Does the WPS offer WPS flexibility to restricted entry intervals when growers use irrigation in arid areas?
A. No. Irrigation does not affect the definition of an arid area which is defined as less than 25 inches of rainfall a year. Thus, if the REI for organophosphates is 72 hours in arid areas, a grower could not use irrigation to reduce the REI to 48 hours. (March 7, 1995) 6.1 Equivalency Issues 6.11 Protocol for state regulatory equivalency Q. Will EPA consider regulatory equivalency on specific worker protection elements if requested by a state? If so, what protocol must be followed? A. The Federal worker protection standard sets a national minimum, with states permitted to set more stringent standards. While the regulation does not specifically include provisions for accepting regulatory “equivalency,” we intend to use a common sense approach to assessing these issues on the basis of whether such differences should be approved if they provide equivalent or enhanced protections of workers and handlers as outlined below. States which have their own worker protection regulations may have
