Comment submitted by Sarah Bruce, NC Clean Water Education Partnership

Please revise the allowable label for residential outdoor pesticides as proposed ( "To prevent contamination of the environment, do not apply near water, storm drains, gutters or ditches. Do not apply when rain is predicted for that day or when wind is strong enough to carry spray away from treatment area. Rinse applicator equipment over the lawn or garden area that was treated, and away from water, storm drains, gutters or ditches.") and allow manufacturers who wish to adopt the new language to use an expedited process to do so. The new proposed language is much clearer than the old language and will assist groups like ours attempting to educate the public on the risks to aquatic wildlife associated with residential pesticide use and the fact that storm drains are untreated. Such nonpoint source pollution is contributing to our nation's biggest source of water pollution: contaminated runoff.