Bill > S802

This bill, titled the Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2013, aims to clarify congressional intent regarding the regulation of pesticides near navigable waters, which are bodies of water like rivers and lakes that can be used for commerce. Specifically, it amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA). The key provision is that a permit will generally not be required under the FWPCA for a discharge into navigable waters of a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under FIFRA, or its residue, when that discharge comes from a "point source," meaning a discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance like a pipe. However, this exemption does not apply to discharges resulting from violations of FIFRA related to water quality protection, stormwater discharges already subject to regulation, or certain other industrial and operational discharges. The bill also mandates that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, must submit a report to Congress within one year of enactment detailing the EPA's internal coordination on pesticide registration and use concerning water quality, analyzing the effectiveness of current regulations, and offering recommendations for improving water quality and human health protections under FIFRA.