The House of Representatives on May 24 approved a GOP-backed bill that would temporarily reverse a court-ordered requirement that Clean Water Act discharge permits be in place before pesticides may be applied in and around U.S. waters, as long as the pesticides are registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) had introduced H.R. 897 last year as the “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act,” but House Republican leaders rebranded the bill as the “Zika Vector Control Act” in response to growing concerns about the virus’ potential to spread to the U.S. Supporters say current rules requiring pesticide applicators to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits before spraying pesticides over or near waters are duplicative if the pesticides are applied in accordance with FIFRA, and that reducing red tape could help the country combat mosquitos carrying the Zika virus. H.R. 897 would suspend NPDES permit requirements for such pesticide applications until September 30, 2018.
The House first considered the rebranded bill on May 17 under expedited rules that required a two-thirds majority for passage. But the legislation fell short of this threshold, with House Democrats criticizing the measure as an attempt to gut environmental protections that are unrelated to Zika. The bill returned to the floor on May 24 under a rule requiring only a simple majority, and the measure cleared the House by a vote of 258 - 156.
H.R. 897 will now move on to the Senate, where senators recently approved a Zika funding bill that does not include changes to pesticide application regulations.