EPA Certification and Training Plan Approval Update

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs provided an update on progress toward approving state certification and training plans in accordance with the 2017 Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule. Following finalization of the rule, state lead agencies had until March 4, 2020 to submit revised plans to EPA for review. Revised plans were received from all state, territory, tribal, and federal agencies by the deadline. According to the rule, EPA must review the revised plan, provide feedback if necessary and approve the plans by March 4, 2022. To date, EPA reports that 28 reviews for the 63 plans submitted have been completed. This week, EPA announced that it plans to develop a rule that would extend the date by which plans must be approved and ensure existing plans can remain in place during this time-limited extension. If EPA rejects a plan or part of a plan, EPA would be required to take over the administration of C&T for that state, which is not a desirable outcome for any party. EPA cited the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the need for review of program specific questions and issues as the reason for the proposed extension. No timeline has been set, but NPMA will continue to monitor progress of the proposed rule.