Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring expresses opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recently released draft herbicide strategy.
The EPA's proposal aims to reduce the potential risks from off-target movement of herbicides, but Goehring argues that the measures, including downwind buffers of up to 500 feet and mandated land management practices, are unworkable and costly for farmers. He also points out that the proposed mitigations lack demonstrable evidence of added protection for threatened and endangered species.
Goehring criticizes the EPA for moving forward with the draft strategy despite an unresolved Endangered Species Act case. He claims environmental activist groups often sue the agency, settling and complying with their demands. Goehring argues that the EPA has lifted a ban on "sue and settle" tactics, allowing lawsuits to drive regulatory rule-making.
The Commissioner intends to submit official comments opposing the draft herbicide strategy. Interested parties can also voice their concerns by submitting comments on the EPA's website before Sep. 22, 2023.
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Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Government & Policy