The Environmental Protection Agency is demanding an immediate cancellation of methyl bromide use on golf courses and has rejected a proposal for an adequate cancellation timetable, according to a GCSAA action alert.
Methyl bromide is a soil fumigant used during the establishment of newly constructed golf courses and during renovations to change from an existing turfgrass to an improved turfgrass species or cultivar.
Cancellation of golf course use of methyl bromide without an adequate transition period will create an extreme hardship on golf facilities and result in substantial economic impacts, GCSAA says, adding there are no viable alternatives for golf course use of methyl bromide. The loss of methyl bromide use in resurfacing/replanting turf for golf courses is estimated to result in additional annual costs of $241 million for the golf industry or $402,000 per acre per facility (based on an average of 3 acres treated per facility – greens only – at 200 facilities per year).
In May 2009, EPA decided that only "critical" uses of methyl bromide could continue to be used. EPA concluded that the Turf/Sod use (for replanting of golf courses) must be cancelled because it did not have a "critical use" designation. Registrants and users asked EPA to reconsider immediate cancellation and establish a “reasonable” timetable for cancellation. On September 21 they submitted a proposal to EPA that would cancel the use of methyl bromide on golf courses by December 2014.
EPA rejected this proposal without providing any specific feedback as to why it was unacceptable, according to the GCSAA. The registrants have requested a meeting with the EPA's senior management and are waiting to hear if that meeting will occur.
For more information or to contact legislators, visit the GCSAA’s
