EPA Plan Would Protect Some Endangered Plants, Animals Most Imperiled by Pesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Releases Vulnerable Species Action Plan

WASHINGTON— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released its Vulnerable Species Action Plan, setting forth a blueprint for helping to prevent the extinction of 27 of the plants and animals most imperiled by pesticides. This is the latest move in the EPA pesticides office’s work to start complying with its Endangered Species Act obligations.

Framework for Protecting Plants and Animals from Pesticides

Today’s plan establishes a framework for practical, on-the-ground mitigation measures to protect 18 plants and nine animals from pesticides. To mitigate spray drift, for example, the EPA would establish a buffer around the species. Mitigations for direct harms to vulnerable species in key habitats will be defined in maps identifying geographically specific pesticide use limitation areas. The EPA did not release maps or identify avoidance areas but said it will put out maps in the coming months.

Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 15: Life on Land – Protecting endangered plants and animals from pesticides
• Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being – Addressing the health harms of pesticides in farmworkers and rural communities

“Pesticide-vulnerable endangered plants and animals obviously need to be protected from pesticides in their most important homes, and the EPA’s plan says it intends to do just that,” said Lori Ann Burd, environmental health director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “I’m more hopeful for these 27 species now that commonsense pesticide use limits are planned for them in the places they need to survive. But Big Ag reflexively attacks any efforts to protect endangered wildlife, and it’ll surely go after this plan, so I hope the EPA stands strong for these species.”

Species Included in the Plan

1. Attwater’s greater prairie chickens
2. Buena Vista Lake ornate shrews
3. Rusty patched bumblebees
4. Wyoming toads
5. Five endangered plant species from Lake Wales Ridge in Florida

Today’s plan also clarifies how it builds on the EPA’s other strategies, such as for herbicides and insecticides, to protect the species most vulnerable to the 1 billion pounds of pesticides used each year in the United States. It explains that in regulatory actions, the strategies would be applied first, followed by the VSAP. The VSAP and strategies are not self-implementing but rather designed to be incorporated by the EPA into individual regulatory actions to help rectify its decades of not complying with the Endangered Species Act.

Pesticides and the Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 15: Life on Land – Addressing the impact of pesticides on non-target insects and species
• Goal 2: Zero Hunger – Ensuring the safe use of pesticides in agriculture to protect food sources

Pesticides are known to play a major role in the “insect apocalypse,” harming bees, butterflies and countless other “nontarget” insects. They are also a factor in the imperilment of many other species that have had to be given the Act’s protection. California spotted owls, for example, were recently listed in part because of harms caused by pesticides.

“Pesticides play an outsized role in driving the heartbreaking extinction crisis, but I’m hopeful that the EPA’s strategy will be implemented in a manner that gives species on the brink a shot at survival,” said Burd. “The EPA has to do all it can to ensure that no species vanishes because of the pesticides the agency’s in charge of regulating. This is just a really reasonable plan to ensure that pesticide use doesn’t drive these plants and animals extinct.”

EPA’s Efforts to Comply with the Endangered Species Act

For decades the EPA has failed to comply with the Endangered Species Act’s requirements to consult with expert wildlife agencies to reduce the harm of pesticides to protected species.

As a result of ongoing pressure and a series of court decisions, the agency released a comprehensive workplan to address how it would meet the challenge of protecting endangered species from pesticides. In addition to the herbicide, rodenticide and new insecticide strategies, it has also initiated pilot programs focused on reforming the pesticide-approval process to correct violations of the Endangered Species Act.

Legal Agreement and Proposed Reforms

These actions stem from a historic legal agreement with the Center that committed the EPA to a suite of proposed reforms to better protect endangered species from pesticides.

The agreement marked the culmination of the most comprehensive Endangered Species Act case ever filed against the EPA, requiring it to develop strategies to reduce the harm to endangered species from broad groups of pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, while taking further steps to target meaningful, on-the-ground protections to endangered species most vulnerable to harm from pesticides.

Benefits for Endangered Species and Human Health

These measures to reduce pesticide harms will benefit endangered species and humans alike, as these chemicals are linked to severe health harms in farmworkers and rural communities.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Vulnerable Species Action Plan, which aims to prevent the extinction of 27 plants and animals most imperiled by pesticides. This aligns with SDG 15, which focuses on protecting and preventing the extinction of threatened species.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The article mentions the need for environmentally sound management of chemicals and reducing their release to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment. This relates to SDG 12, which promotes responsible consumption and production practices.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article highlights the harmful effects of pesticides on both endangered species and human health. This connects to SDG 3, which aims to reduce deaths and illnesses from pollution and contamination.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

The Vulnerable Species Action Plan aims to prevent the extinction of 27 plants and animals most imperiled by pesticides, aligning with this target.

Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

The article emphasizes the need for environmentally sound management of pesticides to protect endangered species and minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment, which relates to this target.

Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination

The article mentions the harmful effects of pesticides on human health, highlighting the need to reduce deaths and illnesses from pollution and contamination, which aligns with this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, based on the content, the following indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index

This indicator measures the extinction risk of species and can be used to assess progress in protecting and preventing the extinction of threatened species.

Indicator 12.4.2: Hazardous waste generated per capita

This indicator measures the amount of hazardous waste generated per person and can be used to assess progress in achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste.

Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution

This indicator measures the mortality rate caused by air pollution and can be used to assess progress in reducing deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: biologicaldiversity.org