FOR RELEASE: April 27, 2007

CONTACT:
Aimee Code, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, (503) 423-7549
Stephen Kafoury, (503) 709-2850

Protecting the Health of Oregonians is a Top Priority of Proposed Change to
Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting Program:
Public Health and Water Quality specialists want more detailes on where pesticides are applied

SALEM – Lawmakers are considering a bill today on Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting Program. The bill seeks to address the concerns of both the scientists who will use the data to protect water quality and children's health, and the pesticide applicators that will be supplying the data to the state. The products used every day in homes, gardens and farms to get rid of unwanted weeds and insects are increasingly being scrutinized for the risks they pose to our health and the health of the environment. A recent review by the Ontario College of Family Physicians revealed a range of problems due to pesticides including cancer and birth defects. Their recommendation: "[a]void exposure to pesticides whenever and wherever possible."

Dr. Andy Harris, a long time supporter of Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting program, is pleased by the prospect of better data to help identify chemical exposures. "This bill is an important step in the right direction for doctors who need to diagnose and treat patients exposed to pesticides."

"Our goal is to strengthen this program so that we can better protect our children's health, and the health of our state's spectacular rivers and streams," said Aimee Code, Water Quality Coordinator at the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides.

Senate Bill 683, being heard today at 3 p.m. by the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, would increase the level of detail the public would receive about the location of reported agricultural pesticide use. Senator Brad Avakian is the sponsor of the bill.

Historically, chemical industry representatives pushed for less detail while scientists pushed for greater detail. The bill today represents a compromise. The original rules had the location of agricultural pesticide use to be reported by square mile. The 2005 legislature changed the law so that reporting was by basins Ð ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 square miles in size. These basins are known as third field hydrologic unit codes (HUC). Under Senate Bill 683, agricultural pesticide applicators would report their pesticide use by the state's 97 watersheds (fourth field HUC), ranging from 130 Ð 4,000 square miles in size.

This minor shift will not affect the vast majority of people reporting to the state. But it will make a large difference to the officials working to keep pesticides out of our drinking water, and to members of the public who want to reduce personal exposure to pesticides. The Portland Metropolitan Area's Regional Water Providers Consortium, providing water to over one third of Oregon's residents, stated, "reporting based on 4th field HUC will be an excellent improvement to the PURS...." (Michael McKillip, Letter to Senator Brad Avakian, April 11, 2007)

Senate Bill 683 also restores detailed reporting of government pesticide applications. Applications by and for the government would be reported by specific address or by 1/4 section (1/2 mile by 1/2 mile). Private pesticide use was made more general to protect the confidentiality of landowners and applicators. The confidentiality clause was never meant to obscure public record.

In 1999 the Oregon legislature passed the nations most comprehensive pesticide use reporting system designed to gather information about where and when pesticides are used. It is the missing link for many scientists working on cleaning up our water, and protect public health.

Useful Links:

To learn the sizes and names of Oregon's Hydrologic Unit Codes go to http://or.water.usgs.gov/data_dir/orehuclist.html

To read more from the Ontario College of Family Physicians go to: http://www.ocfp.on.ca/English/OCFP/Communications/CurrentIssues/Pesticides/

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BACKGROUND DOCUMENT

Fact Sheet on SB 683: A Bill to Strengthen Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting