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The Pesticide Reporting Law (PRL)

The Pesticide Reporting Law (PRL) (Environmental Conservation Law Article 33, Title 12) was enacted on July 8, 1996. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is responsible for implementing the data collection portion of this law.

The PRL requires the annual submission of reports by February 1 of each year, detailing pesticide activities for the prior calendar year. Certified Commercial Applicators and Technicians and Commercial Permittees (including Importers, Manufacturers and Compounders) are required to submit the annual reports.

On July 1 of each year, the NYSDEC submits a compilation of this information to the Governor in the "Annual Report on New York State Pesticide Sales and Applications."

We encourage you to file electronically. This method of reporting may be the least costly to you, while being the most accurate method of reporting.

The scannable version of the form entitled "Commercial Applicator Pesticide Use Annual Report" (orange and blue) has been discontinued. NYSDEC has pads of the "Applicator/Technician Pesticide Annual Report." These pads are provided free to the regulated community. For convenience, the back of each page provides an area for recording daily record keeping information (Dosage Rate, Method of Application, Target Organism, Place of Application).

The PRL also reaffirms record keeping requirements for Commercial Permittees, Commercial Applicators/Technicians and Private Applicators.

Records of the restricted pesticides purchased and used by a Certified Private Applicator need to be maintained on the "Certified Private Applicator Record of Restricted Pesticide Purchase and Use" form. These forms are not submitted to the NYSDEC, but maintained on site for at least three years. To obtain this form, contact us via email or telephone using the information on the right.

The Pesticide Reporting & Certification Section is responsive to questions and suggestions concerning the Pesticide Reporting Law. We have published Technical Administrative Guidance Memorandums (TAGM's) detailing aspects of the PRL.

Water Quality Monitoring for Pesticides

In order to meet the requirements of ECL §33-0714, this program provides the Department with information that is necessary to have an adequate understanding of the health and environmental impacts of pesticide use in the State. This information will be used in making pesticide registration decisions; reviewing suspensions and cancellations of pesticide registrations; and assessing the status, trends, and health impacts of any pesticide contamination of ground and surface waters on Long Island and throughout the State. The monitoring program is also designed to meet the requirements for State Pesticide Management Plan (SPMP) monitoring to be required by the USEPA under 40 CFR Parts 152 and 156.

There are three main components to this program run by three participating agencies: the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the New York State Water Resources Institute (WRI), and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDOHS).

United States Geological Survey - USGS

The USGS is continuing to collect water samples on a routine basis from a number of fixed surface and groundwater sites from around the State. Using extremely sensitive analytical methods (parts per trillion), this program will seek to discern trends in pesticide contamination.

New York State Water Resources Institute - WRI

The WRI will be surveying Upstate New York well water for pesticides in one vulnerable aquifer and will be developing an outline to be used to survey well water in other vulnerable Upstate New York aquifers.

Suffolk County Department of Health Services - SCDOHS

The SCDOHS will seek to identify potentially significant existing pesticide contaminant plumes throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties by sampling approximately 2,000 public and private water supply and monitoring wells over the next two years.




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