FO R PUB L ICAT IO N UNITED STATES C OUR T OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH C IR C U IT
NATIONAL FAM ILY FAR M C OALITION; C ENTER

FOR FOOD SAFETY; C E NTER FOR B IOLOGIC AL DIVER SITY; PESTIC IDE AC TION NETW ORK

NOR TH AM ER IC A, Pe titione rs,
v. U.S. ENVIR ONM ENTAL PR O TEC TION AGENC Y; ANDR

EW W HEELER , in his offic ia l c a pa c ity a s Adm inistra

tor, R e sponde nts, M ONSANTO C O M PANY,

R e sponde nt-Inte rve nor. No. 19-70115 Environm e nta l Prote c tion Age nc y O PINIO N

On Pe tition for Re vie w of a n Orde r of the U.S. Environm e nta l Prote c tion Age n c y Argue d a nd Subm itte d April 21, 2020 San Fran c isc o , C a lifornia B e fore : M ic ha e l Da ly

Ha wkins, M . M argare t

M c K e own, a

nd W illia m A. Fle tc he r, C irc uit Judge s. Opinion by Judge W . Fle tc he r 

# FIL ED
JUN 3 2020 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U. S. CO URT O F APPEALS

1Am e ric an farm e rs ha ve be e n using dic am

ba , a c he m ic a l he rbic ide , to c om bat
we e ds for m ore tha

n fifty y e ars. Dic am

ba is a n e ffe c tive we e d kille r, but its toxic ity is not lim

ite d to we e ds. It c an kill m any de sira ble broa dle a f pla

nts, bushe s,
and tre e s. It a l so ha s a

we ll-known dra

wba c k . Dic am

ba is vola tile , m oving e a sily off a fie l d onto whic h it ha s be e n spra y e d. It c a n drift if the wind blows during
a pplic a tion; it c an drift if a pplie d during te m

pe rature inve rsions; it c an drift a fte r
a pplic a tion whe n it vola

t iliz e s , or turns to a

va por, during hot we a the r. As a re sult of its toxic ity

and its te nde nc y

to drift, dic a

m ba ha d historic a l ly

be e n use d to c le ar fie lds, e i the r be fore c rops we re pla nte d or be fore ne wly

pla nte d c rops e m e rge d from the soil. T his c h ange d

in 2017. B y the e arly 2000s, m any

we e ds ha d

de ve lope d a re sista

nc e to the wide ly
use d he rbic ide gly

phosa te , the m a i n ingre die nt in R oundup bra nd-na m e produc ts sold by the M onsa

nto C om p any (“ M onsa nto” ). In re sponse , M onsa n to de ve lope d
and pa te nte d ge ne s tha

t a llowe d soy

be an a nd c otton c rops to tolera te dic am ba
. C onc urre ntly , M onsa

n to a nd two othe r he rbic ide m anufa c ture rs re form ulate d dic a m ba he rbic ide s in a

n atte m pt to m ake dic a

m ba le s s vola

tile and the re fore
usa b le during the growing se a son. The ir e fforts c ulm inate d in 2016, whe n, pursua nt to theFe d e ra l Inse c tic ide , Fungic ide , a nd R ode ntic ide Ac t (“ FIFR A” ), 7 U.S.C . §§ 136 e t se q ., the U.S. Environm e nta l Prote c tion Age nc y (“ EPA” ) gra nte d
c onditiona l, two-y e ar a m e nde d re gistra tions to M onsa

nto a nd la t e r the two othe r 2a groc h e m ic a l c om pa n i e s, a p proving the ir re form

u late d dic am

ba -ba s e d he rbic ide s for ove r-the -top (“ OTT” ), or “ post-e m e rge nt” use on dic am ba -tole ra nt (“ DT” ) soy be an s a n d c otton a

he a d of the 2017 growing se a son. The c onditiona l
re gistra tions we re to e xpire in la

te 2018. 1 On Oc tobe r 31, 2018, the EPA a pprove d c onditiona l re g i strations for the thre e dic a m ba -ba se d he rbic ide s for a

n a d ditiona l two y e ars. The EPA’ s de c ision doc um e nt a

nnounc e d tha

t the EPA “ will be gran t ing re que sts by B ay e r C ropSc ie nc e (form e rly

M onsa n to C om pa ny ), C orte va

(form e rly

DuPont), a

nd B ASF to a

m e nd the ir e xisting c onditiona l re gistra tions tha t c o nta in e xpira

tion date s of Nove m

b e r 9, 2018, a

nd De c e m

be r 20, 2018, re spe c tive ly .” In the following we e k, the EPA issue d c onditiona l two-y e ar a m e nde d re g istra tions to B ay e r for its “ M 1768 He rbic ide ,” a lso known a s “ Xte ndiM a x W ith Va porGrip Te c hnology ” (“ Xte ndiM a x” ); to C orte va for its “ D uPont Fe Xa

pa n He rbic ide ” (“ Fe Xa pa n” ); a nd to B ASF for its “ Enge nia He rbic ide ” (“ Enge n ia ” ). The Nationa l Fam ily

Farm C oa lition, C e n t e r for Food Sa fe ty , C e nte r for B iologic a l Dive rsity , and Pe stic ide Ac tion Ne twork North Am e ric a (“ pe t itione rs” ) sought re vie w of the Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision upon which the re g istra tions we re

1 For the c onve nie n c e of the re a de r, we list he re the ke y a bbre viations use d in this opinion. “ Ove r-the -top” (dic a m ba use ) is a bbre viat e d “ OTT.” “ D ic a m ba -tole rant” (soy be an a nd c otton) is a

bbre viate d “ DT.” The Offic e of Pe stic ide Progra m s (house d within the

EPA) is a

bbre viate d “ OPP.”

3ba se d. Pe titione rs a rgue tha t the EPA’ s de c ision viola te s both FIFR

A a nd the Enda nge re d Spe c i e s Ac t, 16 U.S.C
. § 1536(a )(2). W e hold tha

t the EPA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision, a nd the c onditiona l
ne w-use re gistra

tions of Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , and Fe Xa pa n for use on DT soy

be an
and c otton tha

t a re pre m ise d on tha

t de c ision, viola

te FIFR A. As we will e xpla in in m ore de ta i l be low, FIFR A provide s two re quire m e nts for c onditiona l
a m e ndm e nt of a

n e xisting re g istra

tion. The EPA m

ust de te rm ine tha

t (i) the
a pplic ant ha s subm itte d “ satisfa c tory dat a ,” and (ii) the am e ndm e nt will not

“ signific antly

inc re a se the risk of a

ny unre a sona

ble a dve rse e ffe c t on the
e nvironm e nt.” 7 U.S.C . § 136a (c )(7)(B ). W e ne e d not de c ide whe the r substa ntia l
e vide nc e supports a

finding tha

t the a pplic ants submitte d sa

tisfa c tory data

— a lthough, a s we disc uss be low, the data have se ve ra l fla

w s
— be c a use we hold tha t the EPA substa

ntia lly unde rsta te d risks tha

t it a c knowle d ge d a

nd fa ile d
e ntire l y to a c knowle dge othe r risks. The EPA substa

ntia lly unde rstate d thre e risks tha t it a c knowle dge d. The EPA substa

ntia lly unde rstate d the am ount of DT se e d a c re a ge tha t ha d be e n pla n te d in 2018, a

nd, c orre spondingly , the am ount of dic am ba he rbic ide tha

t ha d be e n spra y e d on post-e m e rge n t

c rops. Furthe r, the EPA purporte d to be a gnostic
a s to whe the r form a l c o m pla ints of dic am

ba dam a ge unde r-re porte d

or ove rre porte d the a c tua l dam a ge , whe n re c ord e vide nc e c le arly showe d tha

t dic am ba 4dam a ge wa s substa ntia l l y unde r-re porte d . Fina lly , the EPA re fuse d to e stim a te the
a m ount of dic a m

ba dam a ge , c ha

ra c te riz ing suc h da

m a ge a s “ pote ntia l” and

“ a l le g e d,” whe n re c ord e vide nc e showe d tha t dic am b a ha d c a u se d substa ntia l a nd undispute d da

m a ge . The EPA a l so e ntire ly

fa ile d to a c k

nowle dge thre e othe r risks. The EPA
e ntire l y fa ile d to a c k

n owle dge re c ord e vide nc e showing the high like lihood tha

t
re stric tions on OTT dic a m ba a pplic a tion im

pose d by the 2018 la

be l would not be followe d. The EPA ba se d its re gistra tion de c ision on the

pre m ise tha

t the la be l’ s
m itiga tion m e a sure s would lim

i t off-fie ld m o ve m e nt of OTT dic am ba
. The se
m e a sure s be c a m e inc re a singly re stric tive with e a c h ite ra tion of OTT dic am ba la be ls. R e c ord e vide n c e shows tha t the re stric tions on the 2016 a nd 2017 la

be ls ha d a lre a d

y be e n diffic ult if not im

possibleto follow for e ve n c onsc ie ntious use rs; the re stric tions on the

2018 la be l a re e ve n m ore one rous. Furthe r, the EPA e ntire l y fa ile d to a c knowle dge the substa ntia l risk tha

t the re gistra

tions would ha

ve antic om pe titive e c onom ic e ffe c ts in thesoy be an a nd c o tton industrie s . Fina lly , the EPA e ntire ly fa ile d to a c knowle dge the risk tha t OTT dic am

b a use would te ar the
soc i a l fa bric of farm ing c om

m unitie s. W e the re fore va c a te the EPA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, re gistra tion de c i sion a

nd the t hre e re gistra

tions pre m ise d on tha

t de c ision. B e c a

use our va c a tur is ba se d on

5our holding unde r FIFR A, we do not re a c h the que stion whe the r the re gistra tion de c ision a lso viola

te s the Enda

nge re d Spe c ie s Ac t. I. B a c kground A. Evolution of Gly

phosa t e -R e s ista nt W e e ds B e fore its purc ha se by

B ay e r in 2018, M onsa

nto ha d be c om e a

house hold
nam e la rge l y due to its fla gship he rbic ide R oundup. In the 1990s, M onsa

nto de ve lope d a

“ R oundup R e a dy ” c rop sy ste m , se lling this gly phosa te -ba s e d he rbic ide a long with se e ds ge ne tic a l ly m odifie d to tole ra te gly

p hosa te . M onsa nto’ s R o undup R e a d

y sy ste m a llowe d farm e rs to a

pply gly phosa te ove r ge ne tic a lly

m odifie d c rops during the growing se a son, killing we e ds but le aving the i r c rops unha

rm e d. B y 2008, 92 pe rc e n t of soy

be ans a nd 68 pe rc e nt of c otton pla n tings in the

Unite d State s c a m e from gly phosa te -re sista nt se e d s. Gly

phosa te
wa s so popula

r that m a ny farm e rs sold the i r we e d-tilling e quipm e nt a nd stoppe d buy ing othe r he rbic ide s, inste a d a pply ing gly

phosa te on the ir fie lds y e ar a fte r y e ar. Afte r y e ars of he a vy

gly phosa t e use by farm e rs, m any

we e ds de v e l ope d gly p hosa te re sista nc e . Suc h “ supe rwe e ds” inc l ude Pa lm e r a m aranth, a la rge and fa st-growing we e d tha

t, le ft unc he c ke d, c an ta

ke ove r a fie ld. In se arc h of a

ne w
we e d-kille r, M onsa

nto a n d othe r a groc he m ic a l c om p anie s turne d to dic am

ba , whic h ha d be e n re giste re d for lim ite d use sinc e 1967. Dic am ba works by
m im ic king a

uxin, a pla

nt horm one , to c a

use a bnorm a l a nd ultim a te ly

fa t a l c e ll 6growth. Dic a m ba is e xtre m e ly

toxic to broa d le a f pla

nts, bushe s, a

nd tre e s . It c an dam a ge or kill fruiting ve g e ta ble s, fruit tre e s, gra

pe s, be ans, pe a s , pota

toe s, toba c c o, flowe rs, a

nd orna m e n ta l pla

nts. It c an a lso da

m a ge or kill m any

spe c ie s of la rge tre e s , inc luding oa

ks, e lm s, a

nd m a ple s. Dic am

b a dam a ge is e a sily ide n tifie d by

its signa ture m arke r, “ le a f c upping.” Dic a m ba ’ s toxic e ffe c t is m a gnifie d by its te nde nc y , sha

re d with othe r sy nthe tic a u xins, to m ove off a

fie ld whe re it is spra

y e d. Dic am

ba drople ts c an drift during or shortly

a fte r spra y ing if the wind is blowing too ha rd or the spra

y i ng
e quipm e nt is m oving too fa s t. Dic am b a va p or c an drift if dic am

ba is a pplie d during a te m p e ra ture inve rsion— an atm osphe ric c ondition in whic h c ool a ir at the
e arth’ s surfa c e tra

p s wa rm e r a ir a bove it, a llowing the

va por to re m a i n in a
c onc e ntrate d c loud a

nd m ove off-fie ld during a light wind. And dic am

ba va por
c an drift if dic a

m ba vola tiliz e s a fte r it ha s c om e to re st on pla nts or the ground. Dic a m ba c a n vola t i liz e hours or e ve n da

y s a fte r it ha s be e n a

pplie d, a nd it doe s so
m ore e a sily

and in gre a te r volum e s a s the te m pe ra ture rise s. During te m pe ra ture inve rsions, or a fte r vola

tiliz ing on hot da

y s, dic am ba c an drift long dista

nc e s,
som e tim e s a

m i le or m ore . B e c a use of its te nde nc y

to drift, dic am

ba ha d be e n la rge ly use d in la

te winte r
or e arly spring be fore c rops we re pla nte d. Post-e m e rge nt use of dic am ba wa s

7lim ite d to c rops tha t a re natura lly

tole rant of dic a

m b a , suc h a s c orn a

nd whe a t, a

nd
wa s ty p ic a l ly lim ite d to use e arly

in the growing se a son. B . De ve lopm e nt of Lowe r-Vola tility Dic am ba He rbic i de s a nd EPA’ s 2016 Two-Ye ar C onditiona l R e gistra tion De c ision M onsa n to a nd two othe r a groc he m ic a l c om pa nie s
—DuPont a

n d B ASF— d e ve lope d ne w dic a m b a produc ts with re duc e d (though not e lim i nate d) vola tility . The c om

pa nie s c la im e d to the EPA tha t the ir ne w dic am

ba he rbic ide s ha d suc h low vola

tility tha t the y we re unlike ly

to m ove in signific ant a

m ounts off the fie l d to whic h the y

we re a pplie d a nd c ould the re fore be use d sa fe ly during the growing se a son. In 2010 a nd 2012, M onsa

nto submitte d a

pplic a tions to the

EPA to re giste r two diffe re nt form u l a tions of dic a

m b a -ba se d he rbic ide for poste m e rge n t use on ge ne tic a lly m o difie d , dic am

ba -tole rant (“ DT” ) soy

be ans a nd
c otton. In 2015, the U.S. De p a

rtm e nt of Agric ulture de re gula te d DT soy be an a nd
c otton se e ds unde r a

uthority grante d by

the Pla nt Prote c t ion Ac t, 7 U.S.C . §§ 7701
e t se q . M onsa

nto, whic h ha d de ve lope d a nd pa t e nte d the dic am

ba -tole ranc e se e d tra it, be ga n to se ll the se DT se e ds a he a d of the 2016 growing se a son, be fore the
c om pa nion dic a m ba he rbic ide s ha d be e n a

pprove d by

the EPA for ove r-the -top (“ OTT” ) use . Farm e rs pla nte d a bout 1.7 million a c re s of DT soy be ans a n d c lose to 50,000 a c re s of DT c otton in 2016. R e c ord e vide n c e c onta ins re ports tha t som e 8growe rs ille ga l ly spra y e d the old dic am

ba he rbic i de s during thepost-e m e rge nt pha se o f the 2016 growing se a son. Unde r FIFR

A , the EPA c an c onditiona lly am e nd the re gistra

tion of a pe stic ide (inc luding a

n he rbic ide ) to pe rm it a

n a d ditiona l use only

if it finds tha

t the n e w use will not signific antly inc re a se the risk of a

ny unre a sona

ble a dve rse
e ffe c t on hum ans or the e nvironm e nt, ta king into a c c o unt the pe stic ide ’ s e c onom ic , soc i a l, a nd e nvironm e nta l c osts a

nd be ne fits. Se e 7 U.S.C
. § 136a (c )(7)(B ) (a llowing the

EPA to c onditiona lly

am e nd the re gistra

tion of a pe stic ide to a llow for a n e w use ); § 136(bb) (de fining “unre a sona ble a dve rse e ffe c ts on the
e nvironm e nt” to inc lude “ any unre a sona

ble risk to m an or the e nvironm e nt, ta king into a c c ount the e c onom ic , soc ia l, a nd e nvironm e nta l c osts a

nd be ne fits of theuse of any pe stic ide ” ). B e ginning in the

fa ll of 2016, the

EPA a nnounc e d tha

t it would gra

nt twoy e ar c onditiona l re gistra

tions for thre e lowe r-vola tility , OTT dic am

ba he rbic ide s—M onsa

nto’ s Xte ndiM a x; DuPont’ s Fe Xa pa n; a nd B ASF’ s Enge nia . In support of its de c ision, theEPA ide ntifie d two “ i m porta nt” be n e fits from OTT
a pplic a tion of dic a

m ba on DT soy

be ans a nd c otton. First, dic a

m b a “ p rovide s a

n
e ffe c tive tool to tre a t e s pe c ia l ly noxious we e ds . . . inc luding gly phosa t e -re sista nt bioty pe s tha t thre ate n soy

be an a nd c otton produc t ion toda y .” Se c ond, “ e ffe c tive tre a tm e n t of gly

phosa te -re sista nt we e ds c an he lp c ontrol the spre a d of re sista nc e .” 9The EPA sta te d that the lowe r-volatility dic a m ba form ulations, if use d in
c om plia nc e with re stric tions on a

n a pprove d la

be l, pose d littleor no risk of a dve rse
e ffe c ts on the e nvironm e nt a nd the re fore im

pose d m inim a l c o sts. In its re gistra tion de c ision, the EPA wrote that the la be l re stric tions “ are known to profoundly im pa c t
any drift pote ntia l from

pe stic ide a

pplic a tion.” “ In a ggre gat e , the se form ulations
and la be ling re quire m e n ts a

re e xpe c te d to e lim inate any offsite e xposure s a nd
e ffe c tive ly

pre ve nt risk pote ntia l to pe ople an d non-ta rge t spe c ie s.” The EPA
c onc lude d, “ Afte r we ighing a ll the risks of c onc e rn a ga inst thebe ne fits of the ne w
use s , the EPA finds tha

t whe n t he m itiga tion m e a sure s for the s e use s a re a pplie d, the b e ne fits of the use o f the pe stic ide outwe igh[] any re m a ining m inim a l risks, if the y e xist a t a ll.” The c onditiona l re gistra

tions a llowe d OTT dic am ba use in thirty -four sta

te s. 2 The c onditiona l re gistra

tions for Xte ndiM a x and Fe X a pa n we re se t to e xpire on Nove m be r 9, 2018; the

c onditiona l re gistra

tion for Enge nia

wa s se t to e xpire on De c e m b e r 20, 2018. The EPA wrote that the c onditiona l re gistra tions would

2 The sta te s a re A l a bam a , Ariz ona , Arka

n sa s, C olora d o, De la

ware , Florida , Ge orgia , Illinois, Iowa , India na , Ka nsa s, Ke ntuc k

y , Louisia na , M ary la

nd, M ic higa n, M inne sota , M ississippi, M issouri, Nebra ska , Ne w Je rse y , Ne w M e xic o, Ne w York, North C arolina , North Da kota , Ohio, Okla

hom a , Pe nnsy l va

nia , South C arolina , South Da

kota , Te nne sse e , Te xa s , Virginia , W e st Virginia , a nd W isc onsin. 10a

utom a t ic a lly

e xpire unle ss the a ge nc y

de te rm ine d tha

t off-site inc ide nts of dic a m ba dam a ge we re not oc c urring a t “ una c c e pta

ble fre que nc ie s or le ve ls.” The EPA’ s 2016 re gistra

tion de c ision re quire d a de ta ile d la be l re stric ting the
m anne r in whic h the dic a m b a -ba se d he rbic ide s c o uld be use d. The m ost im porta nt
re stric tions we re : (1) a

pplic at ion wa s prohibite d during wind spe e ds a

b ove fifte e n
m ile s pe r hour; (2) a

pplic a tion wa s prohibite d during te m p e rature inve rsions; (3)
a pplic a tion wa s prohibite d if ra in wa s e xpe c te d in the ne xt twe nty -four hours; (4)
a pplic a tion wa s prohibite d whe n spra y ing e quipm e nt wa s tra

ve ling a t a ground spe e d a bove fifte e n m ile s pe r hour; (5) a buffe r of a t

le a st 110 fe e t be twe e n the la st tre a te d c rop row a

nd the ne are st downwind e dge of the fie ld wa s re quire d; a nd (6)
a m a xim um spra y e r boom he ight of twe nty -four inc he s a b ove the we e d s or c rop
c anopy wa s re quire d. C . Expe rie nc e During the 2017 Growing Se a son, a nd La be l Am e ndm e nt for the 2018 Growing Se a son Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , and Fe Xa pa n we re on the m arke t in tim e for the 2017 growing se a son. M any

farm e rs a dopte d the ne w c rop sy ste m , pla nting se e ds with M onsa nto’ s dic a m

ba -tole ra nc e tra it on 27 million a c re s a nd using dic am

ba he rbic ide s on the p o st-e m e rge n t c rops. From 2012 to 2016, be fore use of OTT dic a m ba wa s a llowe d on DT soy

be ans a nd c otton, a

n ave ra ge of 231,000 pounds
a c id e quiva le nt of dic a m

ba ha d be e n a

pplie d e a c h y e ar to c otton, while an ave ra ge 11of 537,000 pounds of dic a m ba ha d be e n a

pplie d to soy

be a n s. In 2017, a lm ost 8
m illion pounds of dic a m

b a we re a pplie d to post-e m e rge nt soy be ans, a nd a lm ost 2
m illion pounds we

re a pplie d to post-e m e rge nt c otton . In its 2016 re g istra

tion de c ision, theEPA ha d writte n tha t the la be l
re stric tions we re “ e xpe c te d to e lim inate any offsite e xposure s” to dic am ba
. (Em pha s is a dde d.) B ut a s the 2017 growing se a son progre sse d, c om pla ints of dic a m ba -c a use d da m a ge to c om

m e rc ia l c rops a

n d othe r pla

nts soa re d . B y the e nd of the se a son, a c c ording to a re port by Profe ssor Ke vin B ra d le y of the Unive rsity of M i ssouri, 2,708 forma l c om p la ints of dic am

ba -c a use d da m a ge we re be ing inve stiga te d by sta te de pa rtm e nts of a gric ulture
. B ra dle y re porte d tha

t unive rsity
we e d sc ie ntists e stim a te d tha t a pproxim a t e ly

3.6 m i llion a c re s of soy

b e ans in twe nty -four sta

te s, or a bout 4 pe rc e nt of a ll U.S. soy be an a c re a ge , we re dam a ge d by off-fie ld m ove m e nt of dic a m ba
. R e ube n B aris, Ac t ing C hie f of the he rbic ide branc h of the EPA’ s Offic e of Pe stic ide Progra m s, told sta te re gula tory offic ia ls a

t a m e e t ing in W a s hington, D.C ., in the fa ll of 2017 tha t the a ge nc y

wa s “ ve ry c onc e rne d with wha t ha s
oc c urre d” with the OTT use of dic am ba
. During a

pre se n tation in Septe m

b e r 2018, B aris c onfirm e d

tha t “ [m ] ore tha

n 3.6 m i llion a c re s” of soy b e ans ha d be e n dam a ge d by

dic a m ba during the 2017 se a s on. B aris note d, furthe r, tha t the
re porte d da

m a g e wa s like l y

an unde re stim a te of the a c t

ua l dam a ge be c a

use , in his 12words, “ [n] ot a ll re ports of c rop da m a ge we re re porte d to Sta te De pa rtm e nts of Agric u lture .” Spe a king on thetopic of dic am ba a t an a nnua l m e e t ing of the Pe stic ide Ste wardship Allia nc e in Fe brua

ry 2018, Ric k Ke i gwin, the Dire c t or of the E PA’ s Offic e of Pe stic ide Progra m s, re m arke d , “ I don’ t sa y this in je st, but 2018 c annot look like

2017.” M onsa n to propose d c ha

nge s to the Xte ndiM a x la be l for the 2018 growing
se a s on to a ddre ss wha

t the EPA c ha

ra c t e riz e d a s a

“ high num

be r of c rop da

m a ge inc i de nts.” The EPA a lso c onsulte d sta te a ge nc ie s a

nd the U.S. De pa

rtm e nt of Agric u lture on the c ha

nge s, but it did not unde

rtak e a form a l re gistra

tion
a m e ndm e nt proc e ss be fore a pproving a dditiona l la

be l re stric tions for theOTT dic a m ba produc ts for the 2018 se a son. The m ost im porta nt a dditiona l re stric tions
we re : (1) a

pplic a tion wa s prohibite d if the wind spe e d during a pplic a tion wa s le ss tha n thre e m i le s pe r hour or m ore tha n te n m i le s pe r hour (ra the r tha n m ore tha

n fifte e n m i le s pe r hour); (2) a p plic a tion wa s pe rm i tte d only be twe e n sunrise and
sunse t (ra the r tha

n at a ny tim e othe r tha

n during a

te m pe ra t ure inve rsion); (3) the he rbic ide s ha d to be la

be le d a s “ re stric te d use pe stic i de s,” whic h c o uld be a pplie d only by c e rtifie d a

pplic a tors or pe ople working unde r the i r dire c t supe rvision; a nd (4) a p plic a tors ha d to re c e i v e dic am ba -spe c ific tra i ning. In a le tte r to M onsa

nto a dopting the

c ha nge s, the EPA wrote , “ The
a m e ndm e nt a

pprove d through this le

tte r inc lude s a dditiona l re stric tions furthe r 13m inim iz ing off-fie ld m o ve m e nt of the a c tive ingre die nt dic a m ba and do not a ffe c t the c onc lusions in the

supporting a sse ssm e nt of risk. EPA a c c o rdingly c ontinue s to re ly on a ll the a sse s sm e n ts tha t supporte d the ne w use s, a nd the re fore doe s not
re quire . . . [a

ny ] ne w risk a sse ssm e nt.” In othe r words, the EPA c ontinue d to re ly on its risk a sse s sm e n t from a y e ar e arlie r, whe n it ha d c onc lude d tha t the 2016 la be ling re quire m e nts “ are e xpe c te d to e lim inate any offsite e xposure s a

nd
e ffe c tive ly

pre ve nt risk pote ntia l to pe ople an d non-ta rge t spe c ie s.” D. Expe rie nc e During the 2018 Growing Se a son In 2018, m ore tha

n 103 m illion a c re s of soy b e ans a nd c o tton we re pla

nte d in the U nite d State s. O f that tota l, 56 m illion a c re s we re pla nte d with se e ds with M onsa nto’ s dic a m

ba -tole ra nc e tra it, up from

27 m illion a c re s the y e ar be fore
. B ra dle y re p orte d tha

t by July 15, 2018, unive

rsity we e d sc ie ntists e stim ate d tha t in
e ighte e n sta

te s the re we re a

bout 1.1 mi llion a c re s of soy b e a n s with dic am

ba dam a ge . The othe r sixte e n sta te s whe re OTT dic am

ba wa s a pprove d we re not inc l ude d in the re port. B y the sa m e date the pre vious y e ar, B ra dle y re porte d, unive rsity we e d sc ie ntists ha d e stim a te d 2.5 m illion a c re s of da m a ge d soy

be ans. It is unc le ar how m any sta

te s we re inc lude d

in the July

2017 e stim a te . The 2018 growing se a son wa s a ga in m arke d by m any c om pla ints of off-site dic a m ba dam a ge . In the c ountry ’ s m a jor soy be an-produc ing sta

te s, the sha

rp inc re a se in 2017 of c o m

pla i nts to sta

te a gric ulture de pa

rtm e nts a bout dic am

ba 14dam a ge to c rops wa s followe d by only a slight de c re a s e in c om

pla ints in 2018. In 2017 a nd 2018, Illinois, India

na , Iowa , M inne s ota , M i ssouri, Ne bra ska , North Dakota , a nd South Da

kota pla nte d the m ost a c re s of soy be ans. Se e Quic k

Stats, N A T ’ L A G R I C . S T A T I S T I C S S E R V ., https://quicksta

ts.na ss.usda
. gov/re sults/96B 2EF56-2AC 3-329E-803E6D6D3C C 5 444C
. In those sta t e s in 2017, there we re 1,287 c om pla i nts to sta

te de pa rtm e nts of a gric ulture of dic a m ba dam a ge ; in 2018, there we re 1,064
c om pla i nts. In tota l, a c c ording to the Assoc iation of Am e ric an Pe stic i de C ontrol Offic i a ls, a

pproxim a t e ly

1,400 c om

pla ints of c rop da

m a g e re sulting from

OTT dic a m ba he rbic ide s we re re porte d to sta t e re g ulatory

a uthoritie s in 2018. The re we re substa

ntia l diffe re nc e s from

sta te to sta te in re porte d dic am

ba dam a ge in 2018. Som e sta te s im pose d re stric tions for the2018 growing se a son
ove r and a

bove the la

be l re quire m e nts im

pose d by the EPA a

nd e xpe rie nc e d substa ntia l de c re a se s in the num be r of dic am

ba c om pla ints. For e xam

ple , in 2018 M inne sota

im pose d two a dditiona l re stric tions on OTT a pplic ation of dic am

ba he rbic ide s: (1) a fte r June 20, OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba wa s forbidde n ; a

nd (2) be fore June 20, OTT a

p plic a tion of dic am

ba wa s forbidde n on da

y s whe n fie ld te m pe ra ture s e x c e e de d 85 de gre e s. In 2017, the re we re 250 c o m pla ints of dic a m ba -re late d c rop da

m a ge in M inne sota ; in 2018, there we re 29. Sim ila rly , in 2018 Arka

nsa s prohibite d OTT a

pplic a tions of dic am

ba be twe e n April 16 a

nd 15Oc tobe r 31, e ffe c t ive ly ba nning its use

during the growing se a son. In 2017, the re
we re 986 c om

pla ints of dic a

m ba -re late d c rop da

m a ge in Arka

nsa s; in 2018, the

re
we re 200. B y

c ontra st, in 2018 Illinois im pose d no a dditiona l re quire m e n ts be y ond those on the EPA la be l. In 2017, there we re 245 c om pla ints of dic a

m ba
re late d c rop da

m a ge in Illinois; in 2018, the num be r of c om

pla ints inc re ase d to 330. E. 2018 R e gistra tion De c ision W ith the 2016 c onditiona l re gistra tions dueto e xpire in la

te 2018, B a

y e r (M o nsa nto’ s ne w owne r), C orte va , a nd B ASF sought a

m e n dm e nts tha

t would
e xte nd the re gistra

tions for a

nothe r two y e ars. On Oc tobe r 31, 2018, the EPA
announc e d it would “

be gran ting re que s ts by B ay e r C ropSc ie nc e (form e rly M onsa nto C om pa ny ), C o rte va

(form e rly

DuPont), a

nd B ASF to a

m e nd the ir
e xisting c onditiona l re g istra tions tha t c onta in e xpirat ion da

te s of Nove m

be r 9, 2018, a nd De c e m

be r 20, 2018, re s pe c tive ly .” On Nove m be r 1, 2018, pursua

nt to its Oc tobe r 31 “ re gistra

tion de c ision,” the EPA issue d a c onditiona l re g istra

tion to B ay e r for its “ M 1768 He rbic ide ,” a lso known a s Xte ndiM a x. On Nove m be r 2, 2018, the EPA issue d

a c onditiona l re gistra

t ion to B ASF for its “ Enge nia He rbic ide .” On Nove m

be r 5, 2018, the EPA issue d a c o nditiona l re gistra

tion to C orte v a for its “ DuPont Fe Xa pa n He rbic ide .”

16In its Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision to gra nt the c onditiona l re g istra tions, the EPA a sse sse d the be ne fits a nd c osts of OTT a

pplic a tion of dic a

m ba on DT soy be an s a n d c otton. In m a k ing this a sse ssm e n t, the EPA ha d be fore it c om m e nts from sta te a ge nc ie s, fa

rm bure a us, tra de a ssoc iations, fa

rm e rs, se e d c om

pa n ie s,
c rop c onsulta

nts, non-gove rnm e nta l orga niz a t ions, a c a de m ic and c o m m e rc ia l we e d
sc ie ntists, a

nd va rious othe r individua ls. The EPA found two be ne fits re sulting from OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba
. First, dic a m

ba “ provide s growe rs with a n a dditiona l poste m e rge nc e a c tive ingre die n t to m ana ge diffic ult to c ontrol broa d le a f we e ds during the c rop growing
se a s on, pa

rtic ula rly for those situa

tions whe re he rbic ide -re sista n t bioty pe s, suc h a s Pa lm e r a m a

ranth, m ay

oc c ur (and fe w a lte rna tive s are ava ila ble ).” Se c ond, dic a m ba “ provide s a

long-te rm be ne fit a s a

tool to de la

y re sista nc e [to] othe r he rbic ide s whe n use d a s pa rt of a se a son-long we e d m ana ge m e nt progra m tha t inc l ude s pre e m e rge n c e (re sidua l) a nd poste m e rge nc e (folia

r) he rbic ide s (a long with rota tions be twe e n diffe re nt M OA [m ode s of a c tion] ).” In a se pa ra te doc um e n t pre pa

re d by the EPA Offic e of Pe stic ide Progra m s (“ OPP doc um e nt” ) an d

date d the sa

m e da y a s the re gistra

tion de c ision doc um e nt, the E PA re

j e c te d two a dditiona l be ne fits tha t ha d be e n propose d by

the re g istra

nts. First, the EPA re fuse d to find tha t OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba to DT soy

be an a nd
c otton provide d a

c om pa ra tive a dva

nta ge in inc re a sing c rop y ie lds: “ The Age nc y 17finds tha

t dic a m b a c an c ontrol we e ds tha

t m ight le a d to y ie ld loss but did not find suffic i e nt inform a tion to show it wa s m ore e ffe c tive tha n othe r we e d c o ntrol program s in re duc ing y ie ld loss due to we e ds.” Se c ond, the EPA re fuse d to find that OTT dic a m

ba wa s “ a c ruc i a l pa

rt of m a inta ining a

c onse rva t ion tilla ge program .” In its Oc tobe r 31 de c i sion doc um e nt, the EPA a lso liste d the c osts, or risks, of dic a m b a use , whic h it c ha

ra c te riz e d a s “ im

p a c ts.” It first disc usse d in a single pa ra gra ph “ [i] m pa c ts to non-dic a m

ba tole rant soy

be an growe rs.” C iting a slide show from

M onsa nto’ s se c ond qua

rte r 2018 fina

nc ia l re sults, the

EPA wrote that M onsa nto ha d pre dic te d tha

t 40 m illion a c re s of DT soy be a n s would be pla n te d in 2018. The

EPA the n infe rre d

tha t 55 pe rc e nt of the 2018 soy be an c rop would be non-DT a

nd “ m a y pote ntia lly

be dam a ge d by

ve ry low le ve ls of offta rge t dic a m

ba .” In the OPP doc um e nt, the EPA e la borat e d tha

t “ [i] n ge ne ra l,
e xposure during the re p roduc tive growth sta ge s c ould re sult in re duc t ions in y ie ld . . . , but the Age nc y doe s not ha

ve inform a tion to qua

ntify this c la i m .” The EPA ne xt m e n t ione d in a single pa ra g ra ph “ [i] m pa c ts to growe rs of othe r dic a m

ba se nsitive c rops.” It wrote , “ M any othe r pla nts a re se nsitive to low le ve ls of dic a

m ba an d are liste d on the dic am

ba la be ls.” The EPA na

m e d a num be r of the dic a m

b a -se n sitive c rops liste d on the la be ls. It a lso note d tha

t the la be ls list

“ a b out 250 we e ds— annua l a n d pe re nnia l broa dle a f pla

nts a nd tre e s—

. . . som e of 18whic h a

re de sira b le in non-c rop se ttings.” In its se pa ra te OPP doc um e nt, the EPA wrote that “ [t] he Age nc y

doe s not know the

e x te nt of the dam a ge to se n sitive
c rops.” Fina lly , the EPA note d in a single pa ra gra ph “ [i] m pa c ts to thela

ndsc a pe .” It wrote , “ In 2017 a

nd 2018, sta

te a ge nc ie s re c e ive d re ports from growe rs a

bout inc i de nts a lle ging da

m a ge to tre e s a

nd othe r non-c rop pla

nts . . . . Pote n tia l im

pa c ts
c ould re sult in da

m a g e to she l te rbe lts a

nd windbre aks, a s we ll a s de sira ble pla nts in public pa rks a nd spa c e s.” In its de c ision a

uthoriz ing a dditiona l two-y e ar c onditiona l re g istra tions, the EPA im pose d m o re re stric tions on OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba he rbic i de s to DT soy be an s a n d c otton. Them ost im

porta nt a dditiona l re stric tions we re : (1)
a pplic a tion wa s pe rm itte d only be twe e n one hour a fte r sunrise and two hours be fore sunse t (ra the r tha

n a ny tim e be twe e n sunrise and sunse t); (2) only two OTT
a pplic a tions we re pe rm itte d pe r c rop for soy be ans, with the

la st a pplic a tion m a de no la te r tha n forty -five da

y s a fte r pla

nting; (3) only

two OTT a

pplic a tions we re pe rm itte d pe r c rop for c otton, with the la st a pplic a tion m a de no la

te r tha n sixty da y s a fte r pla

nting; (4) a

n om nidire c tiona l, in-fie ld fifty -se ve n-foot buffe r wa s
re quire d in c e rta i n

c ountie s to prote c t liste d

pla n t spe c i e s; a

nd (5) a p plic a tions
c ould be m a de only

by c e rtifie d

a pplic a tors. II. Proc e dura l History

19Pe titione rs pre viously file d a pe tition for re vie w of the EPA’ s 2016
re gistra tion de c ision for Xte ndiM a x . M o nsa nto file d a

m otion to inte

rve ne , whic h
we grante d. Following the Oc t obe r 2017 la

be l am e ndm e nts, pe titione rs file d a
m otion to a

m e nd the i r pe tition for re vie w , whic h we a lso gra nte d. W e he ld ora l
argum e nt on August 29, 2018. The EPA’ s Oc t obe r 31, 2018, de c i sion to gra n t a dditiona l, c onditiona l twoy e ar re gistra

tions for Xte ndiM a x, Enge n ia , a nd Fe X a pa n wa s publishe d be fore we issue d a n opinion. W e the re fore he ld pe titione rs’ c ha lle nge m oot, a s the 2016
re gistra tion de c ision no longe

r ha d a ny le g a l e ffe c t. W e he ld tha t pe titione rs’
c ha lle nge wa s not “ c a

pa ble of re pe tition but eva ding re vie w” be c a use the re wa s no
re a s ona ble e xpe c tation tha

t pe titione rs would be subje c t to the sa m e a c tion—

the 2016 re gistra

t i on de c ision— a ga in. S

e e Pub. Utils. C

omm’n v
. FERC , 100 F.3d 1451, 1459–60 (9th C ir. 1996). W e the re fore dism isse d the pe tition. Pe titione rs file d

a ne w pe tition for re vie w on Ja nua ry 11, 2019, c h a lle nging the E PA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision. M onsa nto a ga in file d a

m otion to inte rve ne , whic h we grante d. W e dire c te d the C le rk of the C ourt to se t a n
e xpe dite d brie fing sc he dule
. W e he ld ora l a rgum e nt on April 21, 2020. III. Jurisdic tion

20FIFR

A provide s for re vie w in the c ourts of a ppe a ls “ a s to the va lidity

of a ny orde r issue d by

the Adm inistra

t or following a

public he aring” by

“ any pe rson who will be a dve rse ly

a ffe c te d by suc h orde r and who ha d be e n a pa rty to the proc e e dings.” 7 U.S.C . § 136n(b). A pe tition for re vie w m ust be file d

within sixty da y s of the e ntry

of a c ha lle n ge d orde r. Id. “ Unle ss the Adm inistra tor othe rwise
e xplic itly provide s in a

pa rtic ula r orde r, . . . the . . . da

te of e ntry of an orde r issue d by the Adm inistra

tor following a

public he a

ring . . . shall be . . . on thedate tha t is two we e ks a fte r it is signe d.” 40 C .F.R . § 23.6. The Adm inistra

tor signe d the EPA’ s de c i sion doc um e nt on Oc tobe r 31, 2018. Pe titione rs file d the ir pe tition for re vie w within two we e k s and sixty da y s of that date , on Ja

nua ry 11, 2019. Inte rve nor M onsa nto a rgue s tha t we la c k jurisdic tion, c onte nding tha t the pe tition wa s file d too la te . The EPA doe s not join M onsa nto’ s a rgum e nt. M onsa n to c onte nds tha

t be c a use the Xte ndiM a x re gistra tion wa s “ issue d”
and its M a ste r La

be l m a rke d “ a c c e pte d” on Nove m

be r 1, 2018, that da

te
c onstitute s the “ date of e ntry , ” m aking the EPA’ s de c ision im m e d iate ly re vie wa ble
and the pe tition there fore untim e ly
. W e disa gre e . Ne ithe r the Nove m be r 1
re gistra tion nor theNove m

be r 1 M a ste r La

be l a c c e pta

nc e “ e xplic itly

provide s” tha

t the “ date of e ntry ” of the EPA’ s orde r ha s be e n a lte re d. W e the re fore c onc lude that the pe tition for re vie w wa s tim e ly file d a nd tha t we hav e jurisdic tion. 21IV. Sc ope of Pe titione rs’ C ha lle nge

Pe titione rs c ha lle nge the EPA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision to c onditiona lly
a m e nd the re gistra

tions of Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , a nd Fe Xa p an, pe rm itting the

OTT
use of dic a m

ba on DT soy

be ans a nd c o tton for a

nothe r two y e ars. The sc ope of pe titione rs’ c ha l le nge is sta te d in the first se n te nc e of the ir brie f: “ This pe tition
se e k s re vie w of the Oc tobe r 31, 2018 de c ision by the Unite d State s Environm e nta l Prote c tion Age nc y

(EPA) to c o ntinue the ne w use s re gistra tions of the pe stic ide dic a m ba on dic a m ba -re sista nt c otton a

nd soy be an[.] ” The EPA, howe ve r, a sse rts tha t pe titione rs ha

ve c ha lle nge d only

the
re gistra tion of Xte ndiM a x. It write s in its brie f in a footnote : “ Although not a t issue he re , EPA ha s issue d re gistra tions for two othe

r dic am ba produc ts for the
sam e use s, Enge nia and Fe Xa pa n. . . . EPA’ s 2018 re gistra tion a c tion a lso
a m e nde d the Enge nia

and Fe Xa

pa n re g istra t ions.” The EPA m a de no a rgum e nt in its brie f in support of its c onte ntion tha t only the re gistra

tion of Xte n diM a x is a

t issue . W e c ould ha

ve he ld tha

t the EPA’ s fa ilure to m ake an a rgum e nt in support of its a sse rtion wa ive d the argum e nt. Se e Aramark Fac ility Se rv s. v . Se rv . Emps. Int’l Union , 530 F.3d 817, 824 n.2 (9th C ir. 2008) (holding tha t argum e nts m a de in pa ssing a nd ina de quate ly

brie fe d a re wa ive d ). Howe ve r, out of a n a b unda nc e of
c a ution a n d in re c ognition of the

signific ant pra c t ic a l im

porta n c e of the que stion,
we a ske d for supple m e nta l brie fing from the pa rtie s a nd inte rve nor M onsa

n to. 22In the ir pe tition for re vie w, file d Ja nua ry 11, 2019, pe titione rs c ha lle nge d a n

“ orde r . . . a

nnounc e d in a

doc um e n t signe d on Oc tobe r 31, 2018.” The y a tta c he d
a s the ir sole e xhibit the

EPA’ s Oc t obe r 31 de c ision, whic h the y argue d wa s

“ inte rtwine d with a

nd e xte nde d two e arlie r re gistra tion de c isions by

EPA ove r this
sam e pe stic ide produc t,” re fe rring to the EPA’ s 2016 re gistra tion de c ision a

nd the 2017 la be l a m e ndm e nt de c i sion. The ir ope ning brie f be fore this c ourt is c onsiste nt with the ir pe tition. The EPA’ s Oc t obe r 31, 2018, de c i sion to re g i ste r the thre e dic am ba he rbic ide s for OTT a

pplic a t ion qua lifie s a s a

n “ orde r” issue d by the EPA. Se e 7 U.S.C . § 136n(b); Pollinator Ste w ardship C

o unc i l v . EPA , 806 F.3d 520, 528 (9th C ir. 2015) (re vie wing “ the EPA’ s de c ision to . . . re g iste r ” a ne w inse c tic ide ) (e m pha sis a dde d ); c

f. 7 U.S.C . § 136n(a ) (c onfe rring jurisdic t ion in thedistric t
c ourt for “ fina l a c tions of the Adm i nistra tor not c om

m itte d to the disc re t ion of the Adm inistra

tor by la w” ). For our c o urt to ha

ve jurisdic tion, theEPA’ s de c ision
m ust a l so follow a

“ public he aring.” 7 U.S.C . § 136n(b). W e c onc lude tha t the 2018 re gistra

t i on de c ision wa s issue d by the EPA “ following a

public he aring,” a s the d e c ision a

rise s from a notic e -and-c om

m e nt pe riod he ld prior to the re l a te d 2016
re gistra tion de c ision. W e have c onstrue d the te rm “ public he aring” broa dly , holding tha

t it m e re l y

“ ide ntifie s e le m e nts e sse ntia l in a ny fa ir proc e e ding—

notic e . . . give n of a

de c ision to be

m a de and pre se ntation to the 23de c isionm a ke r of the positions of those to be a ffe c te d by the de c ision. B y itse lf, the t e rm doe s not c onnote m ore .” Unite d Farm W ork e rs of Am. v . EPA , 592 F.3d 1080, 1082 (9th C ir. 2010). Ac c ordingly , we have he ld tha t “ a ‘ he aring’ inc lude s proc e e dings in whic h the re is no pre se ntation of publicargum e nt.” Id. The EPA’ s pre v ious 2016 re gistra

tion de c ision followe d

a “ public he aring,” a s c o nc e de d by the E PA and M onsa

nto. The EPA a

n d M onsa n t o m ake two unc onvinc ing a rgum e nts for a

re stric te d
sc ope o f re vie w. First, the y both a rgue tha t the othe r two re gistra

nts— C orte va

and B ASF— w e re not give n fa ir notic e of the pe t ition, c iting Fe de ra l R u le of Appe lla

te Proc e d ure 15(a )(2)(C ). The y

c ite a s support for the ir a rgum e nt the fa c t tha

t only M onsa nto ha s inte rve ne d. It is truetha t the C orte va

and B A SF ha ve not inte rve ne d. B u t tha

t doe s not c ha

nge the nature of pe titione rs’ c ha lle nge to the EPA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, re gistra tion de c i sion. As e ve n M onsa nto a dm itte d in its supple m e nta l brie f to us, while the “ pe tition for re vie w did not m e n tion the Enge nia or Fe Xa

pa n re gistra tion orde rs[,] [s] tric t ly

spe a k ing, it did not m

e ntion the Xte ndiM a x re gistra

t ion orde r e ithe r.” Se c ond, the EPA argue s tha t pe titione rs’ c ha lle n ge c annot inc l ude Fe Xa pa n
and Enge nia

be c a use “ [t] he se othe r re gistra tions ha v e a dm inistra

tive re c ords tha

t
m ay ove rla p with, but a

re distinc t from

the a dm i nistra

tive re c ord for Xte ndiM a x.” Howe ve r, the a dm inistra

t ive re c ord produc e d by the EPA inc lude s m ate ria ls

24c onc e rning a ll thre e produc t s. C om m e nts in there c ord pe rta in to a ll thre e he rbic ide s, with theEPA listing “ ge ne ra l c om m e nts” in fa

vor of a nd in opposition to “ OTT re

gistrations o f dic a m

ba .” M ost im

porta nt, the re gistra

tion de c ision, inc l uding its risk a sse ssm e nts a nd c ost-be ne fit a

na ly sis, c onc e rne d OTT dic a m ba produc ts ge ne ra lly

and wa s not re gistra

nt-spe c ific
. Inde e d, the EPA’ s de c ision doc um e nt spe c ifie s tha

t “ [t] h re e re gistra

t ions . . . a

re im pa c te d by this de c ision.” Pe titione rs dire c tly

c ha l le nge d the EPA’ s e ntire Oc tobe r 31, 2018,
re gistra tion de c ision. The EPA’ s subse que n t re gistra tions of thethre e he rbic ide s followe d within da

y s of its Oc tobe r 31 de c ision a nd we re pre m ise d on tha

t de c ision. W e c onc lude tha t a ll thre e re gistra

tions a re a t issue in the pe t ition be fore
us. V. Sta nda rd of R e vie w W e will sustain the EPA’ s 2018 re gistra tion de c ision unde r FIFR

A “ if it is supporte d by substa

ntia l e vide nc e whe n c onside re d on the re c ord a s a whole .” 7 U.S.C . § 136n(b). Thesubsta ntia l e v ide nc e sta

nda rd re q uire s tha t we “ a ffirm

the EPA’ s finding whe re the re is suc h re le va nt e vide n c e a s a re a sona

ble m ind m ight
a c c e pt a s a de q

uate to support a

c onc l usion e ve n

if it is possible

to dra w two inc o nsiste nt c onc lusions from the e vide n c e .” N

a t. Re s. De f. C o unc i l v . EPA , 857 F.3d 1030, 1036 (9th C ir. 2017) (inte rna l quota tion m arks om itte d). W e “ give due de fe re nc e to EPA’ s findings,”but m ay uphold its de c ision only

“ on the ba sis 25artic ulate d by the a ge n c y

itse lf.” N

at. Re s. De f . C ounc il v . EPA , 735 F.3d 873, 877 (9th C ir. 2013). VI. Disc ussion FIFR A re gula te s pe stic ide (inc luding he rbic ide ) use , sa l e s, a nd la be ling. 7 U.S.C . §§ 136–136y . The sta tute is a dm i niste re d by

the EPA, with sta

te s give n prim ary e nforc e m e nt re s ponsibility for pe stic i de use viola

tions. Id. §§ 136a (a ), 136w–1; se e Tay lor AG Indus. v . Pure -Gro , 54 F.3d 555, 559 (9th C i r. 1995).

“ FIFR A use s a c ost-be n e fit a

na ly sis to e nsure tha

t the re is no unre a sona

ble risk
c re ate d for pe ople or the e nvironm e nt from a pe stic ide .” P ollinator Ste w ardship C ounc il , 806 F.3d a

t 522–23 (interna l quota

tion m a rks om itte d). The EPA wrote in its Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision tha t it wa s ta king a c tion unde r Se c tion 3(c )(7)(B ) of FIFR A whe n it a

pprove d the re gistra

tions for Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , and Fe X a pa n. Se e 7 U.S.C . § 136a (c )(7)(B ). That se c tion
a uthoriz e s the Adm inistra

t or of the EPA to “ c onditiona lly am e nd” the re gistra

tion of a pe stic ide to a llow for ne w use s. Id . Se c tion 136a (c )(7)(B ) provide s in
re le va nt pa rt: The Adm inistr at or m a

y c onditiona lly am e nd the re gistra t ion of a p estic i d e t o p e rm it a dditiona l use s of suc h pe s tic i de notwithsta nd i n g that data c o nc e rning the pe stic ide m a y be insuffic ie nt t o support an unc onditiona l a m e n dm e n t, if the Adm inistra tor de te rm ine s t h at (i) the a pplic ant h as subm itte d satisfa c tory data pe rta ining to the propose d a dditiona l u s e, an d (ii) am e nding the re gistra t ion in the m a

nne r 26propose d by the a pplic ant would not s ignific antly inc re a se the risk of any unre a sona

b le a dve rse e ffe c t on the e nvironm e n t. An “ unre a sona

b le a dve rse e ffe c t on the e nvironm e nt” inc l ude s “ any unre a sona

ble risk to m an or the e n vironm e n t, ta king into a c c o unt the e c onom ic , soc ia l, a n d
e nvironm e nta l c osts a

nd be ne fits of the use of a ny pe stic ide .” Id. § 136(bb). W e c onside r in turn thetwo re quire m e nts for c onditiona l am e n d m e nts unde r § 136a (c )(7)(B ): de te rm inations tha t (i) the a pplic ant ha s subm itte d “ satisfa c tory data ,” and (ii) the a m e ndm e nt will not “ signific an tly inc re a se the risk of a

ny
unre a s ona

ble a d ve rse e ffe c t

on the e n vironm e nt.” W e c onc lude tha t substa ntia l
e vide nc e doe s not support the EPA’ s c onc lusion tha

t both sta tutory pre re quisite s
we re satisfie d. A. “ Sa tisfa c tory Data ” Subm itte d

by the Applic ant W e be gin by

c onside ring whe t

he r substa ntia l e vide nc e supporte d the EPA’ s
c onc lusion tha

t the “ a pplic ant ha s subm itte d sa t isfa c tory data

pe rta ining to the propose d ” c onditiona l re gistra tions. TheEPA sugge sts tha t the se “ data ” inc lude
re gistra nt-subm itte d studie s, the broa de r unive rse of a c a de m ic studie s a nd da ta se t s,
and inc ide nt re ports. W e a c c e pt for pre se nt purpose s the EPA’ s inte rpre tation of the t e rm “ data . ” 1. M onsa n t o’ s Studie s

27In support of its 2018 a pplic a tion, M onsa

n to subm i tte d the re sults of se ve ra l of its own fie l d studie s e va luating Xte ndiM a x. Som e of the studie s ha d be e n subm itte d in support of M onsa n to’ s a pplic a tion for c o nditiona l re gistra tion in 2016. Som e of the studie s we re ne w. All of thestudie s we re de sc ribe d in a “ white pa pe r” M onsa

n to subm itte d to the EPA in support of its 2018 a pplic a tion.
a . Fie ld Studie s in Support of the 2016 R e gistra

tion M onsa n to c onduc t e d its own studie s of its re form ulate d dic am

ba he rbic ide prior to its a

pplic a tion for c onditiona l re gistra tion in 2016. M onsa

n to did not a

t that tim e m a ke its he rbic i de ava ila ble for inde pe n de nt studie s. On a 3.4-a c re fie ld in Ge orgia

and a 9.6-a c re fie ld in Te xa s , M onsa nto te ste d Xte ndiM a x (with

“ Va porGrip Te c hnology ” ) a s we ll a s M -1691, a dic am ba -ba s e d form

u lat ion le ss vola tile tha n olde r dic a m

ba he rbic ide s but la c king “ Va porGrip Te c hnology .” In its 2018 whitepa

pe r, M onsa

n to de sc ribe d the se studie s a s ha ving “ te ste d re a l-world vola tility pote ntia l” of Xte ndiM a x. B a se d in pa rt on re sults of the se te sts, a s
re porte d by

M onsa nto, the EPA gra

nte d the first two-y e ar c onditiona l re gistra tion for OTT dic a m

ba , c onc luding tha

t the be ne fits of its a

pplic a tion to DT soy

be ans
and c otton outwe ighe d a

ny risks be c a

use the la be l re stric tions we re “ e xpe c te d to
e lim inat e any

offsite e xposure s a

nd e ffe c tive ly

pre ve nt risk pote ntia l to pe ople and non-ta rge t spe c ie s.” As de sc ribe d a bove , a nd a s the EPA lat e r a c k

nowle dge d, the EPA’ s c onc lusion wa s inc orre c t. 28b. Fie ld Studie s in Support of the 2018 R e gistra

tion In support of its 2018 a

pplic a tion, M onsa

n to c onduc te d five a d d itiona l studie s m e a suring the vola tility of Xte n diM a x. In its white pa pe r, M onsa

nto de sc ribe d the se studie s a s “ c onfirm [ing] inform a tion provide d prior to 2016.” The

“ inform a tion provide d prior to 2016” inc lude d , of c ourse , the studie s subm itte d by M onsa nto in support of its 2016 a pplic a tion. R e ly i ng in pa rt on thosestudie s, the EPA ha d m ista

ke nly c onc lude d tha

t OTT a pplic a tion of Xte ndiM a x c re ate d

“ m inim a l risks, if the y

e xist a t a ll.” M onsa

n to furthe r de sc ribe d the ne w studie s a s

“ m im ic [king] m a

ny ‘ re a l world’ c o m

m e rc ia l a pplic a tions a

nd c a ptur[ing] the full
range of pote ntia l c o nditions tha t m ight c a use vola tility .” The first a dditiona l study

wa s c onduc te d in Oc tobe r 2016 in Te x a s on a ba re 4.6-a c re fie ld, a

nd a post-e m e rge nt 9.1-a c re DT c otton fie ld. The se c o nd study wa s
c onduc te d in De c e m

be r 2017 on a

post-e m e rge nt thirty -se ve n-a c re soy be an fie ld in Austra lia . The third study wa s c onduc te d in M ay

2018 on a

post-e m e rge nt twe nty six-a c re s oy

be a n fie ld in Ariz ona . The fourth study wa s c onduc te d in M ay and June 2018 on a

post-e m e rge nt, nine -a c re DT soy be an fie ld in M issouri. Thefifth study wa s c onduc te d in June and July 2018 on a

post-e m e rge nt one -hundre d-a c re soy be an fie ld in Ne bra ska . All five studie s m e a s ure d a ir sa m ple s to de te rm ine the flux rate of vola

tiliz e d dic a

m ba . (Flux ra

te is a m e a sure m e n t of vola tiliz e d dic a m ba during a spe c ific tim e pe riod.) In its white pa pe r, M o nsa

nto de sc ribe d 29e a c h of the five studie s a s c o nc luding tha t “ [t] he highe st pe ak flux ra te [wa s]
. . . c onsiste n t with pe a k flux va lue s from the Te xa s a

n d Ge orgia

studie s subm itte d prior to the 2016 Xte ndiM a x re gistra tion.” M onsa n to a lso c o nduc te d a

spra y drift study

in c onjunc tion with its vola tility study on the Ariz ona

soy be an fie ld. It re porte d

the re s ult of its study

a s “ c o nsiste nt with a nd c onfirm a tory of . . . EPA’ s 2016 de te rm ination tha t no spra y drift would
oc c ur outside of the 110-ft. buffe r are a in a m ounts tha

t c o uld ha ve an e ffe c t on pla n t he ight.” 2. Te le phone R e ports to M onsa nto M onsa n to re p o rte d in its white

pa pe r that it ha d re c e ive d “ hundre ds of te le phone c a lls re ga

rding a lle ge d off ta

rge t m ove m e n t” of dic am ba during the 2017
and 2018 growing se a sons. M onsa nto re porte d tha

t by July 19, 2017, it had
re c e ive d 1,002 c a lls. M onsa nto re porte d tha

t a s of the sa

m e date on 2018 it had
re c e ive d 468 c a lls. Of the468 c a lls in 2018, he rbic ide a pplic a tors ha d m a de 172
c a lls, a n d “ non-a pplic a tors” ha d m a de 296. M o nsa nto re porte d tha

t it ha d
e va luate d 450 of the c a lls. M onsa nto c onc lude d

tha t Xte ndiM a x wa s ne ve r, or
a lm ost ne ve r, a t fa

ult. It wrote , “ Xte ndiM a x vola t ility c a use d fe w i f any inc ide nts of off-targe t m ove m e nt. Inde e d, M onsa nto ha s ide n tifie d only

e ight inc ide nts (le ss tha n 1%) whe re vola

tility e v e n possibly

c ould ha ve be e n the c a

use
— and none of

30those we re c o nfirm e d to be c a u se d by vola tility a s a ll e ight inc ide nts ha d othe r pote ntia l c a

use s a s we ll.” (Em

pha sis in origina

l .) M onsa n to a bsolve d Xte ndiM a x ba se d prim arily on the fa c t tha

t m any of the fie lds with a lle ge d dic a m

ba dam a ge we re loc a te d

fifty to one hundre d fe e t a way from c orn fie lds. M onsa

nto spe c ulate d

tha t othe r he rbic ide s, suc h a s olde r form ulat ions of dic a m

b a , ha d be e n use d on the c orn fie lds a nd ha d drifte d onto
a dja c e nt non-DT soy

be an fie l ds. This e xpla

nation, howe ve r, is not supporte d by the d a ta . Olde r, non-Xte ndiM a x dic am ba ha s be e n use d on post-e m e rge nt c o rn fie lds for de c a de s, a

nd c om pla ints of dic am

ba dam a ge to a dja c e n t c rops ha d be e n
c onsiste n tly

low. M onsa

nto ne e de d to e xpla in why , if he rbic ide use on c orn fie lds
wa s at fa ult, the num

be r of he rbic ide drift c om pla ints ha d sky

roc ke t e d in 2017 a

nd 2018, a fte r Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , a n d Fe Xa pa n we re re giste re d for post-e m e rge nt
use . M onsa

nto the oriz e d, without supporting e v i de nc e , tha

t be c a use of the inc re a se d public ity

surrounding the

ne w dic a m b a form ulations, thea

pplic a tors a

nd farm e rs who c om

p la ine d of dic a m

ba dam a ge we re “ notic ing— and re porting for the first tim e
— e ffe c ts tha

t like ly have be e n pre se nt for y e ars.” The re is no indic a tion in the white pa

pe r that M onsa

nto e v e r sought to c onfirm its the ory by a s king growe rs on the a dja c e nt c o rn fie lds whe the r, whe n, a n d in wha t m anne r, the y

m ight have use d dic a m ba . M ore ove r, a

2014 U.S. De pa

rtm e nt of Agric ulture re port 31indic a te s tha t use of the olde r form

ulations of dic am

ba on c orn ha d be e n

fa lling in
re c e nt y e ars, a s c orn growe rs turne d to ne w e r he rbic ide s. B e twe e n 1993 a n d 1997, dic a m ba ha d be e n use d on be twe e n 21 a nd 29 pe rc e nt of c orn a c re a ge ; in 2012, it
wa s use d on only

a bout 12 pe rc e nt of c o rn a c re a ge .

3. Othe r Fie ld Studie s In m a king its 2018 re g istra tion de c ision, theEPA a lso c onside re d data from
re se arc h c onduc te d by

the Unive rsity

of Arka nsa s, the Unive rsity

of W isc o nsinM a d ison, Purdue Unive rsity , M ic higa n State Unive rsity , a

nd the Unive rsity

of Ne bra ska . The se studie s we re de signe d to e va luat e spra y drift a n d vola tility of dic a m ba whe n a pplie d to fie lds of te n to forty a c re s. The EPA a lso looke d at a
se rie s of sm a l l-sc a le fie ld studie s (0.17 to 3.5 a c re s) c onduc te d in Arka nsa s, India na , M issouri, Nebra ska , a n d Te nne sse e . Studie s in both the la rge r-sc a le and
sm a ll-sc a le se ttings a sse s se d both Enge nia and Xte n diM a x. (Xte ndiM a x a nd Fe Xa p an involvethe sam e form of dic am ba and both ha

ve “ Va porGrip Te c hnology .” ) From

the fie ld da

ta , the EPA c onc lude d tha t e ve n the ne we r dic a m ba form ulations c o uld vola

tiliz e and drift, re s ulting in visua l injury to pla nts. 4. Sum m ary The a pplic ant da

ta be fore the EPA a

he a d of the 2018 c onditiona l
re gistra tions c o nsiste d in pa

rt of studie s tha

t M onsa nto c ha ra c te riz e s a s m e re ly
c onfirm i ng da

t a use d to support the

2016 re gistra

t ions. The 2016 re gistra

tions, of 32c ourse , re sulte d in m illions of a c re s of re porte d dic a m ba dam a ge . B u t

we ne e d not de c ide whe the r substa

ntia l e vide nc e supports the EPA’ s c onc lusion tha

t

“ satisfa c tory

data ” ha d be e n subm itte d. Se e 7 U.S.C . § 136a (c )(7)(B )(i) (re quiring that the “ a pplic ant . . . subm

it[] satisfa c tory

data pe rta i ning to the

propose d
a dditiona l use ” ). FIFR

A re q uire s both “ satisfa c t ory

dat a ” and

a finding tha

t
a m e ndm e nt of the re g istra tion will not “ signific an tly inc re a se the risk of a

ny
unre a s ona

ble a d ve rse e ffe c t

on the e n vironm e nt.” Id. § 136a (c )(7)(B )(i)–(ii). W e turn now to this se c ond re quire m e nt a nd c onc lude tha

t the EPA’ s de t e rm i nation that the re quire m e n t wa s sa

t isfie d is not supporte d by substa ntia l e vide n c e . B . Whe the r Am e n dm e nt “ Signific antly Inc re a se [s] the R i sk of Any Unre a sona

b le Adve rse Effe c t on the Environm e nt” To a p prove a c onditiona l am e ndm e nt of a re gistra tion for a n a lre a dy
re giste re d pe stic ide , the Adm inistra t or of the EPA m

ust find unde r FIFR

A tha t the
a m e ndm e nt “ would not signific antly inc re a se the risk of a

ny unre a sona

b le a dve rse
e ffe c t on the e nvironm e nt.” Id
. Suc h e ffe c ts inc l ude “ any unre a sona

ble risk to
m an or the e nvironm e nt, ta king into a c c ount the e c onom ic , soc ia l, a nd
e nvironm e nta l c osts a

nd be ne fits of the use any pe s tic ide
. ” Id. § 136(bb). In its Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision doc um e nt, the EPA c onc l ude d “ that e xte nding theOTT
use of dic a m

ba for two y e ars on dic am

ba -tole ran t c otton a

nd dic am ba -tole rant

33soy

be an s in the m anne r a

uthoriz e d unde r this de c ision will not c a use unre a sona

ble
a dve rse e ffe c ts on the e nvironm e nt.” As de sc ribe d a

bove , the EPA found two be ne fits re sulting from the 2018
re gistra tions— providing soy

be an a nd c otton growe rs a

n a dditiona l tool for
m ana ging diffic ult-to-c ontrol we e d s, a nd de la y ing we e d re sista

nc e to othe r he rbic ide s. Am

ple e vide nc e s upports the se two findings. Nota b ly , howe ve r, the EPA in 2018 re fuse d to find a s a be ne fit tha

t OTT a pplic a tion of dic a

m ba he rbic ide s inc re a se d c rop y ie l ds by c om pa rison to a pplic a tion of othe r he rbic ide s. Aga inst those

two be ne fits, the EPA ba la nc e d the risks, whic h it
c ha ra c te riz e d a s “ i m

p a c ts.” It divide d those im pa c ts into thre e c a te g orie s
— im pa c ts to non-DT soy

b e an growe rs; im

pa c ts to growe rs of othe r dic am b a -se nsitive c rops;
and im pa c ts to the“ la

ndsc a pe .” A re v ie w of the re c o rd shows tha t the EPA substa

ntia l ly unde rsta te d the risks tha t it a c knowle dge d. The re vie w a lso shows tha t the EPA e ntire ly

fa ile d to
a c knowle dge othe r risks.

1. Unde rstate m e nt of Ac knowle dge d R isks In both the re gistra

tion de c ision doc um e nt signe d on Oc tobe r 31 a nd the OPP doc um e n t da

te d the sa m e da y , the EPA substa

ntia lly unde rstate d the risks to non-DT pla

nts by OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba he rbic i de s.
a . DT Se e d Ac re a ge

34First, the EPA unde rsta te d the DT se e d a c re a ge tha t ha d be e n pla

nte d in 2018, a nd the re fore the am ount of dic am ba he rbic ide that ha d be e n a pplie d to poste m e rge n t c rops tha

t y e ar. The EPA re lie d on a M o nsa nto pre dic tion tha

t 40
m illion a c re s of its DT soy be ans would be pla

nte d in 2018. This re lia

nc e wa s im prope r. The EPA’ s de c ision doc um e nt wa s signe d on Oc tobe r 31, at the e nd of the g rowing se a son. B y

the n, the EPA wa s in a

position to know the

a c tua l a c re a ge of DT se e ds tha

t ha d be e n pla

nte d. In its white

pa pe r, M onsa

nto ha d writte n tha

t 56 m illion a c re s of its DT se e ds ha d be e n pla nte d in 2018. It did not spe c ify what sha re c a m e from

DT soy be ans a nd wha t sha re c am e from

DT c o tton. B ut the
re c o rd e lse whe re indic a te d tha t DT soy be ans c om

prise d a s m any

a s 50 m illion of those a c re s. In othe r words, the EPA unde re stim ate d by a s m uc h a s 25 pe rc e nt the
a m ount of DT soy

be ans pla n te d and, c om m e nsurate ly , the am ount of dic am ba he rbic ide s a

pplie d in 2018. b. Unde r-R e porting or Ove r-R e porting of Dic am ba Dam a ge Se c ond, the EPA’ s c o nc l usion tha t c om pla ints to sta

te de pa rtm e nts of
a gric ulture of dic a m

ba dam a ge c ould ha

ve e ithe r unde r-re porte d or ove r-re p orte d the a c tua l am ount of da

m a ge is not supporte d by

substa ntia l e vide nc e . The re c ord
c le arly shows tha

t c om pla ints unde rstate d the am ount of dic am ba dam a ge .

35A gra

ph inc lude d

in the EPA’ s de c i sion doc um e nt shows c om pla ints m a de to sta te a gric ulture de pa

rtm e nts in sixte e n of the thirty -four sta t e s in whic h OTT
a pplic a tion of dic a

m ba wa s a uthoriz e d. The gra

p h c ove rs the pe riod from 2013 through 2018 a

nd inc lude s a ll c om

pla ints of he rbic i de drift, not lim ite d to dic am

ba
. Ac c ording to the

gra ph, he rbic ide drift c om

pla ints c onsiste ntly ave ra ge d slightly fe we r tha n 1,000 pe r y e ar from 2013 through 2015. The num be r of c om

pla ints
rose to a little unde r 1,250 during 2016— the y e ar DT soy

be ans a nd c otton be c am e
a va ila ble for pla

n t ing a nd we re re porte dly

spra y e d with dic am

ba he rbic ide s not
a pprove d for OTT use
. In 2017, thefirst y e a r that OTT a

pplic ation of dic am

ba
wa s a llowe d, the re we re m ore tha n 3,000 drift c om

pla ints. In 2018, the

re we re
m ore tha n 2,250 suc h c om

pla ints. The EPA ha s no e xpla

nation for the spike in c om p la ints in 2017 a

nd 2018 othe r tha n the ne w c onditiona l re gistra tion of dic am

ba for OTT a

pplic a tion. The EPA m i nim iz e d

the signific anc e of the inc re a s e in c om pla i nts by c re diting a

vie w that the num b e r of c om

pla ints c ould re fle c t a

n ove r-re porting of da

m a ge . It wrote in its re gistra

tion de c ision tha

t m any industry sta

ke holde rs be lie ve d tha

t the
num be r of c o m

pla ints unde r-re porte d the am ount of dic am ba -c a use d da m a ge , but that “ othe rs” be lie ve d inste a d tha t the c om pla i nts ove r-re porte d the am o unt of dam a ge :
36A cc ording to the AAPC O [the Assoc iation of Am e ric an Pe stic ide

C ontrol Offic i a ls] , unive r s i t y re se arc he rs, a n d som e growe rs, the num be r o f c a se s re p o rte d to sta te a ge nc ie s m ay be s ubsta n t ia lly lowe r t h an t he a c t

ua l inc ide nts . . . obse rve d in t he fie ld
. . . . Othe rs b e li ev e that the re m ay be issue s of ove rre p orting. (Em pha s is a dde d.) The EPA wrote to the sa m e e ffe c t in its OPP doc um e n t, “ The
num be r of inc ide n ts m ay

not a c c ura te ly re pre se nt the e xte nt of dic am ba -re l a te d dam a ge ; inc ide nts m ay

be unde r- or ove r-re porte d.” The EPA did not spe c ify

in the te xt of its re gistra

tion de c ision who the

“ othe rs” (plura l ) we re . Howe ve r, it a ppe nde d to the te xt a footnote c iting only the M onsa nto whitepa

pe r. That is, M onsa

nto, a nd only M o nsa nto, wa s the “ othe rs.” As note d a

bove , M onsa

nto wrote in its white

pa pe r that it ha d c onc lude d tha t none , or a lm o st none , of the dam a g e re porte d in the 450 te le phone c a lls it ha d e va luate d in 2018 ha d be e n c a

use d by the ne wly

re g iste re d dic am

ba he rbic ide s. M onsa

nto spe c ulate d tha

t the dam a ge wa s la

rge ly c a use d by othe r he rbic ide s, inc luding the olde r form

ulations of dic a m

ba , a pplie d on ne arby c orn fie lds; spe c ulat e d tha t the profe s siona l a

pplic ators a

n d farm e rs who c a lle d c o m

pla ining of dic am

b a dam a ge ha d ha d suc h da

m a g e in prior y e ars; a

nd spe c ulate d tha

t the c a lle rs e ithe r ha d not notic e d the dam a ge pre viously or ha d not a ttribute d it to dic a m ba
. (R e c a ll tha

t dic a m ba use on c orn ha d be e n de c re a sing in re c e nt y e ars, a n d tha t dic am ba dam a ge is e a sily de te c te d by

its signa ture “ le a f c upping” on a ffe c te d pla nts.)

37The EPA’ s purporte d a gnostic ism a s to whe the r dic a

m b a dam a ge wa s unde ror ove r-re porte d is c ontra dic te d by ove rwhe lm ing re c ord e vide nc e tha t dic am ba dam a ge wa s substa

ntia l l y unde r-re porte d . For e xam ple , during thesum

m e r of 2018, Profe ssor R obe rt Ha rtz le r a t Iowa

Stat e Unive rsity (“ ISU” ) c onduc te d a
surve y of unive rsity

fie ld a gronom i sts tha

t wa s forwa

rde d to B aris of the EPA. Hartz l e r re c ounte d: “ W e know the re porte d inc ide nc e s re pre se nt a ve ry sm a ll fra c tion of total drift c a se s a s fa rm e rs a re re l uc ta nt to involve

re gula tory a ge nc ie s. The m a jority of ISU Exte nsion a

nd Outre a c h a g ronom ists re porte d tha t Iowa De pa rtm e nt of Agric u lture and La nd Ste wardship (IDALS) wa s c onta c t e d in le ss tha n 25% of the dic a m

ba c a se s, a nd nobody

re porte d IDALS wa s c o nta c te d in the
m a jority of c a se s.” In a

Se pte m be r 2017 a

rtic le in the re c ord from

the Progre

ssiv e Farme r , C arrie Le a c h, Qua lity Assura nc e Dire c tor for the Offic e of India na State C he m ist, e stim a te d tha

t only one out of te n farm e rs a ffe c t e d by dic am ba injury
a c tua lly file d form a l c om

pla ints with her offic e . In Se pte m be r 2018, be fore the EPA issue d its de c i sion doc um e nt, B aris him se l f gave a Powe rPoint pre se ntation in whic h he a dm itte d, “

Not a l l re ports of c rop da m a ge we re re porte d to Sta t e De pa rtm e nts of Agric ulture .” If c om pla i nts to sta

te de pa rtm e nts of a gric ulture unde r-re porte d dic a m

ba dam a ge , the am o unt of a c tua l dic am ba dam a ge wa s, of
c ourse , e ve n gre a te r tha

n wha t the gra ph in the EPA’ s 2018 de c ision doc um e nt
c a pture d. 38c . Fa ilure to Qua ntify or Estim a te Dic am

ba Dam a ge Third, the EPA re fuse d to qua ntify or e stim at e the am ount of da m a ge c a use d by OTT a pplic a t ion of dic a

m ba he rbic ide s, or e ve n to a dm it tha t the re wa s a

ny dam a ge a t a ll. W

he n re fe rring to dic am

ba dam a g e to non-DT soy

be ans, the EPA wrote in its 2018 de c i sion doc um e nt only that suc h soy be a n s “ m ay p ote ntially be dam a ge d.” (Em

p ha sis a dde d.) In the a c c om pa ny i ng OPP doc um e nt, it wrotewith
re spe c t to suc h soy

be ans, “ In ge ne ra l , e xposure during the re produc tive growth sta ge s c ould re

sult in re duc tions in yie ld . . . , but the Age nc y doe s not hav e information to quantify

this c laim .” (Em

pha sis a dde d .) W he n re fe rring to othe r non-DT c rops, the EPA ide ntifie d a num be r of suc h c rops by

nam e , but did not write tha t a ny ha d be e n da

m a ge d by dic am

ba
. W he n re fe rring to dic am ba -c a use d dam a ge to the “ la

n dsc a pe ,” it wrote only of “ inc ide n ts alle g i ng dam a g e ” and of

“ [ p ] ote n tial im pa c ts [tha t] c ould re

sult in da m a ge .” (Em

pha sis a dde d.) The EPA ha d inform ation from whic h it c ould ha ve qua ntifie d dic am

ba dam a ge , e ve n if it c ould not ha v e c a lc ulate d with pre c ision there duc tion in y ie ld
c a use d by the dam a ge . For e x a

m ple , B aris ha d c onc e de d in his Septe m be r 2018 Powe rPoint pre se ntation tha t in 2017 “m ore tha

n 3.6 m illion” a c re s of non-DT soy be an s ha d be e n da

m a ge d by dic am ba . Inde e d , in its 2018 re gistra tion de c ision, the E PA itse lf re fe rre d to the 3.6 m illion figure
. B ra dle y of the Unive rsity of M issouri, the

sourc e of the 3.6 m illion figure , ha d re porte d tha t by m id-July 2018, 39a

pproxim a te l y

1.1 m illion a c re s of non-DT soy b e a ns ha d a lre a dy

be e n da m a ge d in
e ighte e n sta

te s. The EPA a l so ha d a

gre a t de a l of qua lita

tive inform a tion a

bout e xte nsive dic a m ba dam a ge during both 2017 a nd 2018. W e foc us he re only on the dam a ge
re porte d in 2018. In c om m e nts forwa

rde d by e m a il to B aris, B ra dle y wrote tha t a s of June 1 , “ unive rsity

we e d sc ie ntists a

nd sta te De pa rtm e nt of Agric ulture
re pre se ntative s” ha d re porte d dic a m ba injury to “ spe c ia lty

c rops, ve ge ta

ble , and
ornam e nta l, fruit, a

nd sha de tre e s.” Dr. Ford B a ldwin of Pra c tic a l W e e d C onsulta nts, LLC in Arka

n sa s wrote in a

le tte r forwarde d to B aris on June 25,

“ Onc e a ga in in 2018, la

rge a c re a ge s of non-dic a

m b a -tole rant soy

be ans in e a ste rn Arkansa s a

re a ffe c te d by

this he rbic ide a s we ll a s m any ve ge ta b le s. In a d dition,
m ost tre e s in the c o untry side and towns a re c upping a

nd e v e n dy ing following
m ultiple y e ars of e xposure .” In a Farm Progre ss ne w s a rtic le on June 26, B ra dle y is quote d a s sa

y ing, with re s pe c t to dic am ba dam a ge in the “ boothe e l ” of M issouri,

“ From what I c an te ll, . . . if y ou don’ t ha v e Xte nd soy

b e an, y our c rop is going to be c u ppe d from one e nd to the othe r. That’ s not a surprise be c a use we ’ v e se e n tha

t for the pa st two se a sons.” In a July 2 e m a il forwa

rde d to B aris, Dua

n e Sim o n, a Supe rvisor a

t the Kansa s De pa

rtm e nt of Agric u lture , wrote , “ So y ou know, for thela st two we e ks
we have be e n

ove r run with dic a m

ba c om pla ints in Ka

nsa s. M ost of the m

have 40be e n on the Ea ste rn side of the sta te .” Andre wThoste nson, a pe stic i de progra

m spe c ia list a

t North Da kota State Unive rsity , wrote in a July 23 e m a il to B a

ris,

“ W hat we now know, in 2018, is tha t m inim i z ing off ta

rge t m ove m e nt of dic am

ba to a re a sona

ble le ve l is NOT possible . If y o u ta ke 2017[] off the boa

rd, a n d only look a t wha t ha s ha ppe ne d in 2018, I think this le v e l of m o ve m e nt is c om

ple te ly
una c c e p ta ble .” A July

20 a rtic le in DTN’ s Progre

ssiv e Farme r , forwarde d

to a n EPA offic ia l on July

25, re porte d e x te nsive dic am b a dam a ge . Da

m a ge suffe re d by M ike Ha y e s, a Te nne sse e re sort owne r, wa s one of m any e x am ple s: “ La st y e ar, Hay e s e xpe rie n c e d wa

v e a fte r wave of dic am

ba e xposure . It wipe d out the re sort’ s ga rde n
— whic h supplie s the on-site re sta uran t— thre e tim e s be fore Ha

y e s gave up. He e stim ate s it kille d 20% of the y oung tre e s he pla n te d . . . . This y e ar, he
e stim a te s he ha s be e n hit e ight se pa ra te tim e s by

dic a m ba
. He e xpe c ts five c y

pre ss tre e s to die this y e a

r . . . .” In an August 8 a

rtic le in De lta Farm Pre

s s , Profe ssor La

rry Ste c k e l of the Unive rsity

of Te nne sse e wrote , “ [T] he drift we . . . sa w this Juneand July

in Te nne sse e with dic a m

ba in the ne w use patte rn in Xte nd c rops is like nothing I have e v e r se e n be fore . I ha v e ne ve r se e n a

he rbic ide tha

t ha s so e a sily

and fre que ntly

slippe d the le a sh. Nor ha ve I se e n a

he rbic ide that, onc e off the le a sh, would roa

m so fa r. Dic a m b a drift for the pa st thre e y e ars ha s ofte n tra ve lle d a ha l f
m ile to thre e -qua

rte rs of a m ile and, a ll too fre que ntly , we ll be y ond tha t. . . . M y 41be st e stim a te is tha t Te nne sse e ha s roughly

100,000 a c re s of non-dic am ba tole rant soy be an s pla nte d and a bout 40 pe rc e nt of the m

are c urre ntly

showing dic a

m ba injury .” Ha

rtz l e r of ISU wrote in August 15 of his surve y of ISU fie ld
a gronom ists: “ Ha l f of the a gronom ists sta te d the num be r of soy be an a c re s dam a ge d by

dic a m ba wa s sim ila

r to 2017, whe re a s the re m a inde r we re split be twe e n fe we r a c re s a

nd m ore a c re s da

m a ge d in 2018 tha

n 2017. W

he n I’ v e a ske d
c om m e rc ia l a gronom i s ts the sa m e que s tion, therange of re sponse s wa s sim ila r to those of m

y e xte nsion c olle a gue s.”

2. Fa ilure to Ac knowle dge R isks The EPA not only substa

ntia lly unde rstate d

the risks it a c knowle dge d, a s just de sc ribe d. It a l so e ntire ly fa ile d to a c knowle dge othe r risks, inc luding those it
wa s sta tutorily re quire d to c onside r, a s we de s c ribe be low.
a . Substa ntia l Non-C o m

p lia nc e with La

be l R e stric tions Exte nsive e vide nc e in the re c ord indic a te s tha t the re is a

risk of substa

ntia l
non-c o m plia n c e with the EPA-m andate d la be l for the 2019 a

n d 2020 growing
se a s ons. Non-c om

p lia nc e with the re stric tions, of c ourse , will re sult in dic am ba dam a ge . The EPA e ntire ly fa ile d to a c knowle dge this risk. As de ta ile d

a b ove , the re have be e n

thre e se ts of EPA-m an date d la be l
re stric tions for OTT use

of Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , a nd Fe Xa pa n. The initia l se t wa s for the 2017 growing se a son, a fte r the he rbic i de s we re first c o nditiona lly 42re giste re d; the se c ond wa s for the 2018 growing se a s on, a fte r the he rbic ide

m anufa c ture rs “ volunte e re d” to a m e nd the la

be l; a n d the third wa s for the 2019 a nd 2020 growing se a sons, a fte r the c onditiona l re gistra tions we re e x te nde d for two y e ars. The la

be ls be c a m e inc re a singly

re stric tive and, c orre spondingly , m ore diffic u lt to follow. The 2018 la

be l, for use during the 2019 a n d 2020 growing se a sons, is ha rdly
a “ la be l” a s tha

t te rm is usua lly unde rstood. It is forty pa ge s long, with m

yria d instruc tions a

nd re stric tions. The2018 la be l provide s , inte r a l ia , (1) a p plic a tion is pe rm itte d only be t

we e n o n e hour a fte r sunrise and two hours be fore sunse t; (2)
a pplic a tion is prohibite d if the wind spe e d is be l ow thre e m i le s pe r hour or a bove te n m ile s pe r hour; (3) a

pplic ation is prohibite d

during te m

pe ra ture inve rsions; (4)
a pplic a tion is prohibite d if ra in re sulting in soil runoff is e xpe c te d in the following twe nty -four hours; (5) a

pplic a tion is prohibite d whe n the wind is blowing towa rd

“ a d ja c e nt” non-DT soy

be an a nd c otton, a s we ll a s othe r dic am ba -se nsitive c rops; (6) the re m

ust be an in-fie ld, downwind buffer of a t le a st 110 fe e t; (7) in c e rta in
c ountie s, the re m

ust be an om

nidire c tiona l fifty -se ve n-foot in-fie ld buffe r; (8) spra y ing e quipm e nt m a

y not e xc e e d a

ground spe e d of fifte e n m ile s pe r hour; (9) the s pray boom

c an be no m ore tha

n twe nty -four inc he s a

bove the ta

rge t we e d or the c rop c anopy ; (10) for DT soy be ans, only

two a pplic a tions pe r c rop a

re pe rm itte d, with thela st a

pplic a tion no la

te r tha n forty -five da

y s a fte r pla

nting; (11) 43for DT c otton, only two a p plic a tions pe r c rop a

re pe rm itte d, with thela st
a pplic a tion no la

te r tha n sixty da y s a fte r pla

nting; and (12) a ll a

pplic a tors m

ust be
c e rtifie d a nd ha ve dic a m ba -spe c ific tra ining. Eve n be fore the a dditiona l re s tric tions we re a dde d to the 2018 la b e l, m any industry profe ssiona ls ha d be e n dism ay e d by the diffic ulty in c om

ply ing with the
c om ple x and one rous la

be l re quire m e nts. B y

Oc tobe r 2018, the re wa s substa ntia l
e vide nc e tha

t e ve n c onsc ie ntious a

pplic a tors ha d

not be e n a

b le c onsiste ntly

to
a dhe re to the la

be l re q u ire m e nts. Dave C oppe ss, a

n e xe c utive vic e pre side nt a t He artLa nd C o-op in Iowa , wa s inte rvie we d for a

n April 17, 2018, a

rtic le in Agribusine

ss Global. The artic le
a ppe are d in B aris’ Google Ale rt for “ dic am ba ,” and othe rwise would ha v e be e n
a c c e ssible to him
. C oppe ss sa id of the la be l tha t ha d be e n in pla c e for the 2017 growing se a son, “ This wa s proba bly the m ost c om

ple x la be l I ha d e ve r se e n in m

y 40-y e a r c are e r . . . .” “ La s t y e ar, our sa le s m an a ge r c a l c ulate d tha t ba se d on the [2017] la be l, we only

ha d 44 hours of a

pplic at ion tim e that

our rigs would ha

ve be e n on la

be l . Tha t’ s the old la

be l. Now, thene w la

be l is going to be e ve n m ore
re stric tive . . . .” A que stion subm

itte d to Ke igwin of theEPA in April 2018 by an atte nde e of
a dic a m ba we bina r for the Agric ultura l R e ta ile rs Assoc iation a ske d, “ The re doe sn’ t
a ppe ar to be any

wa y for an a pplic a tor to be 100% le ga l in the ir a pplic a tion. W

hat 44is a

n a pplic a t or to do in this no-win situa tion? ” B rian M a

jor, a gra in produc e r in Fulton C ounty , Ke n tuc ky , wrote in a n August 15, 2018, e

m a il to Ke igwin, de sc ribing a

DT soy be a n fie ld surrounde d by

non-DT c rops: “ [T] he re is no le ga l
way to spra y this fie ld. You c an’ t a

pply dic am ba with a wind spe e d of 0 M PH (m ust be 3-10 M PH) and y ou c an’ t a pply it whe n the wind is blowing towa rds a
se nsitive c rop. So the re is re a lly no wa y to use the produc ts.” He c ontinue d: “ W e he re in we st Ke ntuc ky

are a lso se e ing a

la c k a da isic a l a

pproa c h from

the Ky De pt of Agric ulture on e nforc e m e nt of the la be l , the fine s for la

be l viola t ion a re vie we d
a m ong the viola

t ors ‘ a s the c ost of doing busine ss’ or ‘ it’ s c he a pe r to pa y the fine tha n lose y ie ld by

not spra y ing.’ ” An August 21, 2018, Na tiona l Public R a dio inte rvie w with a

vine y ard owne r, c irc ulate d a s a n atta c hm e nt to a

n inte rna l EPA
e m a il, re porte d: “ Longtim e wine m ake r B obby C ox sa y s a 10-m ph da y in bluste ry W e st Te xa s is ba sic a lly

a fa iry ta le . ‘ You c a

n ’ t do it,’ he sa

y s, la ughing uproa riously . ‘ Your fa iry godm othe r ha s to pull out a wa nd, ta p the pum p kin a nd turn it into a

c arria ge .’ ” In a July 20, 2018, a

rtic le in a Purdue Unive rsity

ne wsle tte r forwarde d by B aris to his EPA c olle a gue s, Purdue Profe ssor B ill Johnson a n d W e e d Sc ie n c e Progra m Spe c ia list JoeIkle y

c a lc ulat e d the diffic ulty

in c om ply ing with the

2017 la be l during the2018 growing se a son. The y ignore d the la b e l ’ s prohibition on
a pplic a tion whe n ra in is fore c a s t in the ne xt twe nty -four hours, inste a d re ly ing on 45a c tua l ra infa ll e ve nts. Ta king into a c c o unt the re stric tions ba se d on wind spe e d
and te m pe ra ture inve rsions, the y

c a lc ulat e d for a

loc a tion ne ar Purdue ’ s India na
a gric ulture sta

tion tha t the re we re only

forty -se v e n hours in the

e ntire m o nth of June 2018 during whic h OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba would ha ve be e n le ga l
. The re we re only two da

y s of the m onth in whic h a pplic a tion during a

n e ight-hour da y would ha ve be e n possible

— e le ve n hours during one da y , and e ight hours during a nothe r. The re m a ining hours we re sc a tte re d throughout the re st of the
m onth: onehour (one da

y ); two hours (oneda

y ); thre e hours (thre e da

y s), five hours (two da

y s); six hours (one

da y ). Johnson a

nd Ikle y c onc lude d tha

t the data

“ re inforc e s the fa c t tha

t we do not ha

ve ve ry m any

hours in there a l world whe re
we c an be c om

ple te ly c om plia n t with there stric tions on the ne wdic am

ba produc t la be ls.” B a se d in pa

rt on this da

ta , the Offic e of India

na State C he m ist obse rve d that “ the 2017 a

n d 2018 dic a m

b a la be l dire c tions ha

v e be e n e x tre m e ly

c ha lle nging for a t ra i ne d a pplic ator to c om

ply with c om ple t e ly .” The Illinois Fe rtiliz e r and C h e m ic a l Assoc iation c onduc te d a surve y of its
m e m b e rs in July

and August 2018. One que stion wa s: “ As a c om m e rc ia l
a pplic a tor, do y ou fe e l tha

t y our ope rators we re a

ble to follow the dic am

ba produc t la be l e ffe c t ive l y this y e ar? ” Approxim a te ly 66 pe rc e nt of the re sponde nts
answe re d “ y e s” ; a pproxim a te l y

28 pe rc e nt a

n swe re d “ m ost of the tim e ” ; a nd
a pproxim a te l y

6 pe rc e n t answe re d “ n o.” C om

m e nts a ppe nde d to the surve y

re sults 46inc l ude d: “ C onditions tha t a llow for a

te c hnic a l ly

le ga l a p plic a tion is ve ry

sm a ll” ;

“ W e a the r is ne ve r right. Too windy , too hot, to[o] hum id— we c an’ t win” ; “ Ve ry light, shifting winds m

a de it im possible to ‘ a lwa

y s be right’ during the tim e whe n
we ne e de d to spra

y ” ; and “ I be lie ve it is im

possibleto m a

k e an on-la

be l a pplic a tion
a s the la be l is writte n . . . .” The c om m e nts, e m a ils, a

nd ne ws a rtic le s re c e ive d

by the EPA we re dire c te d to the la b e ls in pla c e for the 2017 a nd 2018 growing y e a

rs— the pe riod le a ding up to the EPA’ s 2018 re gistra tion de c ision c ha lle nge d he re . As de sc ribe d a bove , the EPA a dde d e ve n m ore re stric tions in Oc tobe r 2018. Two c h an ge s a re pa rtic ula rly note worthy . First, during 2018, OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba to DT soy

be ans a nd
c otton wa s le ga l from

sunrise to sundown. During 2019 a nd 2020, thea

pplic a tion pe riod will bere duc e d by thre e hours e ve ry da y , now running from

one hour a fte r sunrise to two hours be fore sunse t. Se c ond, in 2018, the re wa s no da

y s -a fte rpla n ting prohibition. In 2019 a nd 2020, fa

rm e rs will ha

ve to a pply OTT dic am

ba within sixty

da y s of pla nting DT c otton, a

nd within forty -five da

y s of pla nting DT soy be an s. M any

a pplic ators found it diffic

ult or im possibleto c o m

ply with the 2017 la be l during the2018 growing se a son. C om plia nc e with the 2018 la

be l during the 2019 a

n d 2020 growing se a sons will be e v e n m ore diffic ult. In its Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision a pproving OTT use

of dic am ba on DT soy be an s a n d c otton, the E PA nowhe re a c knowle dge d the e vide n c e in the re c ord 47showing the re ha d be e n substa n tia l diffic ulty in c om

ply ing with the

m itiga tion
re quire m e nts of e a

rlie r la b e ls. Nor did it ac knowle dge the like lihood tha t the
a dditiona l m itiga

tion re quire m e nts im

pose d by the 2018 la

be l would inc re a se the de gre e of non-c o m

plia nc e . b. “ Ec o nom ic , Soc ia l, a

nd Environm e nta l C osts” FIFR A re quire s the EPA to c onside r, a s pa rt of a c ost-be ne fit a

na ly sis, “ any
unre a s ona

ble risk to m an or the e nvironm e nt, tak ing into ac c ount the e c onomic , soc i al, and e nv ironme ntal c osts and be ne fits of the use of a ny pe stic ide .” 7 U.S.C
. § 136(bb) (e m

pha sis a d d e d). The EPA e ntire ly fa ile d to a c knowle dge risks of
e c onom ic and soc ia l c osts. 1. Ec onom ic C o st The EPA e n tire ly

fa ile d to a c knowle d ge an e c o nom i c c o s t tha t is virtua lly
c e rta in to re sult from

the c onditiona l re gistra

t ions of the dic am

ba he rbic ide s for OTT a pplic a tion. The EPA kne w tha t M onsa nto’ s gly phosa te -re sista nc e tra it, a

nd
a c c om pa ny ing gly phosa te he rbic ide , ha d a c hie ve d a ne a r-m onopoly . M o re tha

n 90 pe rc e nt of soy

be ans pla nte d in 2008 we re grown from pate nte d gly

phosa t e -tole rant
se e d s. Pate nte d dic a m

ba -tole rant se e ds a

n d the thre e ne wdic am

ba he rbic ide s
a ppe ar to be we ll on the ir wa y to the sa m e de g re e of m arke t dom ina nc e . B y 2017, soy be an s with M o nsa

nto’ s dic a m

b a -tole ranc e tra it c om

p rise d a qua rte r of U.S. soy be an s, a nd m ore tha

n 6 pe rc e nt of a ll U.S. c ropla nd. B y 2018, M onsa

nto’ s 48dic a

m ba -tole ranc e tra it wa s in a pproxim at e ly

50 pe rc e n t of U.S. soy

b e a ns. Use of the t hre e dic a m ba he rbic ide s ha s inc re a se d

c om m e nsurate ly
. M any farm e rs ha

ve fe lt, a nd will c ontinue to fe e l, c om pe lle d by the inc re a se d pla

nting of DT soy

be ans, a nd the a c c om

p a ny ing inc re a se d use of OTT dic a m ba , to c ha n ge from non-DT to DT soy

be ans. R ob R obinson, C EO a nd owne r of R ob-Se e -C o in W a te rloo, Ne bra s ka , wrote in a Se pte m b e r 14, 2017, le tte r to the Adm inistra

tor of the EPA, “ [T] he am ount of da m a ge I am

he aring a bout from m y soy be an se e d c ustom e rs a

n d sa le s forc e is a la

rm ing. Eve n m ore a la

rm ing is the
num be r of m y c u stom e rs who ha

ve told m e the y

will pla nt a l l Xte nd va

rie tie s, inste a d of m

y [non-DT] se e d , a s a

de fe nsive m e a sure a ga inst da m a ge from
ne ighbors who will use

Xte nd va rie tie s a nd spra y the a pprove d dic am

ba produc t. . . . I find this issue inc re dibly

antic om pe titive . . . .” Joe M e rsc hm an, pre s ide nt a

nd C EO of M e rsc hm an Se e ds, Inc . in W e st Point, Iowa , wrote in a Se pte m be r 25, 2018, e m a il to Ke igwin of theEPA, “ This y e ar we are he aring this sta te m e nt ove r and ove r a ga in from our fa rm e r c ustom e rs whe n

it c om e s to pla nning the ir soy

be an se e d purc ha se s for 2019[:] ‘ I gue ss I will ha v e to pla nt dic a m ba re s ista nt soy be a ns ne xt y e ar to a

void the off ta

rge t injury . I c a

nn ot a fford to ke e p ge tting m

y soy b e ans da m a g e d from dic am

ba .’ ” M e rsc hm an wrote tha t
m arke t re se arc h from

the Iowa -Illinois-M i ssouri a re a indic a te d tha t 59 pe rc e nt of soy be an a c re s we re e xpe c t e d to be dic am b a -tole rant in 2019. Sonny B e c k, C EO of 49the s e e d c om pa ny B e c k ’ s Supe rior Hy

brids, wrote to Ke igwin on July 27, 2018,
a dvoc a ting tha

t the ne w dic a

m ba form ulations be re stric te d to pre -pla n t use only
e ve n though hehim s e lf ha d sold m o re tha n one m illion ba gs of Xte nd soy be an
se e d s in 2018. Among his re a sons, B e c k c i te d c onc e rn tha t othe r se e d te c hnologie s wouldn’ t ge t a

c ha nc e to “ m a ke an im

pa c t on we e d re s ista

nc e ,” a s farm e rs inc re a singly

a dopte d DT se e ds out of fe ar ove r dic am ba drift. Profe ssor Da

v id R ipplinge r of North Da kota Sta te Unive rsity

re c ounte d in a Fe brua ry 2018 a rtic le in Agw e e k, “ The farm e rs I ta lk to a re a lm ost a ll going to grow dic a m

ba soy be ans this y e ar be c a

use the y don’ t wa nt to be e xpose d

to the risk.” Ste c ke l of the Unive rsity of Te nne sse e re c ounte d

in his August 2018 a

rtic le ,

“ M any growe rs ha

ve told m e the y

sim ply gav e up try ing to grow non-Xte nd soy be an s be c a

use the y ha d re pe a te dly

se e n dic a m b a injury in pa s t y e ars— ofte n
m ultiple tim e s in the sa

m e y e a r.” In his le tte r forwarde d to the EPA in June 2018, Dr. B a ldwin wrote , “ Dic a m ba h a s a c he m istry

proble m tha t like l y c annot be fixe d,
or a t le a s t no e vide nc e ha s be e n provide d tha t it c a n be suc c e ssfully

a pplie d. If it
c an, it will only

be through a dva

nc e s in c h e m i stry . As the te c h nology c urre ntly
e xists, re ne wing the c otton a nd soy be an re gistra

tions will le ave the industry no
c hoic e but to pla

nt 100% of thesoy

be an a c re a ge [with] this te c hnology .” Exte nding thec onditiona l re gistra tions for OTT use

of Xte ndiM a x, Enge nia , and Fe Xa pa n c re a te s a

substa ntia l the risk tha

t DT soy b e ans, a nd possibly

DT 50c otton, will ac hie ve a m onopoly

or ne ar-m onopoly . The like ly anti-c om p e t itive
e ffe c t of the re g istra

tions would im

pose a c le ar e c onom ic c ost, but the EPA at no point ide ntifie d

or took into a c c ount this c ost.

2. Soc ia l C o st The EPA a l so e ntire ly

fa ile d to a c k

nowle dge a

soc ia l c ost tha

t ha d a lre a dy be e n e xpe rie nc e d a

nd wa s like ly

to inc re a se . The re c ord c onta ins e xte n sive
e vide nc e tha

t OTT a pplic a tion of dic am

ba he rbic ide s ha s torn a

pa rt the soc ia l fa bric of m any

farm ing c om

m unitie s. M a

jor, the Ke ntuc k

y gra in produc e r, wrote in his August 2018 e

m a il to Ke igwin: “ This use d to be a pre tty c lose are a , with
ne ighbors he lping ne i ghbors. This c he m ic a l ha s c ha nge d this for quite

a fe w growe rs. The a

pplic ators of dic a m

ba are dam a ging the ir ne ighbor’ s c rops a nd whe n the y

are a ske d a

bout it the

norm a l a nswe r is, ‘ You c an’ t prove it,’ or ‘ I didn’ t do it[.] ’ ” The July

20, 2018, a

rtic le in Progre

ssiv eFarme r re c ounte d, “ The rise in off-targe t dic a

m ba injury ha s stra ine d the soc ia l fa

b ric of rura l c om

m unitie s, sa id Unive rsity

of Illinois we e d sc ie ntist Aa ron Ha ge r. ‘ It’ s pitting ne i ghbor a ga inst
ne ighbor,’ he sa id. ‘ Fa

rm e rs thre a te n ing othe r fa rm e rs. I’ ve ne ve r se e n this be fore
ove r the use of te c hnology .’ ” The artic le re c ounte d furthe r, “ [An] Illinois hom e owne r, who spoke on the c ondition of a nony m ity to prote c t

he r from re prisa ls in he r c om

m unity , ha s suffe re d se ve re dam a ge to a wide va rie ty of tre e s . . . a s we ll
a s orna m e nta l pla

n ts, shrubs a

n d a ve ge ta ble ga rde n.” Sa m

ple s se nt to a

priva te 51la

boratory te ste d positivefor dic a m

b a . “ ‘ The se are 100-y e ar old oa k s,’ she sa id.

‘ W e ’ re se nior c itiz e ns a

nd we don’ t ha

ve the tim e le ft in our live s to pla nt ne w tre e s a n d wat c h the m ge t e ve n ha lfwa y to m a turity . . . . W e are farm e rs, too . . . . W e live in a

rura l a re a with ge ne ra tions of fa

m ilie s tha t ha ve be e n he re for y e ars a nd y e ars. W e ’ ve known the m a ll our live s. B ut whe n we ta lk to the farm e rs, the y

don’ t se e m

to c a re tha t m uc h. The re ’ s no a

pologie s, no offe rs to he lp, nothing.’ ” In a c o m m e nt to theIllinois Fe rtiliz e r a nd C he m ic a l Assoc iation’ s August 2018 surve

y , one re sponde nt note d of dic am ba use , “ In 43 y e ars of busine ss I ha

ve ne ve r se e n a

m ore divisiveproduc t a

m ong ne ighbors both fa

rm and non-fa rm .” Anothe r re sponde nt wrote , “ This te c h nology c annot c ontinue a s is if
we e ve r wish to ra ise a

susc e ptible c rop or m a i nta in he a lthy re l a tionships with our
re side ntia l a

nd e nvironm e nta l ne ighbors.” A farm e r in Arka nsa s wa s shot a

nd kille d in a n a rgum e nt ove r dic a

m ba dam a ge in 2016. The se ve re stra in on soc ia l re lations in fa rm ing c om

m unitie s whe re the ne w dic a m ba he rbic ide s a

re be ing a pplie d is a c le a

r soc i a l c ost, but the

EPA did not ide n tify and ta ke into a c c ount this c ost. C . Substa

ntia l Evide nc e Doe s Not Support the EPA’ s De c ision C onside ring the re c ord a s a whole , we c onc lude tha

t substa ntia l e vide nc e doe s not support the

EPA’ s Oc tobe r 31, 2018, de c ision to gra nt c onditiona l
re gistra tions to XtendiM a x , Enge n ia , a n d Fe X a pa n for OTT a

p plic a t ion on DT 52soy

be an s a n d c otton. TheEPA found two be ne fits from the use s, whic h we re
a m ply supporte d

by e vide n c e in the re c ord. B ut the EPA fa ile d to pe rform a prope r
ana ly sis of the risks a

nd re sulting c osts of theuse s. The EPA substa

ntia lly unde rstate d the c o sts it a c knowle dge d. The EPA substa ntia lly unde rstate d the a c re a ge pla nte d with DT soy

be ans in 2018 a

nd the
re sulting use

of dic a m ba in tha t y e ar. It re c ounte d

in its de c ision doc um e nt tha t M onsa nto ha d “ pre dic t e d” tha

t 40 m illion a c re s of DT soy be ans would bepla

nte d in 2018, e ve n though re c ord e vide nc e the n be fore the EPA indic a te d the a c tua l DT soy be an a c re a ge wa s m

uc h highe r and tha

t the c om bine d DT soy

be an a nd c otton
a c re a ge wa s highe r still. Furthe r, the EPA re c ogniz e d tha t the re ha d be e n a

n
e norm ous inc re a se in dic a m ba c om pla ints in 2017 a

nd 2018, but it purporte d to be
a gnostic a s to whe the r those c om pla ints unde r-re porte d or ove r-re porte d the
a m ount of dic a m

ba dam a ge . In fa c t, re c o rd e vide nc e shows tha t the c om pla ints substa ntia lly unde r-re porte d the a c tua l a m ount of da

m a ge . Fina lly , the EPA substa ntia lly unde rstate d the a

m ount of dic am

ba dam a ge during the 2017 a nd 2018 growing y e ars, c ha

ra c te riz ing the dam a ge a s “ pote n tia l ” and “ a l le ge d,” and
c la im ing the re wa s insuffic ie nt da ta from whic h to e stim a te the am ount of da m a ge . In fa c t, re c ord e vide nc e shows tha t OTT a pplic a tion of dic a

m ba he rbic ide s in 2017
and 2018 ha d c a

use d e norm ous a

nd unpre c e de nte d

dam a ge .
53The EPA a l so e ntire ly fa ile d to a c k

nowle dge othe r c osts. The EPA e ntire ly fa ile d to a c knowle dge the substa ntia l de gre e of non-c om

p lia nc e with the 2017 la be l, a nd the like l ihood of a

n e ve n gre ate r de g re e of non-c om plia nc e with the 2018 la be l. Furthe r, the EPA e ntire ly fa ile d to re c ogniz e the e c onom ic c ost im pose d by the c oe rc ion of non-DT fa rm e rs to c onve rt to DT c rops, a nd the
re sulting a

nti-c om pe titive e ffe c t of tha

t c oe rc ion. Fina lly , the EPA e n tire l y fa ile d to re c ogniz e the e norm ous soc ia l c ost to fa rm i ng c o m

m unitie s whe re use of dic a m ba he rbic ide s ha d t

urne d farm e r a ga inst fa

rm e r, a nd ne ighbor a ga inst
ne ighbor. VII. Post-Argum e nt R e que s t by Pe titione rs On M ay 13, 2020, in the

supple m e nta l brie f we ha d orde re d pe rta i ning to the
sc ope o f the i r c ha l le nge , pe titione rs re que ste d (though without m aking a form a l
m otion) tha

t we issue a

sum m ary de c i sion, to befollowe d by an opinion. The EPA
m ove d for pe rm ission to file a supple m e nta l brie f opposing pe titione rs’ re que st, a s
we ll a s for judic ia l notic e of a n e xtra -re c ord doc um e nt. In light of our issua nc e of the o pinion toda

y , we de ny

the EPA’ s m otions. VIII. R e m e dy The EPA a

n d M onsa n t o urge us, if we c onc lude tha t substa n tia l e vide nc e doe s not support the

2018 c onditiona l re gistra tions, to re m and without va c at ur, le a ving the c onditiona l re gistra tions in e ffe c t. W e de c line to do so.

54W e orde r re m and without va c atur “ only in lim ite d c irc um s ta

nc e s.” Pollinator Ste

w ardship C

ounc il , 806 F.3d a

t 532 (inte rna l quota

tion m arks
om i tte d). To de te rm ine whe the r va c a tur is a p propria te , “ we we igh the se riousne ss of the a ge nc y ’ s e rrors a ga i nst the disruptivec onse que nc e s of a n inte rim c ha nge that m a y itse lf be c h ange d.” Id. (inte rna l quota tion m a rks om itte d). W e a lso
c onside r the e xte nt to whic h e ithe r va c a ting or le aving the de c ision in plac e would risk e nvironm e nta l ha

rm . Id. W e have a lso “ looke d at whe the r the a ge nc y would like ly be a ble to offe r be tt e r re a soning or whe the r by c o m ply ing with proc e dura l rule s, it c ould a dopt the sa m e rule on re m and, or whe the r suc h funda m e nta l fla ws in the a ge nc y ’ s de c ision m a ke i t unlike ly tha t the sa m e rule would be a dopte d on
re m and.” Id. Apply ing the se c rite ria , we va c a te the re gistra tions. The EPA m a de m

ultiple
e rrors in gra

nting thec onditiona l re g istra tions. As de sc ribe d a

b ove , the EPA substa ntia lly unde rstate d the risks it a c knowle dge d, a nd it e ntire ly

fa ile d to
a c knowle dge othe r risks. W e c onc lude tha t the “ funda

m e nta l fla ws” in the EPA’ s
ana ly sis a re so substa

ntia l tha t it is e xc e e dingly

“ unlike ly tha t the sa m e rule would be a d opte d on re m an d.” Id. W e are aware of the pra c tic a l e ffe c ts of our de c ision. Am o ng othe r things,
we are aware of the a dve rse im pa c t on growe rs who ha

ve a lre a dy

purc ha se d DT soy be an and c otton se e ds a

nd dic am ba produc ts for this y e ar’ s growing se a son, 55re ly ing on theava ila bility of the he rbic ide s for post-e m e rge nt use . As the EPA
e xpla ine d to us in its brie f, arguing a ga i nst va c a tur: “ Growe rs a lre a dy have inve ste d in both Xtendim a x a nd a c c om p any i ng re sista

nt se e ds for the 2020 growing se a son. Va c a tur c o u ld le ave those growe rs with a n unusa ble pe stic ide te c hnology

sy ste m and forc e the m

to e xpe nd a dditiona l m one y on a lte rna tive se e ds
and pe stic ide s.” The EPA ha d a lso c a utione d in its 2018 de c i sion to gra nt
c onditiona l re gistra

t ions, “ It is im

porta nt to notetha

t using re giste re d dic am

ba produc ts on dic a m

ba -tole rant c otton or dic am ba -tole ra nt soy be an c rops tha

t a re not
re giste re d spe c i fic a lly

for post-e m e rge nc e use on dic a m b a -tole rant c otton or dic a m ba -tole rant soy

b e an c rops is inc onsiste nt with the pe stic ide ’ s la

be ling a nd a viola tion of theFe de ra l Inse c tic ide , Fungic ide , a n d R ode n tic i de Ac t (FIFR A ).” W e a c k nowle dge the diffic ultie s the se growe rs m ay have in finding e ffe c tive and le ga l he rbic ide s to prote c t the ir DT c rops if we grant va c a tur. The y hav e be e n pla c e d in this situa

tion through no fa

ult of the ir own. Howe ve r, the a bse nc e of substa ntia l e vide nc e to support the EPA’ s de c ision c om

pe ls us to va c a te the
re gistra tions.

Pe tition for re vie w G RANT E D . R e g istra tions V ACAT E D
. The m andate sha l l issue forthwith.

56