New environmental legislation will protect salmon

New environmental legislation to limit the use of pesticides has been announced to protect endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed yesterday that it plans to place additional limitations - developed as a result of a consultation under the Endangered Species Act - on the use of three organophosphate pesticides: chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion.

Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, who is responsible for managing the country's scientific programmes on industrial chemicals, said that the limitations will protect Pacific salmon and steelhead while providing for appropriate pesticide use.

"These new limits are especially significant because they mark the first time that the EPA and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have completed the consultation process in more than 20 years," he stated.

Mr Owens added that this is a major step forward for both the EPA and NMFS in meeting the requirements of the law.

Written by Joseph Hutton