EPA offers a number of ways for the public to participate in and comment on regulatory actions that the agency proposes to take regarding the registration and review of pesticides.

Opportunities for Public Comment

Public Participation in Registration Actions – This link provides a smaller list of pesticide active ingredients that are part of EPA’s effort (initiated in 2009) to expand the opportunities for public comment on certain pesticide registration actions. This list focuses on those actions that involve new active ingredients and the first food use, first outdoor use, and first residential use of currently registered products.

Pesticide Active Ingredients in Registration Review and Reregistration Programs – These lists include all of the pesticide active ingredients that EPA is required by law to review to ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards.

• Under the Registration Review Program, EPA must review each registered pesticide at least every 15 years. Registration Review includes opportunities for public involvement.
• Under the Reregistration Program, EPA was directed to complete Reregistration Eligibility Decisions or REDs for all older pesticides. With stakeholder and public involvement, EPA completed the last REDs in 2008. EPA continues to implement these decisions through label amendments another other means.

To submit comments  during an open comment period for an action, go to Regulations.gov. You can search for the docket associated with the action and subscribe to the docket to receive updates about it.

Opportunities for Public Involvement

Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee - This Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) committee provides a forum for a diverse group of stakeholders to provide feedback to the pesticide program on various pesticide regulatory, policy and program implementation issues. The Committee meets two to three times a year and all meetings are open to the public.

Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) - The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) is composed of biologists, statisticians, toxicologists and other experts who provide independent scientific advice to the EPA on a wide-range of health and safety issues related to pesticides. These meetings are open to the public and announced on this webpage and in the Federal Register.

Guidance to Submit a Pesticide Petition

A petition could be a request from any source that EPA act on tolerances, registrations, or rulemaking.

When submitting, include the following in your petition:

• the name and mailing address of the petitioner and other contact information, such as an email address, a fax number, and a telephone number;
• an explanation of the action you are requesting (policy change, commencement of a rulemaking, amendment to an existing regulation, or deregulation) and its purpose; and
• specific information supporting the request.

After we have determined that a request is a petition and the petition is under review, we will contact the petitioner in writing to acknowledge receipt and conduct any other relevant communications.

Petitions affecting pesticide tolerances pertaining to 40 CFR§ 180.7 should continue to adhere to the following guidelines on how to submit a notice of filing of a petition to establish a tolerance. 

Where to Submit Pesticide Petitions

For the types of petitions discussed on this web page, send the complete original, signed petition along with supporting material to the following address:

Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs Mail Code 7501P
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460

Additionally, state lead agencies work cooperatively with the U.S. EPA to enforce federal pesticide regulations, respond to potential concerns, and offer additional information and support. For more information on the state’s role in pesticide matters as well as individual state agency contact information visit State and Territorial Pesticide Agencies.