Malathion Risk Assessment Ruled Unlawful Over Questionable Data

A judge struck down federal restrictions on the pesticide malathion, ruling the US Fish and Wildlife Service relied on faulty usage data in determining the chemical didn’t pose a threat to protected species.

The agency based its conclusion on inflated estimates of animals’ roaming ranges and limited pesticide application areas in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Wednesday.

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley declined to rule on a remedy for the 2022 “no jeopardy” biological opinion, saying the decision will be made “at a later ...