Oregon Public Broadcasting

Northwest environmental groups say that new federal restrictions announced Tuesday on three pesticides should help clean up river basins, like the Willamette and central Columbia.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is creating pesticide-free buffers around salmon-bearing streams.

The buffers are one thousand feet wide for aerial spraying, and 500 feet for ground applications.

The new rules also prohibit using the three chemicals when it's windy or stormy. The tighter rules rose out of studies finding the pesticides harm endangered salmon and steelhead.

Aimee Code is with Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. She says the new rules will help people, too.

Aimee Code: “When we keep these chemicals out of our water, yes, it absolutely is for Pacific salmon and steelhead, but it’s also for all of us. All three of these pesticides have been linked to significant concern for children and other vulnerable populations.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has a year to implement the new restrictions.  Federal fisheries biologists plan to examine 34 more pesticides over the next three years.