn and live. • EPA, CDC, USDA, HUD talking. • DOD is leader – retailer guidance, contract guides, performance based contracting • DoD interest in participation?