NOTICE OF REVISION TO GENERAL PERMIT FOR APPLICATION

OF AQUATIC PESTICIDE TO CONTROL INVASIVE ELODEA

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) would like to revise the current general permit under which pesticides may be applied to control the invasive plant elodea.

DEC requests comments from the public regarding the proposed revision. Copies of the proposed revised permit are available on-line or upon request.

PROJECT NAME:

Revision to General Permit 24-GP-ELODEA

WRITTEN COMMENTS: Comments must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on May 19, 2024. To ensure that your comments are considered in relation to this application, please include the project name at the beginning of your comment. You may comment electronically via our public notice site at https://dec.alaska.gov/comment/ or you may submit written comments by mail, email, or fax to:

Rebecca Colvin

Department of Environmental Conservation Pesticide Program

555 Cordova Street, Anchorage AK 99501
Fax: 907-269-7510

Email: Rebecca.colvin@alaska.gov

PROJECT SUMMARY: DEC has a current general permit to allow application of specific pesticides to control the invasive plant elodea in lakes and ponds in Alaska. DEC proposes to eliminate the restriction under the current permit which only allows application of pesticides to water bodies with minimal to no outflow.

The existing general permit addresses elodea control projects overseen or managed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources only, and allows the use of specific pesticide formulations with the active ingredients fluridone or diquat dibromide only. Applicants who wish to be covered under a general permit must meet all permit conditions and must obtain a confirmation letter and project tracking number from DEC prior to pesticide application. None of these parameters would change under the proposed revision.

PROJECT NEED: 

Elodea presents a significant risk to the environment. It is an invasive aquatic plant that has the potential to grow abundantly and compromise water quality, hinder boat and float plane traffic, reduce dissolved oxygen, and impact fisheries. It has been identified in a number of lakes, ponds, and sloughs in Alaska in recent years. Physical or mechanical controls are inappropriate, as these methods break the plant into fragments which can then reproduce.

Rapid response to control this invasive plant is necessary to help prevent spread to other locations. Application under the general permit has allowed DNR to safely and quickly address several elodea outbreaks. However, most ponds and lakes have at least some outflow. While they can be safely treated with the same pesticide products, these water bodies are currently restricted from treatment under the general permit. DEC proposes to remove this restriction which is inhibiting DNR’s ability to respond and control invasive elodea.

FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE REVISION, CONTACT:

Karin Hendrickson

Department of Environmental Conservation

Pesticide Control Program          

1700 E. Bogard Rd. #B103, Wasilla AK 99654
Email:  karin.hendrickson@alaska.gov

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact Meg Kohler at megan.kohler@alaska.gov or (907) 269-4198 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY within 15 days of this publication of this notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.