Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)

Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to repeal a requirement that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review applications to register a pesticide within 45 days of receiving the application.

(Sec. 3) Requires the Administrator to complete an initial and subsequent registration review of each pesticide or pesticide case in specified periods.

(Sec. 4) Requires registrants of pesticides to pay an annual fee for FY2008-FY2012. Revises provisions concerning the amount of such fees. Sets forth the maximum amount of fees for registrants and for small businesses for FY2008-FY2012. Terminates the Administrator's authority regarding the administration of such fees on September 30, 2012.

Prohibits the Administrator from levying any other fees for the registration of a pesticide except as provided under FIFRA until September 30, 2014. (Currently this prohibition ends on September 30, 2010.) Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the Administrator from collecting tolerance fees during the period beginning on the effective date of this Act and ending on September 30, 2012.

Authorizes the use of the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund for offsetting the costs of registration review.

(Sec. 5) Revises requirements concerning pesticide registration service fees, including allowing registration applications to be subject to additional fees and limiting any waiver, refund, credit, or other reduction in such a fee from exceeding 75% of such fee.

Provides for fee adjustments for pesticide registration applications received: (1) during the period beginning on October 1, 2008 and ending on September 30, 2010; and (2) on or after October 1, 2010. Requires the Administrator to publish the revised registration service fee schedules.

Requires the Administrator to waive 75% of the registration service fees payable by specified small businesses. (Currently, the Administrator is required to waive all such fees.)

Requires the Administrator to refund all but 25% of the total registration service fee if, during the first 60 days after the beginning of the application decision time review period, a covered pesticide registration application is withdrawn. (Currently, the Administrator is required to refund all but 10% of the fee.)

Specifies the amount in the Fund that shall be used for worker protection, partnership grants, and the pesticide safety education program for FY2008-FY2012.

Prohibits fees from being assessed for a fiscal year unless the amount of appropriations for salaries, contracts, and expenses for the functions of EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs for such year are at least equal to the amount of appropriations for functions in FY2002.

Requires the Administrator, within specified periods, to conduct an initial screening of the content of the application and reject an application when it does not pass such screening. Requires the Administrator to determine, in conducting an initial screening, if at least 25% of the registration fee has been paid.

Requires the Administrator to report, annually, on pesticide registration and fees through March 1, 2014. Amends reporting provisions to require the additional content of: (1) the number of label amendments that have been reviewed using electronic means; (2) the amount of money from the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund used to carry out inert ingredient review and review of similar applications; (3) the number of applications completed for identical or substantially similar applications; (4) recommendations for providing for electronic submission and review of labels and the allowance and use of summaries of acute toxicity studies; (5) a review of the progress in carrying out the reregistration of registered pesticides; (6) a review of the progress in meeting the timeline requirements for the review of antimicrobial pesticide products; and (7) a review of the progress in carrying out the review of inert ingredients.

Provides for the phaseout of the requirement to pay and collect registration service fees in FY2013-FY2014. Terminates the requirement to pay and collect such fees on September 30, 2014. Sets forth decision review periods.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov