23
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 23, 2024) The stark contrast of two political parties emerged around this summer’s reporting of the Project 2025 blueprint—created by extreme right-wing conservatives—that proposes the gutting of environmental and public health policy and implementation. Many political observers say “Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project,” formally titled “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” will be embraced by a second Trump Administration, despite denials that are challenged by insiders as outright lies. While the public became aware of Project 2025 plans to gut the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many other agencies, the Biden Administration was announcing the emergency ban (see also August 6 announcement), finalized yesterday, of the weed killer Dacthal, exercising an EPA authority that has not been used in 45 years since the banning of 2,4,5-T (50% of the mixture of Agent Orange). With this decision, EPA set an important precedent for proclaiming (i) an unacceptable harm, (ii) its inability to mitigate the pesticide’s hazards with typical risk mitigation measures, and (iii) the availability of alternatives that made the chemical unnecessary. In dramatic contrast, the Trump supporters behind Project 2025 are intent on politicizing science to undermine governmental structures and laws established to protect public health […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Department of Interior, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Environmental Policy Act, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
25
Mar
(Beyond Pesticides, March 25, 2020) The Trump administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is moving forward with a proposal to grow genetically engineered crops (GECs) on national wildlife refuges in the Southeast United States. The draft environmental assessment allows wildlife to consume pesticide-laden produce, considers chemical-intensive genetically engineered crops no less damaging to the environment than “non-use of GECs,” and permits and escalation of climate change with toxic pesticide use increases. USFW’s proposal fails to mention the success of organic agriculture and consider it as one of the alternative management strategies. The proposal is up for public comment until April 10, 2020. In 2014, public pressure and lawsuits by environmental groups led to the Obama administration’s decision to phase out GE crops and ban neonicotinoid insecticide use on national wildlife refuges. On August 2, 2018, the Trump administration’s USFWS issued a memorandum that reversed the prohibition. The reversal allows the refuge system to make decisions on the use of GECs and neonics on a case-by-case basis in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is also under attack by the Trump administration. The Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, and others quickly challenged the 2018 […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bayer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Genetic Engineering, Monsanto, National Environmental Policy Act, neonicotinoids, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
10
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 10, 2020) Through the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, pesticide dangers became a major driver for the environmental movement. Perhaps the most effective piece of environmental legislation is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Because NEPA requires a wide-ranging evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of federal actions, as well as alternatives, it serves as a model for environmental decision making. Now key elements of NEPA are under attack by the Trump Administration. Ask your Congressional Representatives to pressure the White House to retract the proposed changes. At the same time, add your signature to the Beyond Pesticides public comment to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). NEPA established the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) as the agency within the White House that is responsible for carrying out the purposes of the act. The regulations established by the CEQ have persisted through changes in administrations for more than 30 years without major modification. Changes proposed by the Trump Administration’s CEQ threaten this model decision-making process. NEPA is a procedural law. It sets no environmental standards, but sets a standard for evaluating environmental impacts of proposed federal actions. It requires that federal agencies consider the short-term, long-term, and […]
Posted in Council on Environmental Quality, National Environmental Policy Act, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
17
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 17) Please comment by the deadline of Monday, August 20, 2018, 11:59 pm EDT. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has announced plans to weaken one of our country’s bedrock environmental laws, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA provides a foundation for environmental law in the U.S., and requires a precautionary approach that is stronger than other laws. NEPA requires the government to investigate and publish results concerning all alternatives –including a “no action” alternative of major federal actions. While the NEPA regulations can be improved, the current administration has been dismantling environmental protection programs. We do not believe that this is the time to open up NEPA regulations, given the importance of this program. Tell the Trump Administration to enforce current CEQ regulations –during this period when we are seeing serious degradation of the environment with the loss of species 100 to 1000 times the normal rate, tropical diseases advancing into temperate regions in step with global climate change, and elevated environmentally induced diseases, such as cancer, asthma, and autism. The American Bird Conservancy and other organizations are submitting detailed comments, which can be viewed here for more background. CEQ is accepting comments through Regulations.gov. […]
Posted in Council on Environmental Quality, Federal Agencies, Take Action, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
