EPA OKs Emergency Salt Blast on Invasive Mussels
Published Date: 2/10/2025
Notice
Summary
The EPA got a special request from Idaho to use potassium chloride to fight pesky Quagga mussels on a small 1.26-acre area. Since this chemical isn’t officially approved yet, the EPA is skipping the usual public comment step because it’s an emergency. Farmers, food makers, and pesticide companies should keep an eye out, as this quick move could impact their work soon!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Quagga mussels cause industry costs
The notice states Quagga mussels can bioaccumulate pollutants up to 300,000 times environmental concentrations and can clog water intake structures, which can reduce pumping capability for power and water treatment plants and thereby cost industries, companies, and communities. EPA cites these harms as the rationale for the requested emergency treatment program in the Middle Snake River area.
Emergency use of unregistered KCl
EPA received a request from Idaho to allow use of the unregistered pesticide potassium chloride (MOP) to treat up to 1.26 acres distributed across 51 ephemeral ponds, using no more than 18,590 pounds of product in Twin Falls, Jerome, and surrounding counties in Idaho. The notice identifies agricultural producers, food manufacturers, and pesticide manufacturers as potentially affected entities.
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