Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Standards Compendium Volume 6 – Enforcement Response to Pesticide Use Violations 

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has finalized Volume 6, Enforcement Response to Pesticide Use Violations, the final volume forming the Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Standards Compendium previously described in Enforcement Letter ENF 05-02. It replaces and supersedes portions of the Hearing Officer Roundtable Project and Hearing Officer Sourcebook. Please have your staff begin using this reference immediately.  

Enclosed with this letter is the complete Volume 6: 

• Cover 
• Table of Contents 
• Chapter 1: Introduction to Enforcement Response to Pesticide Use Violations 
• Chapter 2: Elements of the Violation 
• Chapter 3: Evidence and Case Development 
• Chapter 4: Classifying the Violation and Determining Enforcement Response 
• Chapter 5: Compliance Actions 
• Chapter 6: Decision Reports 
• Chapter 7: The Notice of Proposed Action 
• Chapter 8: The Administrative Civil Penalty Hearing 
• Chapter 9: The Hearing Officer 
• Chapter 10: Presenting the County’s Case 
• Chapter 11: After the Hearing: The Proposed Decision and Commissioner’s Decision 
• Appendix A: History of Administrative Adjudication 
• Appendix B: Right to Due Process 
• Appendix C: History of Administrative Civil Penalties for Pesticide Use Violations in California 
• Appendix D: Off-site Movement Incidents 
• Appendix E: Citing Employers or Employees for PPE Violations 
• Appendix F: Registration, Private Applicator Certificate, and Permit Refusals, Revocations, Suspensions, and “Denials” 
• Appendix G: Non-Occupational Pesticide Injury Reimbursement 
• Appendix H: Faulty Recommendations Followed by Applicators 
• Appendix I: Structural Pest Control 
• Appendix J: Selected Director/DRC CAC Appeal Decisions 

The updates in ENF letters 23-10, 24-11, 24-13, and 25-13 have been incorporated in this Volume. Highlights of other updates include: 

• In Section 3.5, guidance on obtaining copies of DPR-accepted labeling from the Registration Resource Center. 
• In Section 3.8, updated the guidance on District Attorney Participation in Enforcement Cases to reflect the December 2024 Three Party Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Additional and revised introductory text in the Investigation Participation Memo template. 
• In Section 7.6.2, additional guidance on what to cite when a pesticide incident involves multiple persons. This includes guidance that, for an individual, the lack of a positive clothing sample result or medical record does not mean an illness was not “acute.” 
• The Preparing for Your Pesticide Administrative Civil Penalty Hearing brochure was updated to remove the information on where to find the brochure online. The updated brochure is included in Section 7.11 and is attached to this letter. 
• In Section 11.2.2, additional guidance for Hearing Officers on writing the Proposed Decision. 
• In Appendix D, additional information on the intent and purpose of 3 CCR section 6614. 

Any future changes to this Volume in the form of new or updated procedures, policies, or interpretations will be issued as revisions to the Compendium. Commissioners will be notified of the revisions in an Enforcement Letter. Suggestions for any corrections or other changes should be directed to DPR’s Enforcement Headquarters Branch. 

With this release, DPR is also making two changes to how the Program Standards Compendium is organized:  

1. Currently, each Volume has a separate “Overview” describing the role of DPR and CACs, and the Compendium overall. The Overview is being moved to a single webpage for easier updating, and each Volume will be updated with a link to that page. Additionally, the Overview webpage will include a list of common acronyms and abbreviations, and a glossary for the Compendium. The updated Overview is planned to be released later this year.
2. ENF letter 05-02 included a plan for Compendium Volumes 6 and 7. To be better aligned with CalPEATS, the relevant topics are instead incorporated within this release of Compendium Volume 6. Since there are no current plans to release Volume 7 as announced, Compendium Volume 8 is being renumbered to become Volume 7. This renumbering is reflected in applicable references in this Volume, and will be addressed in future updates to the other Volumes.

If you have any questions, please contact the Enforcement Branch Liaison assigned to your county.  

Sincerely,