Congressman Flood Joins House Republicans in Atrazine Letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan

Rep. Mike Flood | Mike Flood Official Website

By SE Nebraska News Report

Apr 30, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Mike Flood joined Congressmen Mark Alford (MO-04), Tracey Mann (KS-01) and about three dozen of their Republican colleagues in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“It is completely unacceptable for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to suggest in a rule that atrazine use be cut by nearly 80% without first considering feedback from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and agricultural producers. Any EPA scientific advisory panel reviewing this rule must at least include producers from geographically diverse areas of the country and consider their feedback in good faith,” the Republican lawmakers said. “Food security is national security. Crop protection tools registered through FIFRA, like atrazine, are vital to the sustainability, efficiency, and effectiveness of our nation’s food supply, which is why the integrity of a science-driven FIFRA process cannot be undermined.”

The letter raised concerns regarding the scope of a scientific advisory panel (SAP) that is examining issues related to atrazine herbicide. Specifically, it asked the EPA to:

(1) hold the atrazine FIFRA SAP meeting in person;

(2) broaden the scope of the atrazine FIFRA SAP to include newer studies, some of which were completed at EPA’s request and;

(3) consider geographically diverse candidates and candidates with experiences in agriculture, agronomy, and agricultural sciences.

The letter was co-signed by the following Members of Congress