NPMA Federal Update
White House Pollinator Plan - Five Things You Need to Know About the Announcement
For the last few years, NPMA has been deeply involved in the issue of protecting honey bees and other pollinators. From public policy to public relations, NPMA staff, in coordination with the association's board of directors and committees, have worked tirelessly to craft messaging, educate lawmakers and regulators and provide leadership to defend the tools used by professionals of the structural pest management industry. After many months of anticipation, the White House Pollinator Task Force released their 58-page plan this morning and accompanying appendices and resources.
In a nutshell, the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey bees and Other Pollinators revealed no big surprises. In fact, with regard to protecting pollinators from exposure to pesticides, the EPA highlighted the importance of pesticides for the protection of food supplies and human health and underscored the importance of balancing the benefits with risks by keeping beneficial pollinators and pesticides separated in both time and space.
The complete strategy can be accessed by clicking here.
NPMA/ASPCRO Fumigation Workshop for EPA Staffers
On March 24 - 26, the NPMA public policy team joined the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) to host an educational workshop for EPA staff. More than a dozen EPA staffers joined experts from industry (Dow AgroSciences, Degesch America and Griffin Pest Management), academia (University of Georgia and Kansas State University) and the regulatory community to learn about fumigation principles and techniques.
The workshop included classroom instruction time, and was highlighted by five real-world demonstrations including live fumigations of a residential structure, tarpaulin, container, chamber and tape and seal fumigations using both sulfuryl fluoride and magnesium phosphide products. Special thanks is due to Travis Swope of Griffin Pest Management in Santa Ana, CA, Rollins for the use of their unique training facility in Atlanta, Georgia and the talented fumigation teams from Western Pest Control, Industrial Fumigant Company and Orkin Pest Control who performed the live fumigations and demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism for EPA and ASPCRO.
Structural fumigants are currently in the registration review process at EPA, and this educational workshop was praised by EPA as informative and educational for EPA personnel.
P
roposed APHIS Rule Would Raise Fumigation Fees on Import/Exports
In April 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed rulemaking increasing various agricultural quarantine inspections (AQI) of aircraft, ships and trucks. The proposal also establishes a $375 fee for overseeing fumigations of regulated commodities. Altogether the AQI rulemaking would impose $530 million in additional fees. The typical combined total of the $375 pest treatment/fumigation fee and the increased overtime fees would be $700-$800. In many instances, this amount exceeds the cost of the fumigation service and the value of the commodity being treated. In mid-January 2015, APHIS forwarded the proposed regulation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final review and approval.
NPMA is leading a large coalition that is aggressively lobbying for a change in the proposed regulation. NPMA has met with OMB to express industry concerns and is also supporting the Fair and Transparent Stakeholder Involvement Fee Act H.R. 1091, which would require the AQI rule to enter the negotiated rule making process between APHIS and key industry stakeholders.
EPA Sends Clean Water Rule to OMB
On April 6, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a draft proposed rule to update the Clean Water Act and the definition of what constitutes Waters of the United States (WOTUS). EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy stated that the new rule is significantly different from the previous draft that faced significant opposition and disapproval from Agriculture groups. If OMB authorizes the rule, EPA could release the rule in the second half of 2015.
In The U.S. House of Representatives two separate bills are being supported by opponents of the EPA rule. H.R. 897 which would ban National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for pesticides that are already registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and H.R. 1732 which would require the EPA to withdraw WOTUS and rewrite any regulation with more stakeholder involvement.
In the U.S. Senate the Federal Water Quality Protection Act was introduced. The act would require EPA to revise the definition of WOTUS prior to moving forward with any final clean water rule. Additionally, NPMA is part of a large coalition that is aggressively lobbying for proposing legislation via an amendment that would exempt FIFRA registered products from NPDES permits, mirroring H.R 897.
Wood Destroying Insects: HUD Inspection Forms and Map Update
The HUD-NPMA-99A and HUD-NPMA-99B forms expired on April 30. Due to the Federal regulatory process, HUD-NPMA-99A and HUD-NPMA-99B will remain valid for up to one year after the stated expiration date, or until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reissues the forms with a new expiration date.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will no longer use the map created by the U.S. Forest Service to determine the need for inspections. In March 2015, HUD published Single Family Housing Policy Handbook (SF Handbook; HUD Handbook 4000.1), which identifies areas that are exempt from inspection. States that are not listed and have historically required termite inspection reports still require termite inspection reports for all new construction.
For additional information concerning new HUD Policy and a detailed explanation of the continued viability of HUD-NPMA-99A and HUD-NPMA-99B please visit:
For many pest management professionals, self-study doesn't come as easy as it did back in school. With that in mind, NPMA has developed an ACE Exam Prep Track to help you prepare for the rigorous ACE exam offered by the Entomological Society of America. This course provides you with a variety of on-demand resources that you will aid in your preparatory efforts. 
