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Forestry Herbicide Environmental Risks--An EIS Perspective

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The U.S. Forest Service is in the process of completing Environmental Impact Statements (EIS's) on vegetation management for three physiographic regions of the South. This includes all forestry activities involving manipulation of plants in national forests and grasslands of the Coastal Plain-Piedmont, Appalachian Mountains, and the Ozark/Ouachita Mountains. These EIS's are linked to the land management planning process and provide a mechanism for evaluating appropriate vegetation management techniques, addressing public concerns, and meeting requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. Each EIS addresses a number of issues, but the environmental impact of herbicides is a focal point. The environmental consequences and risks which are addressed in each regional EIS include: (1) Human Health and Safety; (2) Wildlife; (3) Threatened and Endangered Species; (4) Vegetation; (5) Soils; (6) Water; (7) Air; (8) Economics, and ; (9) Social Values. The herbicides include 2, 4-D, 2, 4-DP, dicamba, fosamine, glyphosate, hexazinone, imazapyr, picloram, sulfometuron methyl, tebuthiuron, and triclopyr. Diesel fuel, kerosene, and limonene are also evaluated.

Citation

Neary, D.G. 1989. Forestry Herbicide Environmental Risks--An EIS Perspective. In: Proceedings, 42nd Annual Meeting Southern Weed Science Society; 1989 January 16-18; Nasheville, TN. [Champaign, IL]: Southern Weed Science Society. 209. Abstract
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/5193