Decision Date: April 17, 1996
Panel: Christine Mayall, Dr. Elizabeth Keay, Jack Lapin
This is Robson Alternatives to Pesticidess appeal of the Deputy Administrators decision to issue a Pesticide Use Permit to the Minister of Forests authorizing application of Tordon 22K and Roundup to noxious weeds on Crown Land. The grounds of appeal were that the permit did not protect water, agricultural land and the environment, and that there was insufficient permit information about spray sites, rates and timing, and inadequate posting of spray areas.
The Board found that there were discrepancies between the permit and application. The Board also found that late-season spraying may have reduced spraying effectiveness, the permit format was too complicated to be useful, and the signage provided inadequate information to the public. The Board reduced the herbicide concentration in the applicators contract to the concentration specified in the permit and ordered recording and monitoring of soil-type restrictions compliance. The Board concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove buffer zone inadequacy or weather condition permit violations. The Board held that, in this case, Tordon 22K was the most cost-effective weed control method. The Board upheld the issuance of the permit with amendments. The appeal was dismissed.
