The Environmental Protection Agency released July 25 a draft of its “insecticide strategy,” the latest in a series of pesticide plans the agency will adopt to settle claims it has failed to safeguard endangered species.

The strategy doesn’t change any current insecticide labels. EPA describes it as a framework for registering or re-registering insecticides.

“The framework will allow EPA to confidently identify when the uses of an insecticide are likely to cause impacts to listed species populations,” the draft reads.

Based on the strategy, pesticide applicators may have to take new steps to tally “mitigation points” to ensure insecticides don’t erode or drift into the habitat of a protected species.

EPA also is developing strategies for herbicides, rodenticides and fungicides. The strategies will help EPA meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act, according to the agency.

“Ensuring the safe use of insecticides is a critical part of EPA’s mission to protect endangered species and the environment,” deputy assistant administrator for pesticide programs Jake Li said in a statement.

EPA promised the strategies last year in settling the pesticide “megasuit” brought by the Center for Biological Diversity and Pesticide Action Network.

EPA admitted it couldn’t consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on every farm chemical, so committed to more broadly regulating pesticides through what it calls “early practical protections.”

A year ago, EPA released a draft herbicide strategy. The USDA, state agriculture departments, farm groups, chemical companies and extension agents criticized the proposal as too complicated and too restrictive.

EPA said the criticism influenced — and improved — its draft insecticide strategy.

EPA added more ways to score mitigation points, including by participating in a conservation program.

EPA will rank the risk of run-off by counties. Farmers in drier counties will automatically get mitigation points. The run-off risk in most counties in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington is rated “low” or “very low.”

In some cases, applicators will have to check EPA websites for restrictions specific to their area. The mitigation “menu” will be complicated, but more ways to score points will give farms flexibility, according to EPA.

EPA originally agreed to produce a final herbicide strategy by May 30. It received permission from a federal judge to finish the strategy by Aug. 30.

University of Illinois extension specialist Aaron Hager, who tracks EPA pesticide regulations, said Friday he expects the herbicide and insecticide strategies to be similar.

“I think a lot of people were pleased, even relieved, that the EPA petitioned the court for three more months,” Hager said. “To us, it was a signal they were taking the comments seriously.”

EPA will take comments on the insecticide strategy until Sept. 23. Farm groups and others are likely to ask for more time to digest the strategy and the technical documents supporting the proposal.

EPA plans to finalize the insecticide strategy early next year.

Center for Biological Diversity environmental health director Lori Ann Burd issued a statement urging “the EPA to stand strong against the inevitable attacks by Big Ag.”