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Policy of Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District Regarding Compliance With the Federal Clean Water Act Regarding Pollutant Discharges to Waters of the United States

Background

Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) recognizes that products and practices that pollute waters of the United States pose a potential threat to the environmental, recreational and other values of these waters.  Agencies that deal with products, byproducts, and practices that may lead to pollutant discharges to such waters must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) to ensure that such risks are minimized.  The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has developed a new NPDES permit, Water Quality Order No. 2001-12-DWQ for public agencies in resource and pest management that use aquatic pesticides that may pollute waters of the United States directly or through their byproducts and residues.  Rather than obtaining a NPDES permit from the SWRCB, which imposes new fees, monitoring protocols, and hefty fines for non-compliance, we shall instead use only products and practices that pose no reasonable risk of pollution to the waters of the United States.

District Policy

Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District shall not obtain a NPDES permit under the California State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Order No. 2001-12-DWQ of July 19, 2001 nor engage in any practice that will make such a permit necessary.  Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) shall maintain a comprehensive integrated pest management policy including physical control, biological control, public education and chemical control to protect the public from the threat of disease and nuisance created by mosquitoes.  Practices, techniques and products for the control of larvae in standing water will be conducted in such a way that there is no reasonable risk of the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.  

District staff and personnel shall review the labels, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and other available information for all pesticides and other products used within the District.  If such a review should show that any product(s) present a reasonable risk of pollution to the waters of the United States through their use, misuse or abuse whether intentional or unintentional the District shall immediately cease to use this (these) product(s) unless or until changes are made to the product(s) or its (their) method of use that eliminate all such reasonable risks.  

Pest control practices will be reviewed.  Should any mosquito control practice be found to present a reasonable risk of discharging pollutants into the waters of the United States, such practice will immediately cease.  Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District staff shall carefully study any proposed new practices, techniques and products for the control of mosquitoes.  Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District shall only adopt new practices, techniques and products that do not present a reasonable risk of discharging pollutants to waters of the United States.