Court of appeals rejects move by former EPA chief Pruitt to rescind plans by Obama administration to ban Chlorpyrifos
The U.S. Court of Appeals has overruled an effort by the Environmental Protection Agency to ban sales of a widely used DowDuPont pesticide.
Under the Obama administration, the EPA had sought to ban Chlorpyrifos, which was first introduced by Dow in 1965.
Chlorpyrifos had been linked in studies to brain issues in children. Concerns over the insecticide led to an agreement to ban use by consumers in the early 2000s.
It is widely used in battling insects on corn, strawberries and apples.
Chlorpyrifos is now under the product umbrella of Corteva, the combined DowDuPont agriscience operation that is slated to be spun off into a public company.
Wilmington-based Corteva issued the following statement and hinted at further actions.
Chlorpyrifosis a critical pest management tool used by growers around the world to manage a large number of pests, and regulatory bodies in 79 countries have looked at the science, carefully evaluated the product and its significant benefits and continued to approve its use. We note that this was a split decision of the panel and we agree with the dissenting judge’s opinion. We expect that all appellate options to challenge the majority’s decision will be considered. We will continue to support the growers who need this important product.
Then EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt had sought to overturn a ban on the widely used insecticide that is used to control of a variety of pests.
Critics claimed ties with Dow CEO Andrew Liveris and the White House and lobbying efforts influenced Pruitt’s decision.
The EPA secretary stepped down earlier this year following a series of controversies that included a secret calendar that among other things featured meetings with lobbyists and industry executives, as well as a large security detail.
Now retired DowDuPont Chairman Andrew Liveris was appointed to head the American Manufacturing Council, a group advising the Trump Administration on business policies.
The council was disbanded by the administration after executives departed, following violence at the white nationalist rally a year ago in Charlottesville, VA. The executives had come under fire for the president’s failure to condemn the violence.
