Landmark Pesticide Registration Act Renewed by Congress

WASHINGTON, DC (September 24, 2007) – The House of Representatives voted to renew the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) today, ensuring better public protection from harmful pesticides, according to scientists and policy experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

 

The Senate passed PRIA in August by Unanimous Consent, and today the House also voted for the legislation. The bill will now go to President Bush to be signed into law.

 

“Renewal of PRIA is a huge win for both public health and the environment,” said Heather Taylor, deputy legislative director at NRDC. “The law has kept harmful pesticides in check since 2003 and will continue to safeguard the public in immeasurable ways for years to come. It’s clear that when environmentalists and industry work together, we all win.”

 

The bill provides stable funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through licensing fees. In return for these fees, industry gets a more efficient pesticides registration process to review new products, upfront review of old chemicals, funding for worker protection, and grant money for farm certification programs.

 

Environmental and industry groups worked to enact PRIA in 2003, establishing a partnership that is widely regarded as one of the most effective environmental health policies in history. NRDC supports PRIA because it utilizes sound science, is a model government transparency, and provides stronger pesticide enforcement standards to protect public health and the environment.

 

“This is a win-win-win proposition,” said Phil Klein, senior vice president of legislative and public affairs at Consumer Specialty Products Association. “EPA gets long term stable funding, environmental and farm worker communities get increased funding for worker protection, and industry benefits from predictable timelines for bringing newer products to market.”