80-8-105. Rules. (1) The department may adopt by reference without a public hearing regulations adopted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended. The department may, after a public hearing, adopt all rules necessary to carry out this chapter.

(2) The rules may prescribe methods of:

(a) registration, suspension or cancellation of registration, application, use or restricting use, prohibiting use, offering or exposing for sale of any pesticide;

(b) determining whether pesticides are highly toxic to humans;

(c) determining standards of coloring or discoloring for pesticides and subjecting pesticides to the requirements of 80-8-202;

(d) licensing commercial applicators, operators, and dealers, establishing methods of recordkeeping for applicators, operators, and dealers, and providing for the review of the records by the department's authorized agent and the submission of the records to the department upon written request;

(e) issuing farm applicator special-use permits and the maintenance and submission of records by farm applicators issued special-use permits;

(f) collection, examination, and standard deviation from guarantee analysis and umpire analysis of pesticides and devices;

(g) operating and maintaining equipment used by applicators;

(h) developing examinations which must be held periodically throughout the state;

(i) establishing the form and content of all applications for licenses and permits;

(j) designating pesticides that may be sold at retail for home, yard, garden, and lawn use. The department may also limit retail sale of pesticides, up to a specific number of pounds or gallons and concentration which would be sublethal to humans and animals if small amounts of it were accidentally swallowed, inhaled, sprayed, or dusted on the skin.

(k) revoking licenses and permits;

(l) registering or controlling any spray adjuvant, such as a wetting agent, spreading agent, deposit builder, adhesive, emulsifying agent, deflocculating agent, water modifier, or similar agent with or without toxic properties of its own intended to be used with any other pesticide as an aid to the application or effect of that other pesticide, whether or not distributed in a package or container separate from that of a pesticide with which it is to be used;

(m) registering pesticide-fertilizer and other chemical blends or, instead of registration, establishing licensing, inspection, and fees for blending plants;

(n) establishing registration procedures for devices, with a fee not to exceed $5 per type of device, specifying classes of devices to be registered and providing for additional requirements;

(o) imposing conditions for renewal of dealer, applicator, and operator licenses and permits, including recertification training;

(p) establishing procedures for implementing and administering the civil penalties under 80-8-306;

(q) establishing fees for training courses and materials;

(r) establishing standards and procedures for administering a waste pesticide and pesticide container collection, disposal, and recycling program;

(s) establishing special fees on waste pesticides or pesticide containers collected under the waste pesticide and pesticide container collection, disposal, and recycling program. These fees may be based upon volume, type, classification, or other characteristics of a pesticide or a pesticide container and may include a credit for pesticide applicator, dealer, or operator license or permit fees.

(t) establishing standards for pesticide storage, pesticide mixing or loading sites, and bulk pesticide facilities.

(3) (a) Consistent with the provisions of Title 80, chapter 15, whenever the department finds that rules are necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter, the rules may relate to the time, place, manner, and method of registration, suspension or cancellation of registration, application, or selling of the pesticides, may restrict or prohibit use of pesticides in the state or in designated areas during specified periods of time, and must encompass all reasonable factors that the department considers necessary to prevent damage or injury to:

(i) persons, animals, crops, or pollinating insects from the effect of drift or careless application;

(ii) the environment;

(iii) plants, including forage plants;

(iv) wildlife;

(v) fish and other aquatic life.

(b) In issuing the rules, the department shall give consideration to pertinent research findings and recommendations of other agencies of this state or of the federal government.

(4) If the department finds that an emergency exists which requires immediate action with regard to the registration, use, or application of pesticides, the department may, without notice or hearing, issue necessary orders or rules to protect the public health, welfare, and safety. An order or rule issued under this subsection is effective for the period prescribed by the Montana Administrative Procedure Act. If the department determines that the emergency order or rule should remain in effect, a public hearing under 80-8-106 must be held within the above period to determine whether the order or rule should be adopted by the department.

(5) All rules and orders issued by the department must be made in writing and must be available at the department for public inspection. Except for orders establishing or changing rules of practice and procedure, all orders made and published by the department must include and be based upon written findings of fact. A copy of any rule or order certified by the department must be received in evidence in all courts of this state with the same effect as the original.

History: En. Sec. 22, Ch. 403, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 123, Ch. 218, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 462, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 27-234; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 633, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 668, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 465, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 349, L. 2019.