PPMA OFFICERS
Paul Kutney
President
Orkin
Larksville, PA
Keith Hamilton
President Elect
J.C. Ehrlich Co.
State College, PA
Ed Van Istendal
Past President
Ensystex
Coatesville, PA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Central Division
Gary Lesher
Governor
Perry Pest Control
Landisburg, PA
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
Pleasant Gap, PA
Keith Jones
Archer Pest Control
Camp Hill, PA
Greg Ten Hoeve
Terminix
Mechanicsburg, PA
Eastern Division
Marty Overline
Governor
Aardvark Pest Mgmnt
Philadelphia, PA
Mike Snyder
Township Pest Control
Warrington, PA
Jim Nase
Moyer Indoor/Outdoor
Souderton, PA
Northeast Division
Jeff King
Governor
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
Paul Kutney
Orkin
Ashley, PA
Diane Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Western Division
John Morrison
Governor
D-Bug, Inc.
Latrobe, PA
Adam Witt
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Eric Herrington
Terminix
Bridgeville, PA
John Besic
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
Technical Advisor
Chad Gore
Rentokil North America
Carnegie, PA
AWDII Chairman
Ed Van Istendal
Coatesville, PA
Legislative Chairman
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
Bed Bug Taskforce Chairman
Marty Overline
Aardvark Pest Management
Philadelphia, PA
Salino Scholarship Chair
Dana Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Industry Liaison
Brian Smith
Univar
Sharon Hill, PA
Executive Director
Versant Strategies
Harrisburg, PA
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Dear Friends:
Kudos to the Western Division for it's donation of $800 to the Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network. Contributions were received from John Besic, Eric Herrington, Scotty Grill, and Adam Witt and were matched by the Western Division for this gift.
Members of the Michael A. Marzano Outpatient Clinic with Rep. Mark Longietti (second from left) and PPMA member John Besic (third from left)
Pictured above from Western Division are John Besic, Adam Witt, John Morrison, George Palek from Residex, and Ron Lofgren.
Be sure to check out the upcoming meetings below. Both the Central Division and the Western Division have seminars this month with the opportunity to pick up Pesticide Credits. The Eastern Division has its fall seminar next month and information for all three meetings is listed below.
As we begin a new membership year with a new PPMA team of officers, the board plans to meet in early September to strategize operations. If you have any suggestions contact the PPMA office at 1(800) 842-9090.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for November 9 and 10 for the PPMA Annual Conference at the Best Western Eden Resort in Lancaster, PA. More info to come!
Team Versant
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NPMA POLICY UPDATE - EPA RELEASES PROPOSAL TO REVISE CERTIFICATION OF PESTICIDE APPLICATORS RULE
Overview:
On August 5th the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication rule proposing stronger standards for commercial and private pesticide applicators who apply restricted-use pesticides (RUPs). The rule will raise the Federal standards for applicator competency, including testing, certification and continuing education, in an effort to provide assurances that certified applicators and noncertified applicators under their direct supervision are competent to use RUPs in a manner that will not cause unreasonable adverse effects.
The pre-publication released yesterday evening totaled 280 pages and the NPMA Policy Team is working quickly to analyze the entire proposal and all impacts it may have on the structural pest management industry. In the meantime we've prepared the below highlights that we feel you should be aware of:
� Additional training and certification requirements will be implemented for aerial application, soil fumigation and non-soil fumigation
� All persons, certified applicator or person working under their direct supervision, must be 18 to apply RUPs
� Additional training and certification requirements will be implemented for noncertified applicators working under direct supervision of a certified applicator, including training and/or passage of the core exam
� Added responsibilities for certified applicators supervising a noncertified applicator applying RUPs, including being certified in the category of the application being performed by the non-certified applicator, and being available for direct communication, either on site or via cellphone, two-way radio, or other mechanical device
� Commercial applicators will be responsible for maintaining training records of non-certified applicators for 2 years
� Standardizing requirements for certification exams, including the requirement of a proctor and mandating all exams be closed book, in addition to identification procedures
� Instituting standard based recertification requirements for commercial applicators every 3 years, including 6 CEUs for core application and 6 CEUs per specific category. Applicators must earn half of the required CEUs in the 18 months preceding expiration.
� States will be required to provide information about state requirements and procedures for reciprocity
Under the current Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) structure, the standards set forth are the minimum requirements a state must implement. In some states many of the above changes are already mandated. EPA specifically noted this fact and has proposed the heightened standards to provide a more unified regulatory scheme under FIFRA. States that are below the proposed minimum standards will be required to raise the minimum standards in their state plans.
Implications:
The most important thing for Pest Professionals to note is that even though the above changes to the federal regulations only apply to persons applying restricted use pesticides or persons working under their direct supervision (in the case of PMPs, only fumigants fall into this category), each of the fifty states will need to alter their certification and training laws and regulations to come into compliance with the federal requirements. In almost every case, the changes to the state laws and regulations will impact the use of general use pesticides by PMPs.
Next Steps:
The NPMA policy team is meeting with officials at EPA early next week, and will be working closely with State Regulatory Officials throughout the nation to analyze impacts and assist in identifying areas of the proposed rule that we feel should be amended.
The proposed rule has not officially been published in the federal register to date. When it is officially published there will be a 60 day public comment period. The proposal provides for a delayed implementation if the rule is finalized, up to four years for existing state certification plans.
NPMA's Public Policy Staff will provide a more detailed analysis next week after we've had an opportunity to meet with the agency and clarify specific questions.
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Upcoming Meetings
The Eastern Division continues to hold its monthly meetings with varying topics of discussion on the second Thursday of every month at the Crowne Plaze in Trevose. For more information on monthly topics and speakers, contact Sue at (215) 331-1121.
The date for the Eastern Division's fall seminar is September 10. The event will be held at the usual spot, the Crowne Plaza in Trevose. Vendors can sign up now for exhibit space. Registration information is available here. The Central Division will hold its summer seminar on August 18 at the Park Inn, 5401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg commencing at 7:00 a.m. with registration. The Western Division's summer meeting is scheduled for August 27 at the DoubleTree by Hilton (Formerly Four Points Sheraton, Pittsburgh North). Get details here. Mark your calendars now for PPMA's 2015 Annual Conference on November 9 & 10 at the Eden Resort in Lancaster. As noted above, NPMA's Eastern Conference will be held at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, PA on January 13-15, 2016! Plan to attend.
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The information below represents legislative activity (including bill introductions) that has occurred since the last newsletter. For a full listing of legislation that Versant is tracking for PPMA, please contact us at (717) 635-2320 or [email protected]. Activity marked HCO or SCO indicates a co-sponsorship memo which precedes the actual introduction of legislation and is designed to secure the support of other legislators prior to introduction as a bill.
The general assembly is in summer recess. Of major concern is the passing of the Commonwealth's FY 2015-16 Budget. To date, this budget has not been passed but legislative leaders continue to meet with the governor. We will keep you apprised of further action.
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Articles of Interest
08-06-2015
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Planting milkweed helps monarch butterflies TROY - Judy Warn of Troy walks over to her flower garden and points to a single plant with a small orange flower. "It's taken a while to get established," she said. The plant is one of the many varieties of milkweed, and is called Butterflyweed. By growing the plant in her garden, Warn is seeking to do her part to help... - Towanda Daily Review
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08-05-2015
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'What's the Buzz About Wild Bees?' Among all the pollinators, honeybees get the most publicity, deservedly, because of the problems around their survival. Claire Kremen's research at the University of California, Berkeley, looks at diverse pollinators - not just bees, but also birds, moths and many insects - and the... - New York Times
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08-03-2015
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Montco: Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus Five mosquitoes harvested in Montgomery County have tested positive this year for the West Nile virus, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reported Friday. On Monday night, the county plans to spray in areas in Cheltenham where samples have tested positive, with the perimeter of the spray area bounded... - Philadelphia Inquirer
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07-27-2015
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Citizen scientists tracking Ohio bumblebees Luciana Musetti is fascinated by bumblebees. "They play a vital role to our environment, and they are beautiful, too," Musetti, an entomologist and curator of the Triplehorn Insect Collection at Ohio State University's Museum of Biological Diversity, said in an email.... - Columbus Dispatch
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07-14-2015
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Search for spotted lanternfly widens to Lehigh County The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued a BOLO - be on the lookout - for the spotted lanternfly in Lehigh and Montgomery counties. The Agriculture Department, in a news release Monday, said the invasive pest has not been spotted in the counties, but said surveillance teams are... - Allentown Morning Call
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