The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a request from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) for an exemption to use potassium chloride to control Quagga mussels in small water bodies. Quagga mussels are an invasive species that harm the environment and infrastructure by clogging water intake structures and affecting the food chain. Due to the urgent nature of this issue, EPA has decided not to have a public comment period, but interested parties can still contact the agency for more information. The requested treatment aims to be a narrow, controlled application on 1.26 acres across various ponds in Idaho.
Simple Explanation
The EPA got a request from Idaho to use a special salt, not yet approved, to treat some small water areas to stop an invasive clam. This action is quick, so they're skipping the usual step where people can comment, but folks can still reach out to the EPA if they want to share thoughts.