EPA proposal explained by educator

By Samantha Daniel, M.S.

Extension Educator, Crops & Water
University of Nebraska-Lincoln—Perkins County

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing changes in regulations for the herbicide Atrazine in an effort to reduce risks to aquatic plant life. Currently, Atrazine is an important weed management tool for producers of field corn, sweet corn and sorghum throughout the state of Nebraska. The changes being proposed by the EPA are as follows:

1. The application of atrazine would be prohibited when soils are saturated above field capacity

2. The application of atrazine would be prohibited during rain or when a storm event capable of producing runoff is forecasted to occur within 48 hours following application

3. Aerial applications of all formulations of atrazine would be prohibited

4. Annual application rate restrictions would be reduced to 2 lbs./acre per year for field corn, sweet corn and sorghum (the current restriction is 2.5 lbs./acre per year)

5. Additional proposed requirement: Producers would be required to choose from a “picklist” of management practices (including application rate reduction and/or runoff control measures). The number of practices required to be selected would depend on: estimated atrazine concentration in the local watershed; local watershed vulnerability to atrazine runoff and the producer’s selected application rate.

(Source: https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/atrazine#registr... )

These proposed changes would impact the way these crops are grown and managed by further restricting the way atrazine can be applied. Producers and others within the community who would like to submit a comment to the EPA regarding these changes may do so until the deadline of September 6, 2022. Comments can be submitted online here: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0266-1627

Daniels can be contact by calling 1 (308) 352-4340.