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US S3605

US S3605
Restoring Effective Environmental Protection Act of 2012


summary

Introduced
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

112th Congress

Bill Summary

Restoring Effective Environmental Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act [CWA]) to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state from requiring a permit under CWA for a discharge from a point source into navigable waters of: (1) a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under FIFRA; or (2) the residue of the pesticide, resulting from the application of the pesticide. Excepts: (1) a discharge resulting from the application of a pesticide in violation of a provision of FIFRA is relevant to protecting water quality if the discharge would not have occurred without the violation or if the amount of pesticide or pesticide residue in the discharge is greater than would have occurred without the violation; (2) stormwater discharges regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES); and (3) discharges of manufacturing or industrial effluent, treatment works effluent, and discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel. Directs the Administrator to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) the status of intra-agency coordination between the Office of Water and the Office of Pesticide Programs of EPA regarding streamlining information collection, standards of review, and data use relating to water quality impacts from the registration and use of pesticides; (2) an analysis of the effectiveness of current regulatory actions relating to pesticide registration and use aimed at protecting water quality; and (3) recommendations on how FIFRA can be modified to better protect water quality and human health.

AI Summary

This bill, the Restoring Effective Environmental Protection Act of 2012, amends two key environmental laws: the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which governs the registration and use of pesticides, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), which regulates the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters. The bill's primary aim is to prevent the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state from requiring a permit under the CWA for discharges into navigable waters that consist solely of a pesticide authorized for use under FIFRA or the residue from such a pesticide's application. However, this exemption does not apply to discharges resulting from the illegal use of a pesticide under FIFRA if the violation caused the discharge or increased the amount of pesticide or residue, nor does it apply to stormwater discharges regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), or to certain industrial, treatment works, or vessel-related discharges. Additionally, the bill mandates that the EPA Administrator report to Congress on the coordination between the EPA's water and pesticide programs regarding water quality impacts, the effectiveness of current pesticide regulations for water protection, and recommendations for improving FIFRA to better safeguard water quality and human health.

Committee Categories

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Sponsors (13)

Last Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (on 09/20/2012)

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