CSPA has submitted comments on the State Water Resource Control Board’s draft General Permit covering point source discharges of residual pesticides from spray applications for pest control. Pest control covered by this General Permit includes invasive species of both insects and weeds. The permit will serve as both an NPDES permit, pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act, and Waste Discharge Requirements, pursuant to the state’s Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act.
Pesticides are acutely toxic in low parts per billion and discharges of these pesticides could have far-reaching impacts to aquatic and aquatic-dependent fish and wildlife including listed species. A workshop was conducted at the State Water board on 19 October and final comments were due on 2 November 2010.
CSPA Comments, Vector Control Permit
Specifically, the permit will cover the point source discharge of pesticide residues resulting from spray applications using 1) larvicides containing Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk), nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV), and Spinosad A and D; 2) adulticides containing acetamiprid, bifenthrin, carbaryl, esfenvalerate, lambda cyhalothrin, malathion, naled, pheromone, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and pyrethrins; 3) larvicides/adulticides containing cyfluthrin and imidacloprid; and 4) herbicides containing aminopyralid, chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, glyphosate, imazapyr, triclopyr butoxyethyl ester and triclopyr triethylamine salt.