Georgia counties can spray for mosquitoes this summer without further federal oversight.

The Environmental Protection Division postponed regulations on using pesticides near water.

The changes would have forced communities to get permits to spray chemicals in and around water sources.

According to Tommy Gray, the state agriculture department’s pesticide director, the rules likely won’t affect Georgians this year, or perhaps at all:

“Right now it shouldn’t be a major burden to anyone in the state unless they’re going ahead and getting ready for the actual permitting process; but there is also legislation, some federal legislation, that will basically eliminate this requirement.”

A bill, which cleared the U.S. House with broad support from Georgia’s delegation, would roll back the EPA’s ability to limit pesticides near water.

Some in the state however, do not anticipate much change either way.

Henry Lewandoski is director of Chatham County Mosquito Control, Georgia’s largest mosquito control agency.

He says his department is still abiding by the safety regulations:

“Essentially we are doing virtually everything that is required in the permit already. We are using integrated mosquito management principles, keeping records, maintaining and calibrating equipment; we’re doing this already.”

Pesticides represent only a portion of mosquito management.

Lewandoski can't say if Georgia will have a good or bad mosquito season this year