School Environment Protection Act (SEPA)

Communities across the country are acting in increasing numbers to protect children from pesticides used at their schools, yet there are no national protections or standards in this area for children. To correct this situation and ensure national leadership in protecting children from a daily dose of toxic chemicals in their classrooms, playgrounds and ballfields, there is exciting federal legislation entitled the “School Environment Protection Act” (SEPA)

SEPA was introduced in the U.S. Senate (S.1716 on October 12, 1999 by Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.3275) on November 9, 1999 by Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ).

SEPA is intended to set in place a process that creates incentives for schools to use pest management practices that do not rely on toxic pesticides. The legislation clearly defines preven-tive and least toxic pest management strategies in schools.

It also requires safety findings on pesti-cides used in schools, specifi-cally addressing adverse effects, such as cancer, genetic mutations, birth defects, reproductive dysfunction, neurological and immune system effects, endocrine system disruption, as well as pesticides rated as acutely and moderately toxic.

Under the bill, if toxic pesticides are used in a school, parents, guardians, and staff will receive advance notice of use and information on pro-duct hazards. The legislation establishes a National School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisory Board to oversee implementation, review and issue recommendations on future pro-posals to amend a list of least toxic pesticides, and initiate recommendations to restrict or discontinue school use of pesti-cides that may endanger the health of children.

This national effort has grown out of incredible success at the local and state level in adopting policies that protect children from pesticides and begin to establish pest management strategies that do not rely on pesticides. However, the vast majority of school children in the U.S. remain unprotected. The time is right for national protection. Contact Kagan Owens, program directorncamp@ncamp.org, for more information on SEPA.

Please contact our Congressional delegation asking for their support on this bill.