Board of Pesticides Control Rulemaking Update
The Board voted at the July 21, 2023, Board meeting to initiate rulemaking for CMR01-26 Chapter 20, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, and Chapter 41. Proposed rule will be posted to the BPC’s rulemaking webpage and the Secretary of State’s proposed rulemaking page in the coming weeks. A public hearing is scheduled for September 1, 2023, for public comment regarding the proposed amendments.
EPA Draft Strategy to Better Protect Endangered Species from Herbicide Use; August 10 Webinar
Recently EPA released a Draft Herbicide Framework Document that describes how the agency plans to incorporate protections for endangered species into pesticide registrations and re-registrations. EPA has recently been directed by the courts to make rapid changes to how it implements the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the old approach, EPA has completed fewer than 5% of all the ESA actions required by law. As a result of this court action EPA is proposing an entirely new approach to incorporating endangered species into how it registers and re-registers pesticides.
Instead of looking closely at each pesticide’s overlap with each endangered species and critical habitat, EPA is creating broad mitigation plans that can be applied to areas with protected species. Maine is home to the critical habitats for two endangered species, the Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). These critical habitats cover a large portion of the state, see Figure 1. Growers in the ranges of protected species and habitats would be required to use additional mitigation measures selected from a pick list on the label to comply.
The draft herbicide framework and accompanying documents are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0365 for public comment for 60 days. EPA and USDA are hosting a webinar discussing this plan on August 10, registration is required.
(Figure 1. Map of Maine taken from US Fish and Wildlife Service page showing the Critical Habitats in Maine. Red areas indicate the designated locations of critical habitats for Canada Lynx and Atlantic Salmon)
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Board of Pesticides Control Rulemaking Update
Product Registration Update
Always check to ensure all products distributed or used are currently registered in the State of Maine. Get a list of the current Maine registrations.
Date:
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Time:
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location:
Major Gregory Sanborn Wildlife Management Area – Brownfield, Maine
Full Description:
A workshop for municipal and state highway personnel, animal damage control agents, foresters, and wildlife biologists who are responsible for resolving roadside conflicts with beaver. Speakers will share cost-effective, time-tested methods and devices to co-exist with beavers residing along Maine’s roads. The morning session will include presentations while the afternoon field session will be at a training site for construction and installation of beaver exclosure and water-leveling structure.
Afternoon On-site Field Session
Participants will be separated into groups. It is okay if all you want to do is observe. For those who want to participate, tasks will be done concurrently, but feel free to rotate between workstations.
Presenters:
Chuck Hulsey – Wildlife Resource Supervisor/Habitat Biologist– MDIFW Scott Lindsay – Regional Wildlife Biologist – MDIFW Ben Nugent - District Supervisor-Wildlife Biologist - USDA – Wildlife Services
What to bring:
Chest waders (best) or hip boots if you want to help with the installation. Recommended: hard hat, safety vest, work gloves, eye protection, a bag lunch, water/drinks, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Getting in the water is not required if you only want to observe or assemble exclosures from the roadside.
Registration:
Free BUT pre-registration is required.
This event will be limited to 30 registrants.
Register by Email to: charles.hulsey@maine.gov
Date:
Friday, August 18, 2023
Time:
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location:
Virtual
Description:
Join us for August's Forestry Friday webinar series! Brittany Schappach, a Maine Forest Service Entomologist, will present an educational webinar on the history, biology, forest impacts, and management of invasive jumping worms (Amynthas spp.) in Maine.
Learn more by joining us for this upcoming Forestry Friday webinar! Registration is not required.
Date:
Monday, August 28, 2023
Time:
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location:
Virtual
Description:
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on the known status of emerald ash borer in Maine, current state efforts, municipal opportunities, and updates on other insects or diseases affecting forests and trees.
August's update will focus on new developments in the state quarantine on emerald ash borer; provide an update on the pest within Maine and also provide information on hemlock woolly adelgid status in Maine and Asian longhorned beetle in the United States and Canada.
Credits:
This update has been approved for 1 credit hour for licensed pesticide applicators. IMPORTANT: to be eligible for credits you must register, attend the live session, and pass a brief online quiz provided during the session.
Augusta, ME (July 6, 2023) - The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Maine Forest Service (MFS) has entered into an administrative settlement agreement with Mapleton-based logger Robert Gough. The settlement agreement resolves violations of Maine's Natural Resources Protection Act. Gough agreed to pay an $8,500 civil penalty and do full site remediation for the violations.
In violation of Maine's Natural Resources Protection Act, Gough crossed a stream and conducted road maintenance, in association with a timber harvest, that removed and displaced soil and vegetation in and adjacent to protected natural resources. Timber harvesting and related activities resulted in sediment delivery to the Aroostook River, which is identified in Maine statute as an outstanding river segment.
"Our goal is to improve the management of Maine's forests," said Patty Cormier, MFS Director. "We focus on educating and informing landowners to reduce the possibility of such violations. When violations do occur, however, we have a responsibility to uphold the law. We take this and our other responsibilities very seriously."
"Mr. Gough was very cooperative and took responsibility for the violations," commented Dan Jacobs, MFS Regional Enforcement Coordinator. "Had he planned appropriately and implemented the harvest to comply with the regulations, the issues could have easily been avoided."
Jacobs conducted the investigation and settlement negotiations with the assistance of MFS staff.
Dates:
September 16-17, 2023
Location:
Camp Kehoe–Green Mountain Conservation Camp
Kehoe GMCC is located at 636 Point of Pines Road, Castleton, VT
Description:
The Women Foresters Collaborative (WFC) is holding their 3rd annual in-person gathering! Attendees will get together at the Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Castleton, VT on September 16 and 17. Plenty of cabin bunks and some camping spaces will be available for overnight lodging. WFC will provide dinner on September 16, and breakfast & lunch on September 17.
The Women Foresters Collaborative supports New England women and gender nonconforming students and professionals in forestry related fields. Attendees of this event will learn, share, and explore together, with workshops, talks, and tours hosted by special presenters, and plenty of free time for informal connection. Organizers are working on making SAF-approved CFEs available for this event.
Registration is $50. Sliding scale payment is available for students, early career professionals, and anyone who needs it, no questions asked.
Attendance is limited to 50 people.
Registration:
Registration fee of $50*
*Sliding scale option available, no questions asked
*Contributions over $50 will help sponsor sliding scale option
Date:
Friday, September 22, 2023
Time:
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Location:
Buchanan Alumni House, McIntire Room 160 College Avenue Orono, ME 04473 with virtual option available
Description:
Managing forests for climate benefits requires monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for quantifying - and assessing the uncertainty in - stocks and transfers within and among major forest carbon pools. Initiated in 2010, a congressional appropriation directed NASA to initiate the carbon monitoring system (CMS) program to prototype the development of remote sensing capabilities that could support MRV needs of a wide range of stakeholders. In 2021, the University of Maine was selected to join the CMS science team for their research project integrating remotely-sensed data with forest landscape modeling to support carbon management in the Acadian forest region of the northeastern USA and maritime Canada.
As a key objective of this project, the UMaine CMS research team is hosting annual workshops to engage with a broad range of partners working in management and planning for forestry and related sectors. This year, workshop participants will receive updates from NASA and USFS carbon monitoring and forest inventory programs, and a mix of partner and project updates on Maine-focused inventory, modeling, mapping, and reporting efforts. The afternoon session will focus on demonstration and discussion of forest carbon modeling tools, datasets, and map products being developed for this project. Importantly, we will be seeking your feedback and input to refine our data, products, and tools to meet the needs of our partners to the greatest extent possible.
Lunch and refreshments are provided
Registration:
Please don't wait – register by Friday, September 8th!
Register
Credits:
SAF CFE hours will be provided pending approval
Questions?
Contact Tony Guay
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