Comment submitted by Tina Bailey

I am submitting this comment as a concerned citizen and Florida resident. I urge EPA to apply the precautionary principle when evaluating any request to establish or increase pesticide residue tolerances on food. Before approving any petition, the Agency should ensure that the supporting scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that the proposed tolerance is protective of human health, pollinators, wildlife, and the broader environment. EPA should carefully evaluate cumulative and long-term exposure, especially for children, pregnant women, agricultural workers, and people who may be exposed to multiple pesticides through food and the environment. Independent, peer-reviewed science should be given significant weight during the review process, and any data gaps should be resolved before new tolerances are granted. As a Floridian, I am particularly concerned about protecting pollinators and biodiversity. Healthy bee, butterfly, and other pollinator populations are essential to both agriculture and healthy ecosystems. Decisions involving pesticide tolerances should also consider potential downstream environmental impacts, including contamination of soil and water and effects on beneficial insects and other non-target organisms. I appreciate EPA providing an opportunity for public participation. I respectfully ask the Agency to place public health, environmental protection, and sound science at the center of its final decisions on these petitions.