HR 872 is legislation in Congress to eliminate the need for pesticide applicators to get a NPDES permit in order to apply pesticides on or near water.  The bill passed the US House with a significant majority, but is experiencing roadblocks in the Senate.  Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) have joined forces to block a vote on HR 872 even though it has already passed out of the Senate Ag Committee.  They claim that the bill will weaken water quality protections.  The truth is that HR 872 only eliminates the need to get two licenses to apply pesticides, and the applicator must still adhere to the label and only pesticides labeled for aquatic use can be used in waters.  As usual, even the most simple and common sense measures get spun into rhetoric and dosed with fear-mongering in D.C.  Five IFCA members and Jean Payne are headed to DC next week and will be visiting with our legislators about the importance of HR 872 to our industry.  Our US Senators Mark Kirk and Richard Durbin will hopefully get a chance to vote on this bill before the October 31, 2011 effective date of the NPDES permit requirement.  This bill is the highest priority for our industry at the moment.