A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to ban a widely used pesticide that’s been linked to learning disabilities in children and that former agency chief Scott Pruitt refused to take off the market.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in a 2-to-1 decision that the EPA offered “no defense” of its decision to delay a ban on chlorpyrifos ― a move the court said violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The law governs pesticides and requires the EPA to ban chemicals from being used on food if they are proven to cause harm.
NY AG Underwood
✔
@NewYorkStateAG
#BREAKING: We just won a major court victory banning the Trump EPA from allowing the extremely toxic pesticide #chlorpyrifos to be used on food.
Studies have shown that kids are so harmed by exposure to chlorpyrifos that their brain structure changes and their IQ is impacted.
The decision is a major blow to Pruitt, who signed an order in March of last year to allow chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide that has been used on crops such as broccoli to cranberries since the 1960s, to remain on the market for agricultural use. His decision defied the recommendation of EPA scientists.
Under the Obama administration in November 2015, the EPA proposed permanently banning the chemical on food crops, citing potential risks to human health.
But in March 2017, Pruitt reversed plans to ban the chemical in one of his first and most widely criticized moves as EPA administrator. The agency offered little explanation for the decision ― Pruitt claimed the Obama administration relied largely on studies “whose application is novel and uncertain, to reach its conclusions” ― but said it planned to keep studying the health effects.
In a letter to Pruitt in June, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy group, said they were “deeply alarmed” by his decision.
“EPA has no basis to allow continued use of chlorpyrifos, and its insistence in doing so puts all children at risk,” they wrote.
Chlorpyrifos, produced by Dow Chemical Co. and commonly known by its trade name Lorsban, is used in nearly 100 countries on more than 50 different crops. It was largely banned in 2000 for at-home use in the U.S. but continues to be widely used on thousands of American farms.
Pruitt spent much of his short tenure, which ended last month amid a mountain of personal and ethical scandals, deflecting questions about his refusal to ban the chemical. In contentious congressional hearings, he repeatedly downplayed the decision and said the research was continuing. At times, he even suggested the agency could instate the ban but gave no clear timeline for when that would happen.
The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement Thursday, Earthjustice attorney Marisa Ordonia applauded the court for ending “EPA’s shameful actions that have exposed children and farmworkers to this poison for decades.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
More from HuffPost US:
Posted by Crusader Jenny & theNanook Knights
Visit us at the blog below at :
Nanook's Friends of the Planet.blogspot.com
Howdy Crusader / Knights ,
ReplyDeletetRUMP must have been consuming massive amounts as a kid.......
Studies have shown that kids are so harmed by exposure to chlorpyrifos that their brain structure changes and their IQ is impacted.
God help us. The tRUMP administration is taking us down from every angle to help corporate America healthy and wealthy. To hell with animals, clean water, clean air and children’s brain development....There is a culture among far right conservatives to defy science.
My brother (Jon) said there is a defiant undercurrent of "Let's stick it to the Teacher" mentality that colors the thinking of some full grown adults who should know better; But they haven't left their childhood rebellion behind.
This is the most incompetent administration in US history. tRUMP creates problems at every turn that costs the tax payers money. With the separation of family's at the boarder( something that costs the tax payers $) the EPA, Goofy Ben Carson, Tom Fly me any where Price, and Rick Perry who didn't know what the Department of Energy was .
The Knights are rearching for the masses ... you go guys.
Love you much
Mama Knight
Hi Knight Mama ,
DeleteWe understand now why you don't use chemicals on the plants , grass ETC , We are not surprise at anything harmful or mean to America or the people .We discuss that it may be possible the kids that shoot up schools and other terrorist stupid things (grownups included) just a thought .Mama don't mention Rick Perry , he got mad at daddy because daddy didn't treat him like a VIP , he told daddy other casinos did , daddy smile his crooked smile and told him to go there , he told daddy he wasn't going to get his are his friends business , daddy said good , don't want it don't need it because five people will not put me out of business . Mama we are warning the masses , we hope they are reading with an understanding .
Love you Mama Knight
Crusader Jenny & the Knights
Howdy Shadow
ReplyDeleteGo to WAG
Love BAW
Great job knights,
ReplyDeleteChlorpyrifos has been debated in the US and Canada for years. It was put in bug sprays, lawn and garden products and crop sprays in both countries. It has now been banned in Europe and Canada. I remember the Obama administration preparing to ban it.
Imagine Scott Pruitt's EPA approving a poison that damages little kids' brains. He was more interested in spending the government's money on himself than in protecting the environment. He was a bad man and should never have been made boss of the EPA. Andrew Wheeler, the new boss, is just as bad. He is devoted to the coal and fossil fuels industries.
It is wonderful that the court is acting independently and banning the chemical on it's own authority. I hope the court keeps standing up for the health of the people.
This is a very important article and I am glad you put it on FTBB. It will get more traffic here. Keep making people aware Knights
Be " The watchers on the walls"
Well done.
Aunt Jeannie
Aunt Knight Jeannie,
DeleteThis article was just recent August 9th , it need to be read as soon as possible , article of this magnitude needs to be seen as quick as possible .
All the article that need to be read sa soon as possible we will post them here , we decided to use Fun To Be bad as our early edition blog like the do the newspapers.
We are movers and shakers and the best is yet to come .
It's about time the courts took things in their hands because congress was playing ring around the roses .
Thank you ever so much
The Knights