Pests Aside:
California Looks to Ban Chlorpyrifos Pesticide
 A California Senate bill aiming to ban the use of a broad-spectrum pesticide passed the Health committee this month and will now be heard in the committee for Environmental Quality. The pesticide, chlorpyrifos, kills insects on contact by attacking their nervous systems. Unfortunately, it also has harmful effects on human neurodevelopment, which is why Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, proposed the bill.
Several epidemiological studies have linked prenatal exposure of chlorpyrifos to lower birth weights, lower IQs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other developmental issues—including autism—in children. In fact, under a proposal put forth by the Obama Administration, the U.S. EPA was set to completely ban chlorpyrifos, but in 2017 the ban was halted by then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt who claimed understanding of the neurodevelopmental effects remained unresolved. Not only did the EPA halt the ban, the agency is currently fighting a recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals order to take the pesticide off the market. These actions have confused many, including Aseem Prakash, the director of the Center for Environmental Politics at the University of Washington.
"The EPA is contradicting the findings of its own scientists," said Prakash.
Despite the EPA’s choice to defend the use of chlorpyrifos, California is considering moving forward... (read more)
Clean & Green:
Stricter Groundwater Testing Targets E.coli
 Monterey County growers face new water-testing regulations that hope to lessen risk of an E. coli outbreak like the one that hit the more-than-$600 million romaine lettuce industry last year.
The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) Board of Directors voted Friday to strengthen testing requirements on both surface water and groundwater to prevent another E. coli outbreak. Last year's outbreak sickened dozens and sideswiped the industry in 2018.
While LGMA already incorporated water testing, these new regulations have significantly lowered the rate of bacteria available in water, said CEO Scott Horsfall.
"We always had water testing, but it was a one-size-fits all," Horsfall said.
These more stringent standards came in direct response to outbreaks of the past year in both California and in Yuma, Ariz, where federal testing found the deadly bacteria... (read more)
This story was authored by Kate Cimini and originally published by The Californian.
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Last month the Division of Drinking Water and the Division of Water Quality announced the State Water Resources Control Board’s phased investigation approach to PFAS. It is the intention of the Board to begin the investigation by collecting PFAS detection data at 31 airports and 252 municipal solid waste landfills. These facilities have the potential to impact over 1,320 surrounding drinking water wells and drinking water sources.