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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetters - HR 872 The Reducing Regulatory Buderns Act of 2011I I Y 1 P H I M 0 73 510 FRED WARINc DRIVF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 9226o- 2578 TEL:76o 346—o6ii FAX: 760 340--0574 infoWpalm deserr.org 0111(i all uii Cin M%NU.IR May 2, 2012 The Honorable Barbara Boxer United State Senate 112 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Subject: Support for H.R. 872 "The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011" Dear Senator Boxer: I am writing on behalf of City of Palm Desert to declare our support for legislation that exempts public health pesticides from additional regulation under the Clean Water Act. The City of Palm Desert is disappointed that a recently proposed bill to provide such an exemption, H.R. 872, has not been able to come to a vote in the Senate after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. This new layer of regulation will not provide any foreseeable protection to our nation's waters beyond that already mandated under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and practiced by mosquito control agencies since their inception. We are very concerned that without H.R. 872, the regulations imposed by a new Clean Water Act NPDES permit requirement will have a significant impact on the public health of the people who live, work, and recreate within our community. This will ultimately compromise the delivery of critical public health vector control services. Just last month, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (CVMVCD) received confirmation from the Center for Vectorborne Diseases (UC Davis) of its first West Nile virus (WNV) positive mosquito sample in the Coachella Valley. The District indicated they will intensify mosquito surveillance, larviciding, and public awareness in these areas, in an effort to reduce the number of mosquitoes. ffm«w=ffm H.R. 872 Correspondence May 2, 2012 Page 2 of 2 If our local mosquito and vector control district is not able to seek relief from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the district will be unable to provide the public health protection that Palm Desert has come to rely on. Currently, under the NPDES permit, the CVMVCD will have to divert money and manpower away from providing direct services and public health protection toward costly and labor- intensive reporting and monitoring activities, resulting in slower vector abatement response times and reduced disease surveillance and prevention, ultimately increasing the level of public health risk from new species infestations, West Nile virus outbreaks and other mosquito -borne diseases. From past and current collaborations, we have found that the CVMVCD has been a productive and responsive community partner and a responsible steward of the environment. For decades, mosquito and vector control districts have implemented a wide variety of Integrated Vector Management strategies to control for disease vectors and protect public health, while minimizing environmental impacts. In recent media coverage, other legislators and regulators have demonstrated an incomplete understanding of mosquito and vector control and how it will change under the new NPDES permit. We encourage you to support bringing H.R 872 to the floor of the Senate for debate to educate U.S. legislators about the true impact these new regulations will have on the public health of all Americans. In the interest of public health and the long-term health of the environment, we ask you to urge Senator Reid to bring H.R. 872 to a vote. Please contact me at (760) 346-0611 if you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further. Thank you for your time and consideration of H.R. 872, legislation that is critical towards ensuring public health and safety. Sincly, rCITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED . RECEIVED -t- F i I C OTHER JOHN M. WOHLMUTH CITY MANAGER MEETING DATE AYES:Q(1; f iONf,4 Halfl(J cc: The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, United StateI GdOW& �n c The Honorable Harry Reid, United States SeneMSENT: _1�_`tin e The Honorable Bob Gibbs, United States Congt AIN: -hj_cjC�_, Branka Lothrop, CVMVCD General Manager VERIFIED BY: —___77T77 City Council Original on File with City Clerk's Stephen Y. Aryan, Risk Manager Paul Gibson, Director of Finance Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works CHY Of Film OHM 73 - 51 o FRED WARING DRIVE PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 9226o--2578 TEL:76o 346—o6n FAX: 760 340-0574 info@paim-desert.org 0111( 1 UI I III CI 11 M.NV %(.I R May 2, 2012 The Honorable Dianne Feinstein United State Senate 331 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Subject: Support for H.R. 872 "The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011" Dear Senator Feinstein: I am writing on behalf of City of Palm Desert to declare our support for legislation that exempts public health pesticides from additional regulation under the Clean Water Act. The City of Palm Desert is disappointed that a recently proposed bill to provide such an exemption, H.R. 872, has not been able to come to a vote in the Senate after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. This new layer of regulation will not provide any foreseeable protection to our nation's waters beyond that already mandated under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and practiced by mosquito control agencies since their inception. We are very concerned that without H.R. 872, the regulations imposed by a new Clean Water Act NPDES permit requirement will have a significant impact on the public health of the people who live, work, and recreate within our community. This will ultimately compromise the delivery of critical public health vector control services. Just last month, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (CVMVCD) received confirmation from the Center for Vectorborne Diseases (UC Davis) of its first West Nile virus (WNV) positive mosquito sample in the Coachella Valley. The District indicated they will intensify mosquito surveillance, larviciding, and public awareness in these areas, in an effort to reduce the number of mosquitoes. L,.,�9 IY�AIRIOD1110 H.R. 872 Correspondence May 2, 2012 Page 2 of 2 If our local mosquito and vector control district is not able to seek relief from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the district will be unable to provide the public health protection that Palm Desert has come to rely on. Currently, under the NPDES permit, the CVMVCD will have to divert money and manpower away from providing direct services and public health protection toward costly and labor- intensive reporting and monitoring activities, resulting in slower vector abatement response times and reduced disease surveillance and prevention, ultimately increasing the level of public health risk from new species infestations, West Nile virus outbreaks and other mosquito -borne diseases. From past and current collaborations, we have found that the CVMVCD has been a productive and responsive community partner and a responsible steward of the environment. For decades, mosquito and vector control districts have implemented a wide variety of Integrated Vector Management strategies to control for disease vectors and protect public health, while minimizing environmental impacts. In recent media coverage, other legislators and regulators have demonstrated an incomplete understanding of mosquito and vector control and how it will change under the new NPDES permit. We encourage you to support bringing H.R 872 to the floor of the Senate for debate to educate U.S. legislators about the true impact these new regulations will have on the public health of all Americans. In the interest of public health and the long-term health of the environment, we ask you to urge Senator Reid to bring H.R. 872 to a vote. Please contact me at (760) 346-0611 if you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further. Thank you for your time and consideration of H.R. 872, legislation that is critical towards ensuring public health and safety. Sincerely, J�HN M. WOHLMUTH CITY MANAGER cc: The Honorable Barbara Boxer, United States Senate The Honorable Harry Reid, United States Senate The Honorable Bob Gibbs, United States Congress Branka Lothrop, CVMVCD General Manager City Council Stephen Y. Aryan, Risk Manager Paul Gibson, Director of Finance Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works EHY OF PRIM 015191