Environmental groups told a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday that the EPA had failed to properly assess the risks posed by the weedkiller dicamba to nearby crops and should be ordered to revoke its approval of Monsanto’s version of the herbicide, reported Reuters. “It is not clear whether the court has the authority to revoke an EPA approval,” the news service said.
The EPA approved the use of dicamba in 2016 and is scheduled to decide this fall whether to renew the approval. After reports of damage to millions of acres of soybeans and other crops in 2017, the agency tightened its rules for use of the chemical this year. It is intended for use on GMO cotton and soybean varieties developed to tolerate the weedkiller. Monsanto has asked that the lawsuit be dismissed.
During a hearing in Seattle, appellate judge William Fletcher questioned whether the EPA had relied on sufficient studies when it approved the Monsanto product. Environmental groups say the EPA relied on the company’s assurances instead of its own analysis. Monsanto says dicamba is a vital tool against invasive weeds and that damage to nearby crops is usually due to errors by the applicators.