Comment submitted by Daniel s. Chatfield, Rs, MSEH, Director of EH, Clark County Combined Health District

We are requesting the USEPA to allow the use of Propoxur in residential and commercial properties to control bed bugs and are in full support of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's request to allow its use under Section 18 of FIFRA. Our community has seen a dramatic increase in the number of bed bug infestations over the last two and one half years. Infestations are widespread over the geographic area of Clark County and especially the City of Springfield, Ohio. Although bed bugs are not known to transmit human disease, the threat of secondary infection from bed bug bites is a real concern. Current control options have proven to be ineffective at controlling this pest. Property owners are frequently reluctant to treat rental properties at a high cost per unit when success in completely controlling the pest is rarely accomplished. We predict that the problem of bed bug infestations will continue to increase dramatically unless more effective chemical control measures can be applied.