The National Pest Management Association NPMA opposes a bill introduced to congress known as the School Environmental Act (SEPA). The bill pertains to managing pests at schools. The bill is sponsored by Congressman Rush Holt of New Jersey. The bill arbitrarily places limits on using pesticides at schools that have previously been approved for use at schools.

NPMA is against the bill because all schools would have to manage pests under the same guidelines. Schools in New Jersey and New York City with bed bugs would have to use the same standards and criteria as schools situated in Texas. Also 38 states already have implemented or approved state laws or rules related to pest management at schools.

SEPA would undermine the pest control activity utilized in these states. NPMA claims that a lot of the pest related activities in schools in these states are laudable. The NPMA has created alternative school pest management legislation for schools that the organization claims supplements the work done by states. NPMA vs. SEPA; no it’s not an upcoming segment on the hit TV show “Dancing with Acronyms”.