Collaboration between NRDC and Industry Succeeds in Reauthorization of Pesticide Bill

WASHINGTON, DC (October 10, 2007) – President Bush has signed the Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act (PRIA), ensuring stable funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s pesticide program through licensing fees. The fees will ensure 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. The Act, signed yesterday, is a reauthorization of the original PRIA bill signed into law in 2003 and requires pesticides registration for the next five years.

 

Following is a statement by Heather Taylor, deputy legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

 

“PRIA is about protecting public health and the environment and this is a landmark victory for both. For the next five years, Americans will be better protected from outdated pesticides, EPA will have the funding to focus on sound science when evaluating new pesticides, industry will be able to get them to market faster, and the environment will be better protected from harsh chemicals. Twice now, we’ve worked with industry to introduce and pass successful PRIA legislation. Clearly, when we work together on issues of health concerning both the public and environment, we can all win.”

 

For more comments on PRIA, please visit Heather Taylor’s blog at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/.