Strategy to Protect Endangered Species in Hawaii from Pesticides
As described in the EPA’s ESA Workplan update, EPA is exploring mitigation measures to address the effects of pesticides on federally threatened and endangered (listed) species on a geographic basis and further EPA’s ESA obligations. The Hawaii Strategy is one way the agency expects to create significant efficiencies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has jurisdiction over approximately 1,600 species and hundreds of critical habitats. Of these species, approximately 40% are in Hawaii. As a result, when EPA conducts ESA analyses for pesticides with use or proposed use in Hawaii, the workload associated with these uses is significant. At the same time, there are important pesticide needs in Hawaii, including to remove invasive species, which benefits listed species.
EPA and FWS can greatly increase the efficiency of future ESA pesticide section 7 consultations by evaluating Hawaiian species and pesticide actions using a broad approach that protects listed species and critical habitats across all of Hawaii rather than pesticide-by-pesticide or species-by-species. Completing this upfront work would also allow EPA to give pesticide users more certainty about the ability to continue using pesticides in Hawaii and to begin protecting species quicker rather than waiting for the completion of individual pesticide consultations.
To facilitate the development of these mitigations and solicitate stakeholder feedback, EPA, with FWS, is convening an invitation-only workshop in Hawaii in March 2024 (see the Agenda for Hawaii Strategy and Workshop (pdf) ) as part of an initiative to streamline the pesticide consultation process for listed species in Hawaii.
Informed by initial stakeholder outreach prior to the workshop, EPA, in coordination with FWS, would identify draft mitigations to protect listed species and critical habitats and a decision framework to determine the level of mitigation needed to reduce potential impacts from pesticide uses in Hawaii. When finalized, EPA would use this strategy and framework to inform the ESA mitigation requirements in pesticide registration and re-registration decisions.
The workshop allows Hawaii state agencies and stakeholders to help EPA protect Hawaiian listed species from pesticides in ways that are practical for pesticide users. A major part of the workshop is for EPA and FWS to verify the accuracy of the information gathered to date on pesticide uses in Hawaii, their application methods, current mitigation, best management practices, and conservation approaches employed in Hawaii to minimize pesticide exposure to listed species. The workshop will also offer participants the opportunity to provide individual feedback to the agencies if they believe the draft strategy and decision framework needs to be further tailored to the unique circumstances in Hawaii and help the agencies fill knowledge gaps through in-person discussions. At the workshop, EPA and FWS will also provide information they have gathered to date on the conservation approaches and mitigation measures.