B08_-_BLM_Herbicide_SOPs_and_Mitigations.pdf

Standard Operating Procedures and Mitigation Measures for Applying Herbicides

Guidance Documents

BLM Handbook H-9011-1 (Chemical Pest Control); and manuals 1112 (Safety), 9011 (Chemical Pest Control), 9012 (Expenditure of Rangeland Insect Pest Control Funds), 9015 (Integrated Weed Management), and 9220 (Integrated Pest Management).

General

• Prepare an operational and spill contingency plan in advance of treatment. (SOP)

• Conduct a pretreatment survey before applying herbicides. (SOP)

• Select the herbicide that is least damaging to the environment while providing the desired results.

(SOP)

• Select herbicide products carefully to minimize additional impacts from degradates, adjuvants, other ingredients, and tank mixtures. (SOP)

• Apply the least amount of herbicide needed to achieve the desired result. (SOP)

• Follow herbicide product label for use and storage. (SOP)

• Have licensed or certified applicators or State-licensed “trainees” apply herbicides, or they can be applied by BLM employees under the direct supervision of a BLM-certified applicator. (SOP)

• Use only USEPA-approved herbicides and follow product label directions and “advisory” statements.(SOP)

• Review, understand, and conform to the “Environmental Hazards” section on the herbicide product label. This section warns of known herbicide risks to the environment and provides practical ways to avoid harm to organisms or to the environment. (SOP)

• Consider surrounding land use before assigning aerial spraying as a treatment method and avoid aerial spraying near agricultural or densely populated areas. (SOP)

• Minimize the size of application area, when feasible. (SOP)

• Comply with herbicide-free buffer zones to ensure that drift will not affect crops or nearby residents/ landowners. (SOP)

• Post treated areas and specify reentry or rest times, if appropriate. (SOP)

• Notify adjacent landowners prior to treatment, if appropriate. (SOP)

• Keep a copy of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) at work sites. MSDSs are available for review at http://www.cdms.net/. (SOP)

• Keep records of each application, including the active ingredient, formulation, application rate, date, time, and location. (SOP)

• Avoid accidental direct spray and spill conditions to minimize risks to resources. (SOP)

• Avoid aerial spraying during periods of adverse weather conditions (snow or rain imminent, fog, or air turbulence). (SOP)

• Make helicopter applications at a target airspeed of 40 to 50 miles per hour (mph), and at about 30 to 45 feet above ground. (SOP)

• Take precautions to minimize drift by not applying herbicides when winds exceed >10 mph (>6 mph for aerial applications), or a serious rainfall event is imminent. (SOP)

• Use drift control agents and low volatile formulations. (SOP)

• Conduct pre-treatment surveys for sensitive habitat and Special Status species within or adjacent to proposed treatment areas. (SOP)

• Consider site characteristics, environmental conditions, and application equipment in order to minimize damage to non-target vegetation. (SOP)

• Use drift reduction agents, as appropriate, to reduce the drift hazard to non-target species. (SOP)

• Turn off application equipment at the completion of spray runs and during turns to start another spray run. (SOP)

• Refer to the herbicide product label when planning revegetation to ensure that subsequent vegetation would not be injured following application of the herbicide.

(SOP)

• Clean OHVs to remove plant material. (SOP)

1Manual-directed standard operating procedures and other standing direction may be referred to as best management practices in resource management and other plans, particularly when they apply to water.