UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
OFFICIAL. BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
A
(2 Environmental News
O'Neill (202) 755-0344
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1974
EPA GIVES TEXAS APPROVAL FOR EXPERIMENTAL USE OF SODIUM CYANIDE
ON PREDATORS
The Environmental Protection Agency has approved an
experimental use permit for the State of Texas allowing the use
of the pesticide sodium cyanide for predator control.
The experimental program is designed to provide EPA with
field information needed to determine whether to register sodium
cyanide for use in a tube-like delivery device, called the spring
loaded sodium cyanide ejector mechanism. At present, there is a
Federal ban on the use of sodium cyanide and other chemical
toxicants for predator control.
The permit will allow sheep, cattle, and other livestock
ranchers in 44 Texas counties to use a limited amount of sodium
cyanide for coyote control. The counties are listed at the end
of the release.
The experimental permit applies to private land only and
covers the period February 8, 1974 through June 1, 197 5. A
maximum of 39,000 cyanide capsules and 3,900 ejector mechanisms
may be used in the program.
The mechanism is a tube approximately six inches in length
which is placed in the ground. It delivers a lethal dose of
sodium cyanide into a coyote's mouth when the animal tugs on a
piece of scented material placed on top of the tube. The
cyanide kills the coyote in a matter of seconds, then quickly
degrades into harmless compounds thus minimizing the possibility
of "secondary poisoning" of non-target animals.
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EPA FORM 1510-1 {REV. &»72)
K-363

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In the 44 counties, livestock raisers or their designees
desiring to use sodium cyanide will first have to be approved
as qualified applicators by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
They will be trained in proper use of the chemical and mechanism,
record keeping, and safe storage of the equipment when not in use.
In ten of the 44 counties, areas of at least 10 square miles
each will be set aside for "control" purposes. In these areas,
ranchers will use non-chemical means of coyote control, such as
trapping, snaring, denning, and repellents.
Ranchers in both the control and experimental areas will be
required to report data each month including number of coyotes
killed by the mechanism and other means, livestock lost to coyotes
and other causes, and number of non-target animals killed. This
information will be used by EPA to help evaluate the desirability
of registering sodium cyani-.ie for use in the mechanism.
Qualified applicators can purchase the capsules and mechanisms
from one State approved distribution point in each county.
Records will be kept of the number of capsules and mechanisms
sold.
Texas counties inhabited by the red wolf or other endangered
species susceptible to the mechanism are not included in the
program.
During the program, should EPA or State inspection reveal
misuse of the cyanide equipment by an applicator, he will lose
approval as an applicator and may be subject to civil or
criminal penalties under Federal pesticide law.
EPA published notice of its willingness to entertain State
applications for experimental use of the sodium cyanide mechanism
in the Federal Register on January 18, 1974.
The applications of California, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska,
South Dakota, and Wyoming are pending.
Details on the Texas program will appear shortly in the
Federal Register.

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COUNTIES IN THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
Bell
Kinney*
Bexar
Kleberg
Borden
Lampasas
Bosque
McCulloch
Brooks
McLennan
Brown*
Medina
Burnet
Midland*
Callahan
Milam
Coleman
Mitchell
Comanche*
Nills
Coryell
Nueces*
Cottle
Pecos
Crane
Presidio*
Dickens
San Saba
Erath
Scurry
Glasscock*
Stephens
Hamilton
Sterling
Hood
Taylor
Jeff Davis*
Upton
Jim Wells*
Uvalde*
Kenedy
Willacy
King
Williamson
^Counties in which there will be "control" areas
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