The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released a revised proposal for regulating the use of agricultural pesticides near school sites and licensed child day care facilities. The revised draft regulation reflects extensive public input received during the most recent round of public review, which included three formal hearings and ended in December.
The original proposal was issued in September 2016, after the department held a series of public workshops in five locations around the state.
The key revisions to the proposed regulation include:
- Growers will not be required to notify school sites/licensed child day care facilities and the county agricultural commissioners of pesticide applications made within 1/4 mile of these facilities 48 hours before they occur. However, growers will still be required to provide annual notification of the pesticides expected to be applied within a quarter mile of these facilities.
- The revision also clarifies the definition of “school site” and other terms: For example, it makes clear that the regulations do not apply to school buses or vehicles not on school property, and that agricultural commissioners may identify an adjacent park used regularly by schools on the weekdays as part of a school site.
The regulation is anticipated to become effective Jan. 1, 2018.
A summary of the highlights of the revised school regulation is available here.
Growers and other industry members and stakeholders are encouraged to submit written comments on the proposed revisions to the regulation between March 20, 2017, and April 4, 2017, at 5 p.m. Submit comments at dpr16004@cdpr.ca.gov. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to Ms. Linda Irokawa-Otani, regulations coordinator, Department of Pesticide Regulation, 1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015, Sacramento, California 95812-4015; fax (916) 324-1491.
