WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation that would eliminate a coslty and redundant federal permitting requirement for pesticide applications.

The Sensible Environmental Protection Act (SEPA), introduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO), amends the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodentidice Act (FIFRA) to clarify congressional intent and the use of pesticides near water.

The bill eliminates the need for duplicative CWA permits for pesticide applications in or near water. Under this legislation, FIFRA would continue to regulate the sale and use of pesticides to ensure safety to both the environment and human health. The bill also requires the EPA to make recommendations to Congress on how FIFRA can better protecting water quality and human health.

“This extra step our agriculture producers have to comply with is costly and unnecessary. Eliminating this red tape will improve government efficiency while maintaing the protections already in place,” Boozman said.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).