Submit a Public Comment by 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, February 20 .
While Bayer and other chemical companies are trying to pass the pesticide immunity bill, known as the Cancer Gag Act, in Iowa and other states, there is also another effort to provide pesticide companies with immunity. This is through an EPA pesticide petition filed by the attorneys general of 11 states, including Iowa’s Brenna Bird.
The EPA is currently accepting public comments on the pesticide petition until Thursday, February 20. Action is needed immediately. Find out how you can take action here.
WHAT THE PETITION WOULD DO:
The petition calls for removing a state’s right to issue warning labels that are more stringent than what is already federally approved. The petition primarily targets California Proposition 65 warnings on glyphosate but it’s expected to have much broader ramifications.
According to Beyond Pesticides, “If states cannot convey their restrictions on the label, it is unlikely that a user of the product will be aware of the restrictions. Similarly, the courts have upheld a state’s and manufacturer’s ‘duty to warn’ of pesticide’s hazards as a right and responsibility that is not at odds with ‘misbranding’ regulations under the federal pesticide law.”
In fact, they report that “states and local governments are often at the leading edge in protecting people, land, and water from hazards.”
If the EPA approves this petition, it would provide legal immunity to chemical companies by allowing EPA-approved labels to be considered sufficient warning.
This petition is an end-run around state bills like the Cancer Gag Act. It benefits no one but the chemical companies looking to avoid costly litigation for harms their pesticides may cause. It’s important to understand that the use of glyphosate or other agrichemicals are not in danger of being prohibited, contrary to pesticide industry fear tactics that target farmers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Send a public comment telling the EPA to deny the petition of these 11 attorneys general. Beyond Pesticides created a public comment letter that you can find here. Copy the letter, or write your own comments, and file them here.
We need to act quickly. The deadline for all comments is 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, February 20.
Learn more about this petition here.
Let’s work together to protect public health from harmful pesticides.