Center for Biological Diversity Sues EPA Over Atrazine Regulation

The Center for Biological Diversity and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit seeking a federal court order to compel the United States Environmental Protection Agency to regulate atrazine, a hormone-disrupting pesticide linked to cancer. The suit alleges the agency has failed for decades to establish quality standards under the Clean Water Act, despite a mandate issued in 1999.

Atrazine is the second most used pesticide in the United States, though it is banned in 60 countries, including those in the European Union, due to its ability to cause sex changes in frogs and disrupt hormones. The chemical currently contaminates approximately 25% of continental US rivers, affecting 675,000 wells and over 20% of surface drinking water intakes.

While the EPA developed a plan under pesticide laws, plaintiffs argue the measures are ineffective and address only 1% of pollution by offering negligible requirements for farmers. Nathan Donley, environmental health science director with the Center for Biological Diversity, characterized the lack of limits as "bonkers" and argued that the EPA plan "does not do a damn thing."