WATER POLICY WITH RESPECT TO AGRICHEMICALS.

SEC. 1499. WATER POLICY WITH RESPECT TO AGRICHEMICALS. (a) Authority.— The Department of Agriculture shall be the principal Federal agency responsible and accountable for the development and delivery of educational programs, technical assistance, and research programs for the users and dealers of agrichemicals to insure that— (1) the use, storage, and disposal of agrichemicals by users is prudent, economical, and environmentally sound; and (2) agrichemical users, dealers, and the general public understand the implications of their actions and the potential effects on water. The Secretary is authorized to undertake such programs and assistance in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local governments and agencies, and appropriate nonprofit organizations. The Secretary shall disseminate the results of efforts in extension, technical assistance, research, and related activities. The Secretary shall undertake activities under this subtitle in coordination with the Office of Environmental Quality in section 1612 of this Act. (b) Affect on Existing Authority.— The authority granted in subsection (a) does not alter or effect the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.). (c) Participation.— The following agencies shall participate in the Department’s water program: the Agricultural Research Service; the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service; the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service; the Cooperative State Research Service in conjunction with the system of State agricultural experiment stations; the Economic Research Service; the Extension Service, in conjunction with State and county cooperative extension services; the Forest Service; the National Agricultural Library; the National Agricultural Statistics Service; the Soil Conservation Service; and other agencies within the Department deemed appropriate by the Secretary.