The Department of Pesticide Regulation will hold three public workshops in August to hear comments on DPR's air quality initiative. Workshops will be held in:
• Oxnard, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the Marriott Courtyard, 600 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard.
• Sacramento, 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at Cal/EPA Headquarters, 1001 I St., Sacramento.
• Parlier, 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at the Kearney Agricultural Research Center in Fresno County.
DPR launched its air quality initiative in May to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in pesticides that contribute to smog. DPR has committed to VOC reductions that will meet state air quality standards – and set a national standard for pesticides – by 2008.
In a related development, DPR plans to begin cancellation action Aug. 1 against 46 pesticide products, based on latest reports to DPR's Registration Branch. The producers targeted for cancellation have failed to comply with DPR orders to submit plans to reduce their VOC emissions by at least 20 percent, or to justify their exemption from that DPR goal.
More than 700 products were originally identified in two VOC notices issued by DPR. Most registrants provided responses acceptable to DPR.
For more information on DPR's air quality initiative, see www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pressrls/2006/060530.htm.
One of six departments and boards within the California Environmental Protection Agency, DPR regulates the sale and use of pesticides to protect people and the environment.
