School Environment Protection Act

Bill: 112-hr-4225
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2012-03-20 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child health
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Pollution liability

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-20
text: 
School Environment Protection Act - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to require each local educational agency (agency) of a school district to implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program that: (1) applies to school buildings and school ground, (2) establishes an IPM coordinator within the agency, and (3) follows an IPM plan for addressing school pest problems. 
 
Prohibits agencies or schools from using: (1) pesticides other than nontoxic or least toxic (as defined in this Act) pesticides, or (2) synthetic fertilizers. Permits an agency or school to use: (1) a least toxic pesticide as part of the IPM program only as a last resort and only if the area or room treated is unoccupied or not in use, and (2) only natural organic fertilizers.
 
Authorizes a school to use a pesticide otherwise if: (1) the school or agency determines that a pest in the school or on school grounds cannot be controlled after having used the IPM program and least toxic pesticides and it is a public health emergency, (2) the IPM coordinator approves of the application of the pesticide product, (3) the area or room treated is vacant during the application and for 24-hours after the application, (4) the application is made by a certified pesticide applicator, and (5) the school notifies the parents or guardians of each student 24 hours before application of the pesticide. Sets forth requirements for such notification. 
 
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a National School Integrated Pest Management Advisory Board to: (1) establish uniform standards and criteria for developing IPM, and (2) develop standards for the use of least toxic pesticides in schools.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) appoint an official for school pest management within EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs to coordinate the implementation of IPM programs in schools, and (2) publish an IPM plan and a list of products containing the least toxic pesticides and restrictions on their use.
 
Requires each agency, state pesticide lead agency, and the Administrator to create school environments that are protected from pesticides that drift from treated land to school grounds.
 
Establishes the Integrated Pest Management Trust Fund. Requires the Administrator to provide grants to agencies to implement IPM systems.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-04-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture .
action_date: 2012-03-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2012-03-20
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-20
text: Introduced in House