Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment; Notice of Availability, 35664-35666 [06-5456]
Download as PDF
35664
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 21, 2006 / Notices
Dated: June 15, 2006.
Richard Albores,
Deputy Director for Management, EPA
Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E6–9749 Filed 6–20–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0481; FRL–8065–4]
Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment;
Notice of Availability
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s cumulative risk
assessment for the chlorinated triazine
group of pesticides and opens a public
comment period on this document and
other support documents. As required
by the Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA), a cumulative risk assessment,
which evaluates exposures based on a
common mechanism of toxicity, was
conducted to evaluate the risk from
food, drinking water, and nonoccupational exposure resulting from all
registered uses of chlorinated triazine
pesticides. The chlorinated triazine
group includes the pesticides atrazine,
simazine, and propazine, in addition to
their three chlorinated degradates.
Propazine, however, was not
incorporated into the cumulative risk
assessment because no dietary, drinking
water, or residential human exposure to
propazine is anticipated from any of the
currently registered uses. The Agency is
concurrently issuing for public
comment the Reregistration Eligibility
Decision (RED) for simazine and the
Tolerance Reassessment Progress and
Risk Management Decision (TRED) for
propazine. See EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–
0151 and EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0496 in
the Notices section of this issue of the
Federal Register. A memo finalizing the
Interim Reregistration Eligibility
Decision for atrazine is being added to
docket EPA–HQ–OPP–2003–0367.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before August 21, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0481, by
one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460–0001.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:26 Jun 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
• Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental
Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One
Potomac Yard (South Building), 2777 S.
Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. Deliveries
are only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to
4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket telephone number is (703) 305–
5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–
0481. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the docket
without change and may be made
available on-line at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through regulations.gov or email. The Federal regulations.gov
website is an ‘‘anonymous access’’
system, which means EPA will not
know your identity or contact
information unless you provide it in the
body of your comment. If you send an
e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically
captured and included as part of the
comment that is placed in the docket
and made available on the Internet. If
you submit an electronic comment, EPA
recommends that you include your
name and other contact information in
the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA
cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact
you for clarification, EPA may not be
able to consider your comment.
Electronic files should avoid the use of
special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the docket index. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either in the
electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, or, if only
available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400,
One Potomac Yard (South Building),
PO 00000
Frm 00058
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA.
The hours of operation of this Docket
Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The Docket telephone number
is (703) 305–5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diane Sherman, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460–
0001; telephone number: (703) 308–
0128; fax number: (703) 308–8005; email address: sherman.diane@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public
in general, and may be of interest to a
wide range of stakeholders including
environmental, human health, and
agricultural advocates; the chemical
industry; pesticide users; and members
of the public interested in the sale,
distribution, or use of pesticides. Since
others also may be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all
the specific entities that may be affected
by this action. If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action
to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare
My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this
information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark
the part or all of the information that
you claim to be CBI. For CBI
information in a disk or CD ROM that
you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the
disk or CD ROM as CBI and then
identify electronically within the disk or
CD ROM the specific information that is
claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that
includes information claimed as CBI, a
copy of the comment that does not
contain the information claimed as CBI
must be submitted for inclusion in the
public docket. Information so marked
will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in
40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments.
When submitting comments, remember
to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID
number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal
Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The agency may
ask you to respond to specific questions
or organize comments by referencing a
E:\FR\FM\21JNN1.SGM
21JNN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 21, 2006 / Notices
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part
or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree;
suggest alternatives and substitute
language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and
provide any technical information and/
or data that you used.
v. If you estimate potential costs or
burdens, explain how you arrived at
your estimate in sufficient detail to
allow for it to be reproduced.
vi. Provide specific examples to
illustrate your concerns, and suggest
alternatives.
vii. Explain your views as clearly as
possible, avoiding the use of profanity
or personal threats.
viii. Make sure to submit your
comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. Background
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is making available the
completed cumulative risk assessment
for the chlorinated triazine pesticides.
The Agency developed this risk
assessment as part of its ongoing process
for making pesticide reregistration
eligibility and tolerance reassessment
decisions. Through these programs, EPA
is ensuring that pesticides meet current
standards under the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
and the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the FQPA.
Section 408(b)(2)(D)(v) of the FFDCA
directs the Agency to consider available
information on the cumulative risk from
substances sharing a common
mechanism of toxicity. In 2002 the
Agency determined that the chlorinated
triazine pesticides atrazine, simazine,
and propazine, in addition to their three
chlorinated degradates, share a common
neuroendocrine mechanism of toxicity
which results in both reproductive and
developmental consequences. This
determination can be found in the
document entitled ‘‘The Grouping of a
Series of Triazine Pesticides Based on a
Common Mechanism of Toxicity’’
available at https://www.epa.gov/
oppsrrd1/cumulative/triazines/
triazinestransmittalmemo.htm.
The Agency has concluded that the
cumulative risks associated with the
chlorinated triazine pesticides are below
the Agency’s level of concern. While
making final reregistration eligibility
and tolerance reassessment decisions on
individual chlorinated triazines, the
Agency evaluated the cumulative risk
posed by this group. Although
individual risk assessments were
conducted for each of the chlorinated
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:26 Jun 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
triazine pesticides, propazine was not
incorporated into the cumulative risk
assessment because no dietary, drinking
water, or residential human exposure to
propazine is anticipated from any of the
currently registered uses.
The Interim Reregistration Eligibility
Decision previously issued for atrazine
in docket OPP–2003–0072 (68 FR 9652,
February 28, 2003) (FRL–7296–1) and
revised in docket OPP–2003–0367 (68
FR 63085, November 7, 2003) (FRL–
7334–9) is now considered final; the
tolerance reassessment and
reregistration eligibility process for
atrazine is complete. EPA has
determined that the established
tolerances for atrazine meet the FFDCA
safety standard and that no further risk
mitigation is necessary as a result of the
triazine cumulative risk assessment.
EPA is providing an opportunity,
through this notice, for interested
parties to provide comments and input
on the Agency’s completed cumulative
risk assessment for the triazines. Such
comments and input could address the
Agency’s risk assessment methodologies
and assumptions as applied to this
cumulative assessment. The Agency
will consider all comments received,
and make changes, if appropriate, to the
triazine cumulative assessment.
EPA seeks to achieve environmental
justice, the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people,
regardless of race, color, national origin,
or income, in the development,
implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and
policies. To help address potential
environmental justice issues, the
Agency seeks information on any groups
or segments of the population who, as
a result of their location, cultural
practices, or other factors, may have
atypical, unusually high exposure to
chlorinated triazine pesticides,
compared to the general population.
EPA is applying the principles of
public participation to all pesticides
undergoing reregistration and tolerance
reassessment. The Agency’s Pesticide
Tolerance Reassessment and
Reregistration; Public Participation
Process, published in the Federal
Register on May 14, 2004, (69 FR 26819)
(FRL–7357–9) explains that in
conducting these programs, EPA is
tailoring its public participation process
to be commensurate with the level of
risk, extent of use, complexity of issues,
and degree of public concern associated
with each pesticide. Both atrazine and
simazine have had extensive
opportunties for public comment as part
of their reregistration eligibility and
tolerance reassessment process.
PO 00000
Frm 00059
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35665
Comments should be limited to issues
raised within the triazine risk
assessment and associated documents.
Failure to comment on any such issues
as part of this opportunity will not limit
a commenter’s opportunity to
participate in any later notice and
comment processes on this matter. All
comments should be submitted using
the methods in ADDRESSES, and must be
received by EPA on or before the closing
date. Comments will become part of the
Agency Docket for the triazine
cumulative risk assessment. Comments
received after the close of the comment
period will be marked ‘‘late.’’ EPA is not
required to consider these late
comments.
B. What is the Agency’s Authority for
Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA, as
amended, requires the Administrator to
make ‘‘a determination as to the
eligibility for reregistration (i) for all
active ingredients subject to
reregistration under this section for
which tolerances or exemptions from
tolerances are required under the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), not later than the
last date for tolerance reassessment
established under section 408(q)(1)(C) of
that Act (21 U.S.C. 346a(q)(1)(C)) . . . .’’
Section 408(q) of the FFDCA, 21
U.S.C. 346a(q), requires EPA to review
tolerances and exemptions for pesticide
residues in effect as of August 2, 1996,
to determine whether the tolerance or
exemption meets the requirements of
section 408(b)(2) or (c)(2) of FFDCA.
This review is to be completed by
August 3, 2006. A tolerance or
exemption meets the requirements of
section 408(b)(2) or (c)(2), respectively,
if ‘‘the Administrator determines the
pesticide chemical residue is safe’’, i.e.,
‘‘that there is a reasonable certainty that
no harm will result from aggregate
exposure to the pesticide chemical
residue, including all anticipated
dietary exposures and all other
exposures for which there is reliable
information.’’ 21 U.S.C. 346a(b)(2)(A),
and (c)(2)(A). In making this safety
finding, FFDCA requires the
Administrator to consider, among other
factors, ‘‘available information
concerning the cumulative effects of
such residues and other substances that
have a common mechanism of toxicity
. . . .’’ 21 U.S.C. 346a(b)(2)(D)(v), and
(c)(2)(B).
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides
and pests.
E:\FR\FM\21JNN1.SGM
21JNN1
35666
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 21, 2006 / Notices
Dated: June 9, 2006.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration
Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 06–5456 Filed 6–20–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0496;FRL–8065–3]
Propazine; Tolerance Reassessment
Progress and Risk Management
Decision for Low Risk Pesticide;
Notice of Availability
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’sTolerance
Reassessment Progress and Risk
Management Decision (TRED) for the
chlorinated triazine pesticide propazine,
and opens a public comment period on
this document, related risk assessments,
and other support documents. EPA has
reviewed the low risk pesticide
propazine through a modified,
streamlined version of the public
participation process that the Agency
uses to involve the public in developing
pesticide tolerance reassessment and
reregistration decisions. Through the
tolerance reassessment program, EPA is
ensuring that all pesticides meet current
health and food safety standards. The
Agency is concurrently issuing for
public comment the Triazine
Cumulative Risk Assessment; see EPA–
HQ–OPP–2005–0481 in the Notices
section of this issue of the Federal
Register.
Comments must be received on
or before August 21, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0496, by
one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460–0001.
• Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental
Protection Agency, Rm. S–4400, One
Potomac Yard (South Building), 2777 S.
Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. Deliveries
are only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to
4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays). Special
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:26 Jun 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket telephone number is (703) 305–
5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–
0496. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the docket
without change and may be made
available on-line at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through regulations.gov or email. The Federal regulations.gov
website is an ‘‘anonymous access’’
system, which means EPA will not
know your identity or contact
information unless you provide it in the
body of your comment. If you send an
e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically
captured and included as part of the
comment that is placed in the docket
and made available on the Internet. If
you submit an electronic comment, EPA
recommends that you include your
name and other contact information in
the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA
cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact
you for clarification, EPA may not be
able to consider your comment.
Electronic files should avoid the use of
special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the docket index. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either in the
electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov,or, if only
available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S–
4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive,
Arlington, VA. The hours of operation
of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The Docket
telephone number is (703) 305–5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diane Sherman,Special Review and
PO 00000
Frm 00060
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460–
0001; telephone number: (703) 308–
0128; fax number: (703) 308–8005; email address:diane.sherman@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public
in general, and may be of interest to a
wide range of stakeholders including
environmental, human health, and
agricultural advocates; the chemical
industry; pesticide users; and members
of the public interested in the sale,
distribution, or use of pesticides. Since
others also may be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all
the specific entities that may be affected
by this action. If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action
to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare
My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this
information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark
the part or all of the information that
you claim to be CBI. For CBI
information in a disk or CD ROM that
you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the
disk or CD ROM as CBI and then
identify electronically within the disk or
CD ROM the specific information that is
claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that
includes information claimed as CBI, a
copy of the comment that does not
contain the information claimed as CBI
must be submitted for inclusion in the
public docket. Information so marked
will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in
40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments.
When submitting comments, remember
to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID
number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal
Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The agency may
ask you to respond to specific questions
or organize comments by referencing a
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part
or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree;
suggest alternatives and substitute
language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and
provide any technical information and/
or data that you used.
E:\FR\FM\21JNN1.SGM
21JNN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35664-35666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5456]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0481; FRL-8065-4]
Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment; Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's cumulative
risk assessment for the chlorinated triazine group of pesticides and
opens a public comment period on this document and other support
documents. As required by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), a
cumulative risk assessment, which evaluates exposures based on a common
mechanism of toxicity, was conducted to evaluate the risk from food,
drinking water, and non-occupational exposure resulting from all
registered uses of chlorinated triazine pesticides. The chlorinated
triazine group includes the pesticides atrazine, simazine, and
propazine, in addition to their three chlorinated degradates.
Propazine, however, was not incorporated into the cumulative risk
assessment because no dietary, drinking water, or residential human
exposure to propazine is anticipated from any of the currently
registered uses. The Agency is concurrently issuing for public comment
the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for simazine and the
Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Risk Management Decision (TRED) for
propazine. See EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0151 and EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0496 in the
Notices section of this issue of the Federal Register. A memo
finalizing the Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision for atrazine
is being added to docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2003-0367.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 21, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0481, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2005-0481. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-
mail. The Federal regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous access''
system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through
regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and
included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made
available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA
recommends that you include your name and other contact information in
the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot
contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters,
any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index.
Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly
available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are
available either in the electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. The hours of operation
of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket telephone number is (703)
305-5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Sherman, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-0128; fax
number: (703) 308-8005; e-mail address: sherman.diane@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution,
or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or
CD ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments,
remember to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The agency may ask you to respond to
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a
[[Page 35665]]
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and
substitute language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information
and/or data that you used.
v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you
arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be
reproduced.
vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and
suggest alternatives.
vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of
profanity or personal threats.
viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is making available the completed cumulative risk assessment
for the chlorinated triazine pesticides. The Agency developed this risk
assessment as part of its ongoing process for making pesticide
reregistration eligibility and tolerance reassessment decisions.
Through these programs, EPA is ensuring that pesticides meet current
standards under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as
amended by the FQPA.
Section 408(b)(2)(D)(v) of the FFDCA directs the Agency to consider
available information on the cumulative risk from substances sharing a
common mechanism of toxicity. In 2002 the Agency determined that the
chlorinated triazine pesticides atrazine, simazine, and propazine, in
addition to their three chlorinated degradates, share a common
neuroendocrine mechanism of toxicity which results in both reproductive
and developmental consequences. This determination can be found in the
document entitled ``The Grouping of a Series of Triazine Pesticides
Based on a Common Mechanism of Toxicity'' available at https://
www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/cumulative/triazines/
triazinestransmittalmemo.htm.
The Agency has concluded that the cumulative risks associated with
the chlorinated triazine pesticides are below the Agency's level of
concern. While making final reregistration eligibility and tolerance
reassessment decisions on individual chlorinated triazines, the Agency
evaluated the cumulative risk posed by this group. Although individual
risk assessments were conducted for each of the chlorinated triazine
pesticides, propazine was not incorporated into the cumulative risk
assessment because no dietary, drinking water, or residential human
exposure to propazine is anticipated from any of the currently
registered uses.
The Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision previously issued
for atrazine in docket OPP-2003-0072 (68 FR 9652, February 28, 2003)
(FRL-7296-1) and revised in docket OPP-2003-0367 (68 FR 63085, November
7, 2003) (FRL-7334-9) is now considered final; the tolerance
reassessment and reregistration eligibility process for atrazine is
complete. EPA has determined that the established tolerances for
atrazine meet the FFDCA safety standard and that no further risk
mitigation is necessary as a result of the triazine cumulative risk
assessment.
EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for
interested parties to provide comments and input on the Agency's
completed cumulative risk assessment for the triazines. Such comments
and input could address the Agency's risk assessment methodologies and
assumptions as applied to this cumulative assessment. The Agency will
consider all comments received, and make changes, if appropriate, to
the triazine cumulative assessment.
EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income, in the development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help
address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks
information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a
result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may
have atypical, unusually high exposure to chlorinated triazine
pesticides, compared to the general population.
EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all
pesticides undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. The
Agency's Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Reregistration; Public
Participation Process, published in the Federal Register on May 14,
2004, (69 FR 26819) (FRL-7357-9) explains that in conducting these
programs, EPA is tailoring its public participation process to be
commensurate with the level of risk, extent of use, complexity of
issues, and degree of public concern associated with each pesticide.
Both atrazine and simazine have had extensive opportunties for public
comment as part of their reregistration eligibility and tolerance
reassessment process.
Comments should be limited to issues raised within the triazine
risk assessment and associated documents. Failure to comment on any
such issues as part of this opportunity will not limit a commenter's
opportunity to participate in any later notice and comment processes on
this matter. All comments should be submitted using the methods in
ADDRESSES, and must be received by EPA on or before the closing date.
Comments will become part of the Agency Docket for the triazine
cumulative risk assessment. Comments received after the close of the
comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider
these late comments.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA, as amended, requires the Administrator
to make ``a determination as to the eligibility for reregistration (i)
for all active ingredients subject to reregistration under this section
for which tolerances or exemptions from tolerances are required under
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), not
later than the last date for tolerance reassessment established under
section 408(q)(1)(C) of that Act (21 U.S.C. 346a(q)(1)(C)) . . . .''
Section 408(q) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. 346a(q), requires EPA to
review tolerances and exemptions for pesticide residues in effect as of
August 2, 1996, to determine whether the tolerance or exemption meets
the requirements of section 408(b)(2) or (c)(2) of FFDCA. This review
is to be completed by August 3, 2006. A tolerance or exemption meets
the requirements of section 408(b)(2) or (c)(2), respectively, if ``the
Administrator determines the pesticide chemical residue is safe'',
i.e., ``that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result
from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue, including
all anticipated dietary exposures and all other exposures for which
there is reliable information.'' 21 U.S.C. 346a(b)(2)(A), and
(c)(2)(A). In making this safety finding, FFDCA requires the
Administrator to consider, among other factors, ``available information
concerning the cumulative effects of such residues and other substances
that have a common mechanism of toxicity . . . .'' 21 U.S.C.
346a(b)(2)(D)(v), and (c)(2)(B).
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.
[[Page 35666]]
Dated: June 9, 2006.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 06-5456 Filed 6-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S