ISSUE
1096
As
reported in last week's Rap-Up, the U.S. Delegation to the 17th Meeting
of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
agreed to a reduction in the amount of methyl bromide approved for use under the
Critical Use Exemption (CUE) process of the Montreal Protocol. The quantity approved
for CUE use in the U.S. was 6,749.06 metric tonnes spread over sixteen separate
use categories. The more important part of the decision was the fact that the Parties only allowed 5,149.060 metric tonnes of that to come from "new production." The rest of the CUE quantity has to come from existing stocks that were produced prior to the January 1, 2001 phase-out of methyl bromide. This decision marks a very clear push by the Parties to phase out methyl bromide as soon as possible and to make the exemption process as stringent as it can possibly be. Other significant requirements in the approved quantity decision for 2007 include a more strongly worded requirement to adopt emissions reduction technology, significant changes in the reporting requirements for the amounts of product actually used as a result of Critical Use Exemptions, a requirement that any methyl bromide used for research and development purposes mist come from available stocks, and a requirement of a study to determine the efficacy of the quarantine exemption for soil fumigation uses that have been used as the basis for reductions in some of the U.S.-nominated quantities under critical uses. A comprehensive report detailing the week- long meeting will be distributed to FFVA's membership shortly after the first of the year. It will be extremely important that growers who plan to purchase methyl bromide for critical uses in 2006 are aware that the specific allocation rule required for those purchases after January 1 has not been finalized and published as of December 30. The proposed rule that was noticed earlier this fall has not been finalized, but it did contain some changes from the process utilized during the 2005 control period. FFVA’s
Environmental & Pest Management Division will provide guidance on the 2006
control period process as soon as the final rule is published. The
2006 control period does represent a significant reduction in amounts of methyl
bromide available from those approved for 2005. For further information please contact the Environmental & Pest Management Division at (321) 214-5200.
ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S RAP-UP (Members-Only articles are indicated in bold.) | |
