Who we are
The Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) is Maine's lead agency for pesticide regulation. The BPC is attached to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources for administrative and staffing purposes. Policy decisions are made by a seven-member, public board. The BPC staff consists of ten full-time and four seasonal Maine Department of Agriculture employees.
By statute the members must include three persons knowledgeable about pesticides in agriculture, forestry or commercial applications. One person must have a medical background and another must hold a faculty position in either agronomy or entomology at the University of Maine. The remaining two members are selected to represent expertise in environmental issues. All members are nominated by the Governor and approved by the Legislature. Members serve for four-year terms and are eligible for renomination.
Board members
- Carol A. Eckert, MD, physician, Sheepscot Valley Medical Center, Coopers Mills (medical expertise)
- John M. Jemison, Jr.,* water quality and soil specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Orono (water quality and soil specialist)
- Thomas H. Qualey, potato grower, Sherman (agricultural expertise)
- Daniel J. Simonds,* forestry consultant, Rangley (forestry expertise)
- Richard E. Stevenson, Jr.,* commercial applicator, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick (commercial applicator expertise)
- Clyde Walton, landscape architect, Fayette (environmental expertise)
- [vacancy] (environmental expertise)
*licensed pesticide applicator
Board members may be contacted through the BPC office.
BPC staff
NAME |
TITLE |
ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT/GET HELP WITH |
E-MAIL |
| Henry Jennings |
Director |
- General information
- Board meetings
- Rulemaking/Legislation
- Water quality
- Obsolete pesticides
- Pesticide Notification Registry
|
henry.jennings@maine.gov |
| Raymond Connors |
Manager of Compliance |
- Complaints/Incidents
- Enforcement
- Pesticide disposal
|
raymond.g.connors@maine.gov |
| Gary Fish |
Manager of Pesticide Programs |
- Licensing
- Recertification classes
- Exams
- Pesticide use
- Lawn/Landscape
- Golf course/Athletic fields
- School IPM
- Forestry
- Worker Protection Standard
- Invasive species
- YardScaping
- Aborists
- Federal grants
|
gary.fish@maine.gov |
| Lebelle Hicks |
Toxicologist |
- Pesticide risks and human health
- Environmental impacts
- Technical information on pesticides
- Poison control
(IMPORTANT: If you or someone else has been exposed to a pesticide, call the Poison Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222.)
- Food safety
|
lebelle.hicks@maine.gov |
| Wesley Smith |
Registrar |
- Pesticide registrations
- Emergency Registration (Section 18)
- Special Local Needs Registration (Section 24c)
- Experimental Use Permits (EUP)
- Limited Use Permits
- Bat complaints
- Endangered species
|
wes.smith@maine.gov |
| Paul Schlein |
Public Information Officer |
- Media inquiries
- Newsletters
- Website
- General information
- Homeowner IPM
- YardScaping
- Law/Label interpretation
|
paul.b.schlein@maine.gov |
Brian Barrett
|
Inspector, Midcoast |
- Pesticide inspections
- Compliance assistance
- Pesticide container recycling program (agricultural)
|
brian.c.barrett@maine.gov |
| Eugene Meserve |
Inspector, Southwest |
- Pesticide inspections
- Compliance assistance
|
pesticides@maine.gov |
| Arthur Shaw |
Inspector, Downeast |
- Pesticide inspections
- Compliance assistance
|
pesticides@maine.gov |
| Max Miller |
Inspector, Aroostook |
- Pesticide inspections
- Compliance assistance
|
pesticides@maine.gov |
| John Haley |
Inspector, Central Maine |
- Pesticide inspections
- Compliance assistance
|
pesticides@maine.gov |
| Peggy Lamb |
Office Manager |
- General information
- Licensing information
- Applicator licenses
- Accounts
- Obsolete pesticides
- Trainer handling videos
- Law/Label interpretation
|
peggy.lamb@maine.gov |
| Gail Day |
Clerk Typist II |
- Recertification credits
- Exam scheduling
- Dealer licenses
- Licensing information
|
gail.a.day@maine.gov |
| Jan Betts |
Licensing Clerk |
- Applicator/Dealer licenses
- Sales and use data
- EPA grants
- Licensing information
|
jan.betts@maine.gov |
|
Board and Board-related meetings
TYPE OF MEETING |
WHEN |
TIME |
WHERE |
AGENDA
The meeting agenda and accompanying documents will be available one week before the meeting date. For past meetings, see the Board meeting archive.
IMPORTANT: Please see Board policy for submission of comments and information.
|
| Board Meeting |
August 1, 2008 |
9:30 AM |
Fairfield: John E. Dority Safety & Performance Training Center, 10 Mountain Ave. Show Map |
Complete Board Meeting agenda and accompanying documents. Deadline for submission of comments and information, Tuesday, 7/29/08, 8 AM.
|
| Board Meeting |
September 12, 2008 |
9:30 AM |
Fairfield: John E. Dority Safety & Performance Training Center, 10 Mountain Ave. Show Map |
Agenda to be posted on 9/4/08. Deadline for submission of comments and information, Tuesday, 9/9/08, 8 AM.
|
| Board Meeting |
October 17, 2008 |
9:30 AM |
Fairfield: John E. Dority Safety & Performance Training Center, 10 Mountain Ave. Show Map |
Agenda to be posted on 10/9/08. Deadline for submission of comments and information, Tuesday, 10/14/08, 8 AM.
|
NEW! Board policy for submission of comments and information
-
On November 16, 2007, the Board adopted the following policy for submission and distribution of comments and information when conducting routine business (product registration, variances, enforcement actions, etc.):
- For regular, non-rulemaking business, the Board will accept pesticide-related letters, reports, and articles.
Reports and articles must be from peer-reviewed journals. E-mail, hard copy, or fax should be sent to the attention of Paul Schlein, Public Information Officer, at the Board's office. In order for the Board to receive this information in time for distribution and consideration at its next meeting, all communications must be received by 8:00 AM, three days prior to the Board meeting date (e.g., if the meeting is on a Friday, the deadline would be Tuesday at 8:00 AM). Any information received after the deadline will be held over for the next meeting.
- During rulemaking, when proposing new or amending old regulations, the Board is subject to the requirements of the APA (Administrative Procedure Act), and comments must be taken according to the rules established by the Legislature.
Archive of Board meeting agenda and accompanying documents
Past Board meeting minutes [PDFs]:
- 2008: May 2, Mar. 28, Feb 29, Jan 25
- 2007: Nov 16, Oct 5, Sept 7, July 27, June 22, Apr 13, Mar 16, Feb 16, Jan 26
- 2006: Dec 15, Nov 17, Oct 13, Sept 15, July 21, May 12, Mar 31, Feb 24, Jan 27, Jan 20
- 2005: Oct 28, Sept 9, July 29, June 17, Apr 15, Mar 18, Feb 18, Jan 14
- 2004: Dec 17, Nov 5, Oct 8, Sept 8, July 21, June 4, Apr 23, Mar 19, Jan 23
Regulations under development
As pest concerns and pesticides change or evolve, so do regulations:
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