Aquatic Pesticides SPDES General Permit
In 2009, a federal court decision mandated that pesticides applied to the waters of the US had to be covered under the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit system. This decision reversed a long standing US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that exempted pesticide applications from obtaining a NPDES permit. Even though pesticide applications to New York State waters have been regulated under the state’s pesticide regulations, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) decided to develop a SPDES (State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) general permit to protect pesticide applicators from third party lawsuits under the federal Clean Water Act.
Use of aquatic herbicides within the Adirondack Park also requires approval from the .