A Controversial Bill To Mosquito Control Programs: Policy Analysis

Mosquito control is often highly controversial, particularly when it involves the use of pesticides that have their own potentially serious health and environmental impacts. In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the Clean Water Act pesticides general permit to be obtained by pesticide applicators before pesticides could be discharged into waterways in addition to existing FIFRA regulations. Some provisions of the permit could impact mosquito control activities. Therefore, in response to that new regulatory layer, a bill was proposed as a policy solution to repeal the regulation requirements so that mosquito control programs would apply mosquito pesticides under FIFRA regulations only. The change is backed by mosquito control professionals and pesticides industry interest groups but objected to by environmental activists. The principal contribution of this policy analysis is to advocate for effective, efficient, and environmentally sound mosquito control practices that will help minimize or eliminate the discharge of pesticides into waters of the United States.