Groundwater & Pesticides -- Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction: A Call To Action		Let us tell you what this publication is all about and how you can safeguard your local water supply from pesticides.

Section One: Pesticide Basics A Heavy Dependence on Chemicals The Large and Varied World of Pesticides The Regulatory Framework		If you're generally unfamiliar with the world of pesticides — what they are, how much we use and how they are regulated — read this section for a brief introduction. If you are going to participate in regulatory discussions of pesticides, this section will introduce you to some of the most commonly used regulatory lingo.

Section Two: The Fundamentals of Groundwater A Valuable Resource Part of the Water Cycle Understanding the Water Below A Vulnerable Resource		Maybe you understand that you find groundwater under the ground but beyond that this un-seeable natural resource is a mystery. For a brief layperson's primer on groundwater — what we use it for, its connection to the rest of our environment and how it behaves — check out this section.

Section Three: Unintended Consequences A Question of Impacts The Threats to Human Health Pesticide Impact on Groundwater Testing Groundwater and Surface Water		This section provides a quick overview of our current knowledge about the effects of pesticides on human health and a summary of what scientists have found when they look for pesticides in our water supplies. In this section and others, there are plenty of references to follow, if you want to learn more.

Section Four: A Closer Look at Why Pesticides Threaten Groundwater The Interaction of Many Factors The Natural Environment The Pesticide The Methods of Application		If you know a bit about groundwater but want to focus specifically on pesticide behavior in groundwater, this section is what you need. Reading this section won't make you an overnight expert but it should allow you to converse more readily with the pesticide and groundwater techies and to ask tough, relevant questions.

Section Five: The Government's Response Dealing with New Information Developing a National Strategy Trouble with the Follow Through		Sometimes looking backward can be helpful. In this section, we give you the context for where we are today with a brief review of the significant discoveries of pesticides in groundwater over the last two decades. We explain how some of the states and the federal government responded to growing evidence of a national problem. This section also includes our plain English interpretation of EPA's proposed policies.

Section Six: Having Your Say Improving Your State or Tribal Plan The Big Issues * Choosing Protection Goals * Protecting Shallow Groundwater * Putting Things in Context * Assessing Groundwater Vulnerability * Tracking Pesticide Use * Testing the Waters * Establishing the "Yellow Light" Rules * Setting the "Triggers" * Drawing Up a Plan for Response * Keeping Information Flowing * Funding the Program Gathering Support * Working with Local Water Utilities * Involving Local Well Users A New Point of Leverage Making It Happen		You know that your state or tribe is or should be developing plans to carefully manage problem pesticides and protect water quality. This section offers suggestions for reviewing those efforts and making sure that your plan does all it can do to protect water quality. This section also provides brief suggestions on how to get involved in new EPA efforts to reassess the safety of many pesticides now on the market.

Sample Letter to EPA		Use our sample letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking for action to protect groundwater from pesticide contamination.

EPA Regional Office Contacts State Contacts		Find the state and federal regulators responsible for developing pesticide management plans to protect your water supplies.