Accomplishments & Priorities - Semiannual Report

Department of Pesticide Regulation

July 2001 - December 2001

• Border Initiative
• Integrated Pest Management
• E-government
• Enforcement
• Environmental Justice
• Pest Management (Pollution Prevention)
• Pesticide Use
• Protecting People, Air, Water
• Registration
• Licensing
• Endangered Species Program

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) protects human health and the environment by regulating pesticide sales and use, and by fostering reduced-risk pest management.

Border Initiative

DPR works with pesticide regulators in Mexico to better coordinate trans-border enforcement activities and improve communication.

Accomplishments

1. The U.S./Mexico Pesticide Information Exchange (USMPIE): DPR sponsored its second inspector exchange during October 2001. DPR hosted two inspectors from the Mexican departments of labor and health. The inspectors received an overview of DPR’s program, visited county agricultural commissioners’ offices, observed pesticide applications, and visited packing houses and pesticide applicator facilities. Other Mexican inspectors visited the states of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico during the same month. USMPIE is funded by grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Regions 6 and 9, and administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The goal of the program is to share information and to foster cooperation with pesticide regulators on both sides of the border.

2. Children’s Health Initiative: DPR supports the Governor’s children’s health initiative by encouraging adoption of reduced-risk pest management strategies in schools statewide.

Integrated Pest Management

Accomplishments

1. DPR continued work on establishing a permanent, comprehensive School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Web site to be available early in 2002. DPR developed basic fact sheets on the program and technical materials for inclusion in the School IPM Guidebook. Planning continues for a train-the-trainer program for school districts to be offered as a pilot in spring 2002. A School IPM Expo was held in cooperation with DPR’s School Pest Management Alliance. In addition, DPR developed a reporting form for licensing pest control businesses working in schools.

Priorities

1. DPR will finalize its IPM program Web site. DPR will also develop an IPM train-the-trainer program and conduct a pilot training session, complete an IPM Guidebook, and conduct a survey for IPM policies, programs, and practices. With the results of this survey, DPR will work with school organizations and other stakeholders via the School IPM Advisory Committee to improve IPM programs.

E-government

DPR’s goal is to provide all Californians with access to regulatory information and the ability to transact their business with DPR via the Internet.

Accomplishments

1. Online County Registration for Pest Control Licensees: In November 2001, DPR and the Department of General Service’s Enterprise Business Office launched the Online County Registration for Pest Control Licensees Web site. This service, initially established in a six-county pilot, expedites business registrations and reduces the need for phone calls or trips to government offices, where pest control businesses are required to register annually in each county in which they do business. Pest control businesses are able to complete all transactions (except for fee payment) via Internet. Businesses in other counties may also use the system to access information about their own licenses. When fully implemented, more than 12,000 businesses will be able to use this service. The system will also enable county agricultural commissioners to check license status, review enforcement histories, and conduct an online dialogue with applicants to expedite the registration process. The six counties in this pilot (Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Placer, San Francisco, Siskiyou, and Stanislaus) represent agricultural, suburban, and urban areas.

2. Licensing and Certification Program: In an effort to improve access to information, DPR upgraded its Licensing and Certification Web site. Licensing application and renewal forms for each of the nine licenses and certificates issued by DPR were revised and posted. Staff completed reviews of various study materials, sources, instructions, and other examination materials. Comprehensive updates to the IPM Study Guide were completed in cooperation with the University of California, Davis, and the guide is now available for downloading.

Priorities

1. Government-to-Business Web Site: Following a successful launch, DPR staff will continue outreach efforts to make licensees aware of the Online County Registration for Pest Control Licensees Web site. The vendor will monitor the performance of the service and provide a final project report to DPR and the Department of General Services by late January. This report will enable DPR to assess the level of licensee acceptance and the feasibility of extending the pilot system to additional counties. (Note: Recent economic and budget conditions may affect DPR’s ability to meet its e-government goals.)

2. Pesticide Residues on Fresh Produce Data Web Page: DPR plans to post a three-year summary report on pesticide residue data covering the years 1998-2000. The report will discuss trends and findings of residue data.

Enforcement

DPR enforces pesticide rules in a fair, consistent, and understandable way to protect workers, the public, and the environment.

Accomplishments

1. Agricultural Pest Control Advisory Committee: DPR resumed its efforts to establish the Agricultural Pest Control Advisory Committee. This mandated committee is charged with providing input into licensing and certification issues and making recommendations to the DPR Director for program enhancements and changes. DPR is proceeding with the official nomination and appointment processes to fill vacant industry and governmental positions on the committee.

2. County Permit/Pesticide Use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications: DPR continued to expand the development of field border databases (digitized field boundaries for all permitted sites/crops) in several counties. DPR funded projects in several counties and also contracted with Kern County to develop a standard plan for implementing GIS in a county. The plan includes processes, procedures, recommended data layers, guidelines, and ArcView tools. DPR and county agricultural commissioner staff developed and received approval of statewide standards for electronically identifying and recording field borders (polygons).

3. Compliance Assessment: DPR released its initial compliance assessment report in October 2001. This report is a summarized tabulation of data collected from June 1997 through March 2001 about actual field compliance with pesticide worker safety provisions. The compliance assessment report is available on DPR’s Web site at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/enfcmpli/enfmenu.htm. Several program improvements were implemented as a result of the report findings, including revision of the prioritization plan, improved negotiated work plans used by the county agricultural commissioners, and redirection of resources to target specific program needs.

Priorities

1. Compliance Assessment Fact Sheets: Based on the findings of the 2001 compliance assessment report, compliance assessment fact sheets will be produced for distribution by the county agricultural commissioners to growers. Commissioners will distribute the fact sheets to growers when issuing restricted material permits or operator identification numbers, and to employers when they are found in violation of pesticide laws. The fact sheets summarize the findings of the report; they emphasize the correlation between noncompliance and injury/damage to workers, the public, and the environment; and they advise employers of their liability for penalties.

2. Compliance Assessment Pilot Project: DPR will undertake a compliance assessment pilot project to evaluate the costs, benefits, and issues associated with the collection and analysis of compliance information generated by county agricultural commissioners. It is anticipated that this database will enable DPR to analyze the information for noncompliance trends, patterns, and issues for enforcement program planning.

3. Residue Programs: DPR is exploring the merging of some of the produce sampling and data collection activities of the State-mandated Pesticide Residue Surveillance Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP). California is one of ten states that participate in the PDP, which was started in May 1991 to provide data on pesticide dietary exposure, food consumption, and pesticide use. PDP data are used by U.S. EPA to make more realistic assessments of dietary pesticide risk and for the ongoing review of pesticide tolerances. PDP data are statistically representative of the overall residue situation for a particular pesticide, commodity, or place of origin. DPR’s residue program has focused primarily on the department’s mandate to prevent public dietary exposure to illegal pesticide residues. Therefore, the program has been specifically directed toward enforcement of U.S. EPA tolerances rather than data collection. DPR hopes to identify a means to harmonize data collection efforts while retaining an effective residue enforcement program.

4. Permit Pilot Project: DPR, in conjunction with nine pilot counties, is evaluating a Windows-based program for permitting and pesticide use reporting. The program also enables growers and applicators to enter their pesticide use data. DPR, in cooperation with the county agricultural commissioners, will develop a feasibility study proposal for a potential statewide model program and dissemination.

5. County Permit and Use Reporting: DPR will deploy the Kern County GIS programs in several counties on a pilot basis during the first six months of 2002. Deployment will be in counties just beginning to develop their GIS capabilities and field border databases. Deployment in counties with existing data layers will focus primarily on utilization of the new electronic notice of intent and permit mapping ArcView tools to enhance time- and site-sensitive environmental evaluations.

Environmental Justice

DPR regulates the use of pesticides so that no socio-economic group of Californians is disproportionately impacted.

Accomplishments

1. Protection of Farmworkers: DPR completed an evaluation of the field posting requirements. Field posting is one mechanism for notifying farmworkers of pesticide applications in the workplace. The evaluation compared past and present field posting requirements and pesticide-related illnesses before and after implementation of the federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS). It also documented the concerns and recommendations expressed by stakeholders. The WPS rules did not impact worker risk. The analysis identified irrigation tasks as having a greater potential for pesticide-related illness compared to other fieldworker tasks. In addition, DPR found that a lack of notification and failure to wear required personal protective equipment were identified as the leading causes of reentry violations. The report, HS-1819, is available on DPR’s Web site at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/whsrep.htm. DPR and county agricultural commissioners are taking several steps to address the recommendations in the report.

2. Northwestern California Tribal-Forestry Herbicide Monitoring Project: DPR completed its monitoring of herbicide residues in surface water from drift and rain runoff during and after herbicide application. DPR also completed a pilot study in collaboration with the Department of Fish and Game and the Yurok Tribal Fishery to determine herbicide residues in fish tissues. The studies on dissipation and off-site movement of herbicides in and on plants of interest to the tribes were also completed. This is a collaborative project with U.S. EPA; the Yurok, Karuk, and Hupa tribes; the Department of Fish and Game; agricultural commissioners in Del Norte and Humboldt counties; and a timber company. The study is to address the tribes’ concerns regarding exposure to forestry herbicides from various environmental sources. Documentation of this project is available at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/empm/pubs/forest/reports.htm.

3. Pesticide Information: DPR has completed translation into and publication in Spanish of most of its consumer-oriented “Pesticide Info” fact sheets.

Priorities

1. Protection of Farmworkers: DPR is currently evaluating notification and hazard communication requirements. Growers and farm labor contractors are required to inform their employees of pesticide applications that will occur on or near the work site. Growers and farm labor contractors must also make pesticide exposure information available to their employees. A report will be available by July 2002.

2. California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) Environmental Justice Groups: DPR’s enforcement staff will continue to participate in the Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Coordination Group and provide consultation for internal Cal/EPA environmental justice training sessions. The director will participate in the Cal/EPA Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice.

Pest Management (Pollution Prevention)

DPR promotes pest management strategies that reduce risks for people and the environment.

Accomplishments

1. Pest Management Grants and Innovators: DPR released a request for proposals in July 2001 for grants totaling $1.5 million to promote adoption of reduced-risk practices in agricultural and urban settings. DPR and the Pest Management Advisory Committee evaluated the grant proposals. Staff continued communication between commodity and urban groups regarding pest management issues of mutual concern and continued development of the outreach program to encourage applicants for the new Integrated Pest Management grants and the Pest Management Alliance program. In addition, DPR recognized selected groups with Integrated Pest Management Innovator awards.

Priorities

1. DPR will develop and distribute outreach materials for IPM grants and review results from a study conducted to evaluate the Pest Management Alliance program. DPR will seek to improve the grants program through stakeholder input and by working cooperatively with public and private groups to promote reduced-risk pest management. DPR will continue IPM grants outreach to foster partnership with commodity groups and urban pesticide users and will also publish the “Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms in North America.”

Pesticide Use

DPR collects and analyzes the most comprehensive report on pesticide use in California.

Accomplishments

1. Preliminary Report: In October 2001, DPR released preliminary pesticide use report (PUR) data for 2000. The Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data 2000 gives the total reported use of each pesticide active ingredient on each crop or site in 2000. This report also provides an overview of the trends in use from 1992 to 2000 for pesticides in several categories, including reproductive toxins, carcinogens, cholinesterase inhibitors, groundwater contaminants, toxic air contaminants, oils, reduced-risk pesticides, and biopesticides.

2. Pesticide Use Declined: Reported pesticide use in California in 2000 totaled 188 million pounds, a decline of 15 million pounds from 1999 and the lowest reported pounds applied statewide since 1992. Production agriculture, the major category of use subject to reporting requirements, was responsible for most of the overall decrease in use. Applications for production agriculture dropped by 14 million pounds. Most of this decline in pounds was due to decreased use of sulfur and methyl bromide. Methyl bromide use decreased by 4.4 million pounds, probably because of cost and DPR regulations. Methyl bromide is a fumigant used to control soil-borne pathogens, nematodes, and weeds; it is usually applied to the soil before crops are planted.

Priorities

1. Final Report: DPR will complete the 1999 and 2000 final reports and a trend analysis for each year. DPR will also conduct a detailed trend analysis of changes in organophosphate use on almonds over the last nine years and examine alternate methods of pest control for overwintering pests. DPR will summarize responses to a survey distributed to the counties on pesticide use data, data entry into the PUR database, and definitions used to define certain data fields. This survey will help researchers understand the nuances and uniqueness of data entered into certain data fields in the PUR. It will also help DPR improve communication with the counties concerning data field definitions and improve data entry programs used to record pesticide use data. Enforcement staff will continue work with information technology branch staff on development of the PUR component of a departmental data warehouse, spatial display, and data queries.

Protecting People, Air, Water

DPR continuously assesses pesticide risks and takes actions to protect people and the environment.

Accomplishments

1. Toxic Air Contaminants: DPR completed its draft risk assessment report for chlorpyrifos, which it presented and discussed at a public workshop. DPR completed six draft discussion papers regarding cholinesterase inhibition and risk assessment. Six of the 19 papers that DPR has now completed are being revised based on reviews by DPR and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. DPR is awaiting consideration from the Scientific Review Panel of its documents on azinphos-methyl and molinate.

2. Methyl Bromide Exposure Plan: DPR implemented a plan to address regional air exposures to methyl bromide. This plan includes additional monitoring by the Air Resources Board and the registrants and it assesses the effects of the regulations implemented in January 2001.

3. Propanil Use Evaluation: DPR and county agricultural commissioners in the major rice production regions continued to evaluate the herbicide Propanil for use on rice. Ongoing monitoring has been conducted to determine the parameters of use restrictions to mitigate historical residual exposure to nontarget crops from the use of Propanil on rice. Additional use monitoring and nontarget crop damage assessment data were generated during the 2001 herbicide use season. Data analysis and implementation of regulation changes cannot be completed before the 2002 use season. Data analysis is ongoing. Planning for regulation of the 2002 Propanil use-season has begun.

4. Protection of Bees: DPR revised its regulations on bee protection to remove outdated information and requirements. The changes provide consistency with new federal pesticide labeling requirements regarding residual toxicity data for those pesticide applications near where bees may forage. The final rulemaking package was filed with the Office of Administrative Law on November 9, 2001.

5. Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Insecticide Monitoring: Monitoring of imidacloprid and cyfluthrin treatments in San Jose and Chico have been completed and reported. Monitoring in Rancho Cordova for dissipation of imidacloprid and cyfluthrin residues is continuing. All reports are available at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/gwss.

6. Red Imported Fire Ant Insecticide Monitoring Project: DPR continued to collect monthly surface water samples for red imported fire ant (RIFA) chemicals from six nurseries and urban and integrated areas. In collaboration with UC Cooperative Extension, plant nurseries, and the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, DPR monitors a runoff mitigation site installed at a nursery. Mitigation consists of a sedimentation pond followed with a strip of canna planted in a drainage ditch with sedimentation basins. In general, this system continues to show significant reduction of insecticide residue output. DPR also worked with the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner’s staff and the Orange County Fire Ant Authority to monitor and assess application of RIFA baits in environmentally sensitive areas. The monthly report can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/rifa.

7. Groundwater Best Management Practices: DPR issued best management practices that will prevent groundwater contamination. Counties will utilize the best management practices in the permit process.

8. Management Agency Agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board: As part of the management agency agreement, DPR, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the regional water quality control boards meet periodically to discuss recent activities of each agency. These boards discuss technical issues that deal with pesticides and water quality and review overall program direction. In November, staff met to share background information on how each agency is structured, on legal mandates concerning water quality and pesticides, and on operational issues. This information provided a background for a working session to identify policy issues concerning water quality and pesticides. The identified issues were presented to each agency’s management for consideration and resolution.

9. Risk Assessments: DPR completed risk assessments for naled, thiabendazole, and atrazine in August 2001. In October 2001, DPR completed risk assessments for methyl bromide (both inhalation and oral). The risk assessment for methyl isothiocyanate was completed in December 2001.

Priorities

1. Propanil Use Evaluation: Preliminary mitigation recommendations will be tested as DPR permit conditions for the 2002 Propanil use season on rice. Analysis of previously collected use monitoring data will continue. DPR will assess the future direction of the Propanil regulatory program based on the results of the 2002 use season and final recommendations from the data evaluation.

2. Preventing Pesticide Illness: California’s pesticide regulatory program has tracked pesticide-related illnesses since the 1970s. Illness records help DPR document and evaluate situations in which pesticides cause injury and illness. Information from this database, known as the Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program, feeds back into DPR regulatory programs for action on possible pesticide-related problems. DPR will prepare the annual pesticide-related illness and injury report and data tables for 2000 and complete the annual report by February 2002.

3. Risk Assessments: DPR expects to complete risk assessments for azinphos-methyl (both under AB 1807 and SB 950 requirements), carbaryl, and chlorothalonil by June 30, 2002.

Registration

DPR evaluates pesticide products before they can be used in California.

Accomplishments

1. Registration Process: DPR’s pesticide registration branch has developed a concurrent pesticide review process that provides growers and registrants with the ability to use and sell products with minimal delay after U.S. EPA registration. Because U.S. EPA now prioritizes its review of reduced-risk pesticides, DPR begins early concurrent review of these reduced-risk products that provides growers with options to move towards more environmentally friendly pesticides. The pesticide registration branch completed the review of 12 new reduced-risk products before the end of 2001.

2. IR-4/EPA/DPR Work Share Project: DPR’s pesticide registration branch formed a partnership with U.S. EPA to establish permanent and time-limited residue tolerances for California’s fruit, vegetable, and nut crops. The work share project utilizes residue data from IR-4, a program that provides pesticide residue data for fruit, vegetable, and nut crops. This work share project starts the review process in California and cooperatively establishes tolerances at U.S. EPA. DPR completed the review of more than 25 pesticide/crop combinations and has selected candidate combinations for 2002.

Priorities

1. DPR’s pesticide registration branch is developing a means for applicants to access information regarding the progress of each application to register a new pesticide product. New transactions would automatically trigger e-mail messages to applicants detailing the status of pesticide submissions. The branch expects to complete the project by June 2002. DPR expects to complete the review of 10 new reduced-risk pesticides by the end of 2002.

Licensing

DPR licenses pesticide dealers, pest control operators, and businesses.

Priorities

1. DPR will process renewal applications from approximately 10,000 pest control businesses and individuals during the first quarter of 2002 as well as examine and issue licenses to new individuals. DPR will continue to upgrade its licensing database to improve productivity and incorporate new technology. This will include implementing networked license card embossing and Scantron systems. DPR will explore the feasibility of establishing a bulletin board on the Licensing Web site where issues and updates are posted. DPR will continue to evaluate a process to fund updates of its study guides and exams on an ongoing basis.

Endangered Species Program

DPR provides information on ways to protect endangered species from pesticides.

Priorities

DPR will explore updating its current mapping application and search capabilities. DPR will continue to develop the Web-based application that the public can use to produce customized/individualized endangered species bulletins. This would replace the current comprehensive and complex multipage bulletins.

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