Highlights

FESTF Lens (https://lens.festf.org/) is 5 months old! We’ve been working diligently to improve Lens. Many of these updates are “behind the scenes” and intended to enhance the user experience but we’ve also updated the Mitigation Tracker to include the pertinent proposed and final registration decisions released by EPA as of July 8^th, 2026 (see below for more details). This includes all registration decisions with label language tied to ESA compliance. We hope to soon be able to release new mapping features, including the ‘General’ mapper that will provide easier access to species areas and land use datasets.

FESTF Webinar on EPA’s Draft Fungicide Strategy (DFS). FESTF’s webinar on EPA’s DFS was very well received, at its peak we had 248 participants. If you missed the webinar, you can view a recording of the webinar online at https://vimeo.com/1196082861. Similar to the earlier Herbicide and Insecticide Strategies, EPA’s DFS addresses potential risks to listed animals and plants from fungicide uses on agricultural crops in the continental US only. Notable differences between the DFS and the earlier Strategies include:

·         Credit for guar gum (i.e., polysaccharide) adjuvants as drift reducing agents (DRAs) to reduce potential spray drift buffers;

·         Consideration of exposure to listed species from pesticides used to treat crop seeds; and,

·         Assessment of on-field risks to listed terrestrial vertebrate species exposed to fungicides via both direct contact with applied products or via consumption of fungicide residues on dietary items (i.e., treated seeds or plants with residues).

As appropriate we expect that EPA will retroactively incorporate these elements into the previous Herbicide and Insecticide Strategies and the online mitigation menus.

Finally, a reminder that thanks to the extension to the comment period, public comments on EPA’s DFS are due by 11:59 EDT July 20^th (comments can be submitted at Regulations.gov).

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What's going on at EPA?

EPA - Recent Conventional Pesticide Final Decisions

·         Chlormequat chloride – Final Decision to Approve the First Outdoor Food Uses on Wheat, Triticale, Barley, and Oats for Chlormequat Chloride (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0290-0185)

·         Diflufenican - Final Decision to Approve Registration for the New Active Ingredient Diflufenican (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0435-0052)

·         Epyrifenacil - Final Decision to Approve Registration for the New Active Ingredient Epyrifenacil (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0354-0090)

·         Fluoxapropalin - Final Decision to Approve Registration for the New Active Ingredient of Fluoxapiprolin (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0980-0027)

·         Trifludimoxazin - Final Decision to Approve Registration for the New Active Ingredient of Trifludimoxazin (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0649-0042)

Note that in addition to these conventional pesticide final registration decisions, there were 6 final registration decisions posted to Regulations.gov for non-conventional pesticides (for the period 5/14 – 7/8/2026).

EPA - Recent Proposed Conventional Pesticide Decisions with Dockets Currently Open for Comment (as of 7/8/2026)

·         Isoxaflutole – Proposed Decision to Approve Registration for the Cotton New Use and Geographic Expansion of Soybean Use of Isoxaflutole (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2020-0202-0013, Comments due 7/27/2026)

·         Topramezone - Proposed Decision to Approve Registration for the GMO Cotton New Use of Topramezone (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-3291-0012, Comments due 7/27/2026)

Note that in addition to these conventional pesticide proposed registration decisions, there were 2 proposed registration decisions posted to Regulations.gov for non-conventional pesticides that are currently open for public comment (as of 7/9/2026).

EPA – Other Recent Proposed Actions with Dockets Currently Open for Comment (as of 7/8/2026)

·         Draft Fungicide Strategy to Reduce Exposure of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Fungicides (Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2026-2973, Comment period closes 7/20/2026)

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What's new at US FWS?

FWS – Recent Rulemaking

·         Two Species Not Warranted for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species (Document ID: FWS-HQ-ES-2026-1454-0001)

·         Two Species Not Warranted for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species (Document ID: FWS-R2-ES-2026-1453-0001)

·         Removal of Northeastern Bulrush from the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants (Document ID: FWS-R5-ES-2023-0014-0018)

·         Reclassification of the Rough Popcornflower from Endangered to Threatened with a Section 4(d) Rule (Document ID: FWS-R1-ES-2024-0005-0007)

·         Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Document ID: FWS-R3-ES-2024-0132-5035)

·         Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Southern Hognose Snake (Document ID: FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0223)

FWS – Recent Proposed Rulemaking with Dockets Currently Open for Comment (as of 7/8/2026)

·         Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Kern Canyon Slender Salamander, Status for the Relictual Slender Salamander; Designation of Critical Habitat (Document ID: FWS-R8-ES-2022-0081-0049, Comment period closes 8/6/2026)

FWS - Recent Updates to Species Status Assessments (as of 7/8/2026)

·         Yuma Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) – version 1.0 published 5/14/2026

·         Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) - version 1.1 published 6/1/2026

·         Georgetown salamander (Eurycea naufragia) - version 1.0 published 6/12/2026

·         Vandenberg monkeyflower (Diplacus vandenbergensis) - version 1.0 published 7/1/2026

·         Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicindela ohlone) - version 1.1 published 7/7/2026

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