Washington, DC (KELO-AM) South Dakota U.S. Senator John Thune (R) wants to help combat the Zika Virus by loosening regulatory burdens on pesticide spraying during the mosquito season.
Thune has introduced the Zika Response and Regulatory Relief Act that waives for six months certain permitting and reporting requirements in the Federal Clean Water Act.
“The Zika virus has become a serious public health threat that needs to be addressed, and I believe that by deploying mosquito control processes, like pesticide applications, we can take an important first step in combatting this virus,” said Thune. “By removing unnecessary regulatory burdens, we can free up time and resources needed to combat the threat of the Zika virus as the mosquito season approaches.”
There are no cases of the Zika Virus being transmitted inside the United States, but people traveling to tropical countries, especially pregnant woman, have been advised to use extreme caution. North Dakota has reported a Zika case of a pregnant woman who apparently picked up the virus in Puerto Rico.
