Fenhexamid; Pesticide Tolerance, 43660-43664 [E6-12348]
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effects on one or more Indian tribes, on
the relationship between the Federal
Government and the Indian tribes, or on
the distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes.’’ This
final rule will not have substantial
direct effects on tribal governments, on
the relationship between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes, as
specified in Executive Order 13175.
Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not
apply to this final rule.
IV. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
Agency promulgating the rule must
submit a rule report, which includes a
copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and the Comptroller General of
the United States. EPA will submit a
report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and
the Comptroller General of the United
States prior to publication of the rule in
theFederal Register. This rule is not a
‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Agricultural commodities, Pesticides
and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: July 24, 2006.
Lois Rossi,
Director, Registration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
Therefore, 40 CFR chapter I is
amended as follows:
I
PART 180—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 180
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
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§ 180.910
[Amended]
2. In § 180.910, the table is amended
by removing the entry for ‘‘Wheat bran.’’
I
[FR Doc. E6–12345 Filed 8–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 180
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0245; FRL–8079–2]
Fenhexamid; Pesticide Tolerance
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This regulation establishes
tolerances for residues of fenhexamid in
or on nonbell pepper, pomegranate, and
cilantro leaves. Interregional Research
Project No.4 (IR-4) requested these
tolerances under the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as
amended by the Food Quality Protection
Act of 1996 (FQPA).
DATES: This regulation is effective
August 2, 2006. Objections and requests
for hearings must be received on or
before October 2, 2006, and must be
filed in accordance with the instructions
provided in 40 CFR part 178 (see also
Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a
docket for this action under docket
identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–
OPP–2005–0245. All documents in the
docket are listed in the index for the
docket. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly
available, e.g., Confidential Business
Information (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 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 Docket Facility is open 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:
Barbara Madden, Registration Division
(7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(703) 305-6463; e-mail address:
madden.barbara@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
You may be potentially affected by
this action if you are an agricultural
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producer, food manufacturer, or
pesticide manufacturer. Potentially
affected entities may include, but are
not limited to:
• Crop production (NAICS 111), e.g.,
agricultural workers; greenhouse,
nursery, and floriculture workers;
farmers.
• Animal production (NAICS 112),
e.g., cattle ranchers and farmers, dairy
cattle farmers, livestock farmers.
• Food manufacturing (NAICS 311),
e.g., agricultural workers; farmers;
greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture
workers; ranchers; pesticide applicators.
• Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS
32532), e.g., agricultural workers;
commercial applicators; farmers;
greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture
workers; residential users.
This listing is not intended to be
exhaustive, but rather provides a guide
for readers regarding entities likely to be
affected by this action. Other types of
entities not listed in this unit could also
be affected. The North American
Industrial Classification System
(NAICS) codes have been provided to
assist you and others in determining
whether this action might apply to
certain entities. 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. How Can I Access Electronic Copies
of this Document?
In addition to accessing an electronic
copy of this Federal Register document
through the electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, you may access
this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet
under the ‘‘Federal Register’’ listings at
https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr. You may
also access a frequently updated
electronic version of 40 CFR part 180
through the Government Printing
Office’s pilot e-CFR site at https://
www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr. To access the
OPPTS Harmonized Guidelines
referenced in this document, go directly
to the guidelines at https://www.epa.gpo/
opptsfrs/home/guidelin.htm.
C. Can I File an Objection or Hearing
Request?
Under section 408(g) of the FFDCA, as
amended by the FQPA, any person may
file an objection to any aspect of this
regulation and may also request a
hearing on those objections. The EPA
procedural regulations which govern the
submission of objections and requests
for hearings appear in 40 CFR part 178.
You must file your objection or request
a hearing on this regulation in
accordance with the instructions
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provided in 40 CFR part 178. To ensure
proper receipt by EPA, you must
identify docket ID number EPA–HQ–
OPP–2005–0245 in the subject line on
the first page of your submission. All
requests must be in writing, and must be
mailed or delivered to the Hearing Clerk
on or before October 2, 2006.
In addition to filing an objection or
hearing request with the Hearing Clerk
as described in 40 CFR part 178, please
submit a copy of the filing that does not
contain any CBI for inclusion in the
public docket that is described in
ADDRESSES. Information not marked
confidential pursuant to 40 CFR part 2
may be disclosed publicly by EPA
without prior notice. Submit your
copies, identified by docket ID number
EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0245, 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) 3055805.
II. Background and Statutory Findings
In the Federal Register of November
30, 2005 (70 FR 71838) (FRL–7735–7),
EPA issued a notice pursuant to section
408(d)(3) of FFDCA, 21 U.S.C.
346a(d)(3), announcing the filing of
pesticide petitions (PP 4E6859 and
4E6860) by Interregional Research
Project No. 4 (IR-4), Technology Center
of New Jersey, Rutgers, the State
University of New Jersey, 681 U.S.
Highway #1 South, North Brunswick, NJ
08902-3390. The petition requested that
40 CFR 180.553 be amended by
establishing tolerances for residues of
the fungicide fenhexamid, (N-2,3dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl
cyclohexanecarboxamide in or on
cilantro, leaves at 30.0 parts per million
(ppm) (4E6859); pepper, nonbell at 0.02
ppm (4E6860) and pomegranate at 3.0
ppm (4E6859). That notice included a
summary of the petition prepared by
Arvesta Corporation, the registrant.
There were no comments received in
response to the notice of filing. Petition
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4E6859 was subsequently amended to
lower the residue level for pomegranate
to 2.0 ppm.
Section 408(b)(2)(A)(i) of FFDCA
allows EPA to establish a tolerance (the
legal limit for a pesticide chemical
residue in or on a food) only if EPA
determines that the tolerance is ‘‘safe.’’
Section 408(b)(2)(A)(ii) of FFDCA
defines ‘‘safe’’ to mean 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.’’ This includes
exposure through drinking water and in
residential settings, but does not include
occupational exposure. Section
408(b)(2)(C) of FFDCA requires EPA to
give special consideration to exposure
of infants and children to the pesticide
chemical residue in establishing a
tolerance and to ‘‘ensure that there is a
reasonable certainty that no harm will
result to infants and children from
aggregate exposure to the pesticide
chemical residue....’’
EPA performs a number of analyses to
determine the risks from aggregate
exposure to pesticide residues. For
further discussion of the regulatory
requirements of section 408 of the
FFDCA and a complete description of
the risk assessment process, see https://
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1997/
November/Day-26/p30948.htm.
III. Aggregate Risk Assessment and
Determination of Safety
Consistent with section 408(b)(2)(D)
of FFDCA, EPA has reviewed the
available scientific data and other
relevant information in support of this
action. EPA has sufficient data to assess
the hazards of and to make a
determination on aggregate exposure,
consistent with section 408(b)(2) of
FFDCA, for a tolerance for residues of
fenhexamid on cilantro, leaves at 30.0
ppm; pepper, nonbell at 0.02 ppm; and
pomegranate at 2.0 ppm. EPA’s
assessment of exposures and risks
associated with establishing the
tolerance follows.
A. Toxicological Profile
EPA has evaluated the available
toxicity data and considered its validity,
completeness, and reliability as well as
the relationship of the results of the
studies to human risk. EPA has also
considered available information
concerning the variability of the
sensitivities of major identifiable
subgroups of consumers, including
infants and children. Specific
information on the studies received and
the nature of the toxic effects caused by
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fenhexamid as well as the no-observedadverse-effect-level (NOAEL) and the
lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level
(LOAEL) from the toxicity studies in the
Federal Register of April 13, 2000 (65
FR 19842) (FRL–6553–7) *https://
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2000/
April/Day-13/p9144.htm.
B. Toxicological Endpoints
For hazards that have a threshold
below which there is no appreciable
risk, the dose at which no adverse
effects are observed (the NOAEL) from
the toxicology study identified as
appropriate for use in risk assessment is
used to estimate the toxicological level
of concern (LOC). However, the lowest
dose at which adverse effects of concern
are identified the (LOAEL) is sometimes
used for risk assessment if no NOAEL
was achieved in the toxicology study
selected. An uncertainty factor (UF) is
applied to reflect uncertainties inherent
in the extrapolation from laboratory
animal data to humans and in the
variations in sensitivity among members
of the human population as well as
other unknowns.
The linear default risk methodology
(Q*) is the primary method currently
used by the Agency to quantify nonthreshold hazards such as cancer. The
Q* approach assumes that any amount
of exposure will lead to some degree of
cancer risk, estimates risk in terms of
the probability of occurrence of
additional cancer cases. More
information can be found on the general
principles EPA uses in risk
characterization at https://www.epa.gov/
pesticides/health/human.htm.
A summary of the toxicological
endpoints for fenhexamid used for
human risk assessment is discussed in
Unit III.B. of the final rule published in
the Federal Register of September 26,
2003 (68 FR 55513) (FRL–7326–7).
C. Exposure Assessment
1. Dietary exposure from food and
feed uses. Tolerances have been
established (40 CFR 180.553) for the
residues of fenhexamid, in or on a
variety of raw agricultural commodities.
Risk assessments were conducted by
EPA to assess dietary exposures from
fenhexamid in food as follows:
i. Acute exposure. Quantitative acute
dietary exposure and risk assessments
are performed for a food-use pesticide,
if a toxicological study has indicated the
possibility of an effect of concern
occurring as a result of a one-day or
single exposure. No such effects were
identified in the toxicological studies
for fenhexamid; therefore, a quantitative
acute dietary exposure assessment is
unnecessary.
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ii. Chronic exposure. In conducting
the chronic dietary exposure assessment
EPA used the Dietary Exposure
Evaluation Model software with the
Food Commodity Intake Database
(DEEM-FCIDTM), which incorporates
food consumption data as reported by
respondents in the USDA 1994-1996
and 1998 Nationwide Continuing
Surveys of Food Intake by Individuals
(CSFII), and accumulated exposure to
the chemical for each commodity. The
following assumptions were made for
the chronic exposure assessments: one
hundred percent of proposed and
registered crops are treated with
fenhexamid, default processing factors,
average (chronic) concentration
estimates for drinking water and
tolerance-level residues for all
commodities.
iii. Cancer. Fenhexamid is classified
as ‘‘not likely’’ to be a human
carcinogen. Therefore, a cancer dietary
exposure assessment was not
performed.
2. Dietary exposure from drinking
water. The Agency lacks sufficient
monitoring exposure data to complete a
comprehensive dietary exposure
analysis and risk assessment for
fenhexamid in drinking water. Because
the Agency does not have
comprehensive monitoring data,
drinking water concentration estimates
are made by reliance on simulation or
modeling taking into account data on
the physical characteristics of
fenhexamid. Further information
regarding EPA drinking water models
used in pesticide exposure assessment
can be found at https://www.epa.gov/
oppefed1/models/water/index.htm .
Based on the FIRST and SCI-GROW
models, the estimated environmental
concentrations (EECs) of fenhexamid for
acute exposures are estimated to be 29
parts per billion (ppb) for surface water
and 0.0007 ppb for groundwater. The
EECs for chronic exposures are
estimated to be 1.1 ppb for surface water
and 0.0007 ppb for groundwater.
Modeled estimates of drinking water
concentrations were directly entered
into the dietary exposure model (DEEMFCIDTM). For chronic dietary risk
assessment, the annual average
concentration of 1.1 ppb was used to
access the contribution to drinking
water
3. From non-dietary exposure. The
term ‘‘residential exposure’’ is used in
this document to refer to nonoccupational, non-dietary exposure
(e.g., for lawn and garden pest control,
indoor pest control, termiticides, and
flea and tick control on pets).
Fenhexamid is not registered for use on
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any sites that would result in residential
exposure.
4. Cumulative effects from substances
with a common mechanism of toxicity.
Section 408(b)(2)(D)(v) of the FFDCA
requires that, when considering whether
to establish, modify, or revoke a
tolerance, the Agency consider
‘‘available information’’ concerning the
cumulative effects of a particular
pesticide’s residues and ‘‘other
substances that have a common
mechanism of toxicity.’’ Unlike other
pesticides for which EPA has followed
a cumulative risk approach based on a
common mechanism of toxicity, EPA
has not made a common mechanism of
toxicity finding as to fenhexamid and
any other substances and fenhexamid
does not appear to produce a toxic
metabolite produced by other
substances. For the purposes of this
tolerance action, therefore, EPA has not
assumed that fenhexamid has a common
mechanism of toxicity with other
substances. For information regarding
EPA’s efforts to determine which
chemicals have a common mechanism
of toxicity and to evaluate the
cumulative effects of such chemicals,
see the policy statements released by
EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs
concerning common mechanism
determinations and procedures for
cumulating effects from substances
found to have a common mechanism on
EPA’s website at https://www.epa.gov/
pesticides/cumulative.
D. Safety Factor for Infants and
Children
1. In general. Section 408 of FFDCA
provides that EPA shall apply an
additional tenfold margin of safety for
infants and children in the case of
threshold effects to account for prenatal
and postnatal toxicity and the
completeness of the data base on
toxicity and exposure unless EPA
determines based on reliable data that a
different margin of safety will be safe for
infants and children. Margins of safety
are incorporated into EPA risk
assessments either directly through use
of a MOE analysis or through using
uncertainty (safety) factors in
calculating a dose level that poses no
appreciable risk to humans. In applying
this provision, EPA either retains the
default value of 10X when reliable data
do not support the choice of a different
factor, or, if reliable data are available,
EPA uses a different additional safety
factor value based on the use of
traditional uncertainty factors and/or
special FQPA safety factors, as
appropriate.
2. Prenatal and postnatal sensitivity.
In the rat and the rabbit developmental
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toxicity studies, neither quantitative nor
qualitative evidence of increased
susceptibility of fetuses to in utero
exposure to fenhexamid was observed.
In the rat reproduction study,
qualitative susceptibility was evidenced
as significantly decreased pup body
weights in both generations during the
lactation period (on lactation days 7, 14,
and 21 in the F2 generation and
lactation days 14 and 21 in the F1
generation offspring) in the presence of
lesser maternal toxicity (alterations in
clinical chemistry parameters and
decreased organ weights without
collaborative histopathology).
Considering the overall toxicity profile
and the doses and endpoints selected
for risk assessment for fenhexamid, the
degree of concern for the effects
observed in this study was characterized
as low, noting that there is a clear
NOAEL and well-characterized dose
response for the offspring effects
observed and that these effects occurred
in the presence of parental toxicity. No
residual uncertainties were identified.
The NOAEL of 17 mg/kg/day from the
chronic dog study used to establish the
chronic Reference Dose (cRfD) for the
General Population (no aRfD was
established for any population
subgroup) is lower than the NOAEL of
38.2 mg/kg/day in the reproduction
study in which the offspring effects of
concern were observed (LOAEL = 406
mg/kg/day).
3. Conclusion. There is a complete
toxicity data base for fenhexamid and
exposure data are complete or are
estimated based on data that reasonably
accounts for potential exposures. EPA
determined that the 10X Safety Factor to
protect infants and children should be
reduced to 1X for the following reasons:
• There are no residual uncertainties
for pre and/or post natal toxicities via
the oral route since the doses selected
for concerns for the developmental and
offspring toxicities seen in the above
mentioned studies.
• There are no residual uncertainties
for pre and/or post natal toxicities via
the dermal route since the dose/
endpoint/study/species of concern was
used for dermal-risk assessment.
• The toxicology data base is
complete.
• Developmental neurotoxicity studies
are not required for fenhexamid based
on the following weight-of-the-evidence
considerations:
i. Lack of evidence of abnormalities in
the development of the fetal nervous
system in the pre/post natal studies.
ii. Neither brain weight nor
histopathological examination of the
nervous system was affected in the
subchronic and chronic studies.
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iii. Decreased body temperatures
observed in male rats in the acute
neurotoxicity study were not considered
to be toxicologically significant.
• The dietary (food) exposure
assessment utilizes existing and
proposed tolerance level residues and
assumes 100% of crops treated with
fenhexamid. The assessment is based on
reliable data and is not expected to
underestimate exposure/risk.
• Conservative assumptions are used
in the drinking water models. The
drinking water exposure assessment is
not expected to underestimate
exposure/risk.
• Fenhexamid is not registered for use
sites that would result in residential
exposure.
E. Aggregate Risks and Determination of
Safety
The Agency currently has two ways to
estimate total aggregate exposure to a
pesticide from food, drinking water, and
residential uses. First, a screening
assessment can be used, in which the
Agency calculates drinking water levels
of comparison (DWLOCs) which are
used as a point of comparison against
estimated drinking water concentrations
(EDWCs). The DWLOC values are not
regulatory standards for drinking water,
but are theoretical upper limits on a
pesticide’s concentration in drinking
water in light of total aggregate exposure
to a pesticide in food and residential
uses. More information on the use of
DWLOCs in dietary aggregate risk
assessments can be found at https://
www.epa.gov/oppfead1/trac/science/
screeningsop.pdf.
More recently the Agency has used
another approach to estimate aggregate
exposure through food, residential and
drinking water pathways. In this
approach, modeled surface and
groundwater EDWCs are directly
incorporated into the dietary exposure
analysis, along with food. This provides
a more realistic estimate of exposure
because actual body weights and water
consumption from the CSFII are used.
The combined food and water exposures
are then added to estimated exposure
from residential sources to calculate
aggregate risks. The resulting exposure
and risk estimates are still considered to
be high end, due to the assumptions
used in developing drinking water
modeling inputs.
1. Acute risk. An acute risk
assessment was not performed. No
toxicological endpoint attributable to a
single (acute) dietary exposure was
identified. Therefore, acute risk from
exposure to fenhexamid is not expected.
2. Chronic risk. Using the exposure
assumptions described in this unit for
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chronic exposure, EPA has concluded
that exposure to fenhexamid from food
and water will utilize 11% of the cPAD
for the U.S. population, 21% of the
cPAD for all infants less than 1 year old,
and 28% of the cPAD for children 1-2
years old, the subpopulation at greatest
exposure. There are no residential uses
for fenhexamid. Therefore, EPA does
not expect the aggregate exposure to
exceed 100% of the cPAD
3. Short-term risk and Intermediateterm. Short-term and intermediate-term
aggregate exposures take into account
residential exposure plus chronic
exposure to food and water (considered
to be a background exposure level).
Fenhezamid is not registered for use on
any sites that would result in residential
exposure. Therefore, the aggregate risk
is the sum of the risk from food and
water, which do not exceed the
Agency’s level of concern.
4. Aggregate cancer risk for U.S.
population. The Agency has classified
fenhexamid as a ‘‘not likely’’ human
carcinogen based on lack of evidence of
carcinogenicity in male and female rats
as well as in male and female mice, and
on the lack of genotoxicity in an
acceptable battery of mutagenicity
studies. Therefore, fenhexamid is not
expected to pose a cancer risk.
5. Determination of safety. Based on
these risk assessments, EPA concludes
that there is a reasonable certainty that
no harm will result to the general
population, and to infants and children
from aggregate exposure to fenhexamid.
IV. Other Considerations
A. Analytical Enforcement Methodology
Adequate enforcement methodology
Bayer AG Method 00362 (HPLC - ECD)
is available to enforce the tolerance
expression. The method may be
requested from: Chief, Analytical
Chemistry Branch, Environmental
Science Center, 701 Mapes Rd., Ft.
Meade, MD 20755-5350; telephone
number: (410) 305-2905; e-mail address:
residuemethods@epa.gov.
B. International Residue Limits
Fenhexamid per se is the residue to be
regulated in pomegranate, cilantro or
non-bell pepper. There are no Canadian,
Mexican, or Codex MRLs for
fenhexamid ‘‘for these crops’’ ,
therefore, there are no issues for
international harmonization.
V. Conclusion
Therefore, the tolerance is established
for residues of fenhexamid, (N-2,3dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl
cyclohexanecarboxamide, in or on
cilantro, leaves at 30.0 ppm; pepper,
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43663
nonbell at 0.02 ppm; and pomegranate
at 2.0.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
This final rule establishes a tolerance
under section 408(d) of FFDCA in
response to a petition submitted to the
Agency. The Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) has exempted these types
of actions from review under Executive
Order 12866, entitled Regulatory
Planning and Review (58 FR 51735,
October 4, 1993). Because this rule has
been exempted from review under
Executive Order 12866 due to its lack of
significance, this rule is not subject to
Executive Order 13211, Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use (66 FR 28355, May
22, 2001). This final rule does not
contain any information collections
subject to OMB approval under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq., or impose any
enforceable duty or contain any
unfunded mandate as described under
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Public
Law 104-4). Nor does it require any
special considerations under Executive
Order 12898, entitled Federal Actions to
Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations (59 FR 7629, February 16,
1994); or OMB review or any Agency
action under Executive Order 13045,
entitled Protection of Children from
Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997).
This action does not involve any
technical standards that would require
Agency consideration of voluntary
consensus standards pursuant to section
12(d) of the National Technology
Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995
(NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, section
12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note). Since
tolerances and exemptions that are
established on the basis of a petition
under section 408(d) of FFDCA, such as
the tolerance in this final rule, do not
require the issuance of a proposed rule,
the requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et
seq.) do not apply. In addition, the
Agency has determined that this action
will not have a substantial direct effect
on States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States,
or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government, as specified in
Executive Order 13132, entitled
Federalism (64 FR 43255, August 10,
1999). Executive Order 13132 requires
EPA to develop an accountable process
to ensure ‘‘meaningful and timely input
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02AUR1
43664
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 2, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with RULES
by State and local officials in the
development of regulatory policies that
have federalism implications.’’ ‘‘Policies
that have federalism implications’’ is
defined in the Executive order to
include regulations that have
‘‘substantial direct effects on the States,
on the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government.’’ This final rule
directly regulates growers, food
processors, food handlers and food
retailers, not States. This action does not
alter the relationships or distribution of
power and responsibilities established
by Congress in the preemption
provisions of section 408(n)(4) of
FFDCA. For these same reasons, the
Agency has determined that this rule
does not have any ‘‘tribal implications’’
as described in Executive Order 13175,
entitled Consultation and Coordination
with Indian Tribal Governments (65 FR
67249, November 6, 2000). Executive
Order 13175, requires EPA to develop
an accountable process to ensure
‘‘meaningful and timely input by tribal
officials in the development of
regulatory policies that have tribal
implications.’’ ‘‘Policies that have tribal
implications’’ is defined in the
Executive order to include regulations
that have ‘‘substantial direct effects on
one or more Indian tribes, on the
relationship between the Federal
Government and the Indian tribes, or on
the distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes.’’ This
rule will not have substantial direct
effects on tribal governments, on the
relationship between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes, as
specified in Executive Order 13175.
Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not
apply to this rule.
VII. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
agency promulgating the rule must
submit a rule report, which includes a
copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and to the Comptroller General
of the United States. EPA will submit a
report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and
the Comptroller General of the United
States prior to publication of this final
rule in the Federal Register. This final
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:52 Aug 01, 2006
Jkt 208001
rule is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as defined by
5 U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Agricultural commodities, Pesticides
and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: July 21, 2006.
Daniel J. Rosenblatt,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office
of Pesticide Programs.
Therefore, 40 CFR chapter I is
amended as follows:
I
Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food
Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
The two tolerance exemptions are
considered ‘‘reassessed’’ for purposes of
FFDCA’s section 408(q) and count as a
tolerance reassessment toward the
August 2006 review deadline.
DATES: This rule is effective August 2,
2006. Objections and requests for
hearings must be received on or before
October 2, 2006, and must be filed in
accordance with the instructions
provided in 40 CFR part 178 (see also
Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION).
EPA has established a
docket for this action under docket
identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–
I 1. The authority citation for part 180
OPP–2006–0307. All documents in the
continues to read as follows:
docket are listed in the index for the
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
docket. Although listed in the index,
I 2. Section 180.553 is amended by
some information is not publicly
alphabetically adding commodities to
available, e.g., Confidential Business
the table in paragraph (a) to read as
Information (CBI) or other information
follows:
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
§ 180.553 Fenhexamid; tolerances for
copyrighted material, is not placed on
residues.
the Internet and will be publicly
(a) *
*
*
available only in hard copy form.
Parts per mil- Publicly available docket materials are
Commodity
lion
available in the electronic docket at
https://www.regulations.gov, or, if only
*
*
*
*
*
available in hard copy, at the OPP
Cilantro, leaves
30.0 Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S–
*
*
*
*
*
4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.),
Pepper, nonbell
0.02
2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The
*
*
*
*
*
Pomegranate
2.0 Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
*
*
*
*
*
excluding legal holidays. The Docket
[FR Doc. E6–12348 Filed 8–1–06; 8:45 am]
Facility telephone number is (703) 305–
5805.
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Angulo, Registration Division
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
AGENCY
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
40 CFR Part 180
DC 20460–0001; telephone number:
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2006–0307; FRL–8079–9]
(703) 306–0404; e-mail address:
angulo.karen@epa.gov.
Inert Ingredients; Revocation of Two
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tolerance Exemptions
I. General Information
AGENCY: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
ACTION: Final rule.
You may be potentially affected by
this action if you are an agricultural
SUMMARY: EPA is revoking two
producer, food manufacturer, or
exemptions from the requirement of a
pesticide manufacturer. Potentially
tolerance that are associated with two
affected entities may include, but are
inert ingredients (ethylene glycol
not limited to:
monomethyl ether and methylene blue)
• Crop production (NAICS code 111).
because these substances are no longer
• Animal production (NAICS code
contained in active Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 112).
• Food manufacturing (NAICS code
pesticide product registrations. These
311).
ingredients are subject to reassessment
by August 2006 under section 408(q) of
• Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
code 32532).
PART 180—AMENDED
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\02AUR1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 2, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43660-43664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12348]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 180
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0245; FRL-8079-2]
Fenhexamid; Pesticide Tolerance
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of
fenhexamid in or on nonbell pepper, pomegranate, and cilantro leaves.
Interregional Research Project No.4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances
under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
DATES: This regulation is effective August 2, 2006. Objections and
requests for hearings must be received on or before October 2, 2006,
and must be filed in accordance with the instructions provided in 40
CFR part 178 (see also Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0245. All documents in the
docket are listed in the index for the docket. Although listed in the
index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential
Business Information (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 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 Docket Facility is open 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: Barbara Madden, Registration Division
(7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone
number: (703) 305-6463; e-mail address: madden.barbara@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an
agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer.
Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to:
Crop production (NAICS 111), e.g., agricultural workers;
greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture workers; farmers.
Animal production (NAICS 112), e.g., cattle ranchers and
farmers, dairy cattle farmers, livestock farmers.
Food manufacturing (NAICS 311), e.g., agricultural
workers; farmers; greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture workers;
ranchers; pesticide applicators.
Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS 32532), e.g., agricultural
workers; commercial applicators; farmers; greenhouse, nursery, and
floriculture workers; residential users.
This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides
a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this
action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be
affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining
whether this action might apply to certain entities. 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. How Can I Access Electronic Copies of this Document?
In addition to accessing an electronic copy of this Federal
Register document through the electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, you may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings at https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr. You may also access a
frequently updated electronic version of 40 CFR part 180 through the
Government Printing Office's pilot e-CFR site at https://
www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr. To access the OPPTS Harmonized Guidelines
referenced in this document, go directly to the guidelines at https://
www.epa.gpo/opptsfrs/home/guidelin.htm.
C. Can I File an Objection or Hearing Request?
Under section 408(g) of the FFDCA, as amended by the FQPA, any
person may file an objection to any aspect of this regulation and may
also request a hearing on those objections. The EPA procedural
regulations which govern the submission of objections and requests for
hearings appear in 40 CFR part 178. You must file your objection or
request a hearing on this regulation in accordance with the
instructions
[[Page 43661]]
provided in 40 CFR part 178. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, you must
identify docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0245 in the subject line on
the first page of your submission. All requests must be in writing, and
must be mailed or delivered to the Hearing Clerk on or before October
2, 2006.
In addition to filing an objection or hearing request with the
Hearing Clerk as described in 40 CFR part 178, please submit a copy of
the filing that does not contain any CBI for inclusion in the public
docket that is described in ADDRESSES. Information not marked
confidential pursuant to 40 CFR part 2 may be disclosed publicly by EPA
without prior notice. Submit your copies, identified by docket ID
number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0245, 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.
II. Background and Statutory Findings
In the Federal Register of November 30, 2005 (70 FR 71838) (FRL-
7735-7), EPA issued a notice pursuant to section 408(d)(3) of FFDCA, 21
U.S.C. 346a(d)(3), announcing the filing of pesticide petitions (PP
4E6859 and 4E6860) by Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4),
Technology Center of New Jersey, Rutgers, the State University of New
Jersey, 681 U.S. Highway 1 South, North Brunswick, NJ 08902-
3390. The petition requested that 40 CFR 180.553 be amended by
establishing tolerances for residues of the fungicide fenhexamid, (N-
2,3-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl cyclohexanecarboxamide in or on
cilantro, leaves at 30.0 parts per million (ppm) (4E6859); pepper,
nonbell at 0.02 ppm (4E6860) and pomegranate at 3.0 ppm (4E6859). That
notice included a summary of the petition prepared by Arvesta
Corporation, the registrant. There were no comments received in
response to the notice of filing. Petition 4E6859 was subsequently
amended to lower the residue level for pomegranate to 2.0 ppm.
Section 408(b)(2)(A)(i) of FFDCA allows EPA to establish a
tolerance (the legal limit for a pesticide chemical residue in or on a
food) only if EPA determines that the tolerance is ``safe.'' Section
408(b)(2)(A)(ii) of FFDCA defines ``safe'' to mean 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.'' This includes exposure through drinking water and in
residential settings, but does not include occupational exposure.
Section 408(b)(2)(C) of FFDCA requires EPA to give special
consideration to exposure of infants and children to the pesticide
chemical residue in establishing a tolerance and to ``ensure that there
is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to infants and
children from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical
residue....''
EPA performs a number of analyses to determine the risks from
aggregate exposure to pesticide residues. For further discussion of the
regulatory requirements of section 408 of the FFDCA and a complete
description of the risk assessment process, see https://www.epa.gov/
fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1997/November/Day-26/p30948.htm.
III. Aggregate Risk Assessment and Determination of Safety
Consistent with section 408(b)(2)(D) of FFDCA, EPA has reviewed the
available scientific data and other relevant information in support of
this action. EPA has sufficient data to assess the hazards of and to
make a determination on aggregate exposure, consistent with section
408(b)(2) of FFDCA, for a tolerance for residues of fenhexamid on
cilantro, leaves at 30.0 ppm; pepper, nonbell at 0.02 ppm; and
pomegranate at 2.0 ppm. EPA's assessment of exposures and risks
associated with establishing the tolerance follows.
A. Toxicological Profile
EPA has evaluated the available toxicity data and considered its
validity, completeness, and reliability as well as the relationship of
the results of the studies to human risk. EPA has also considered
available information concerning the variability of the sensitivities
of major identifiable subgroups of consumers, including infants and
children. Specific information on the studies received and the nature
of the toxic effects caused by fenhexamid as well as the no-observed-
adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) and the lowest-observed-adverse-effect-
level (LOAEL) from the toxicity studies in the Federal Register of
April 13, 2000 (65 FR 19842) (FRL-6553-7) *https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/
EPA-PEST/2000/April/Day-13/p9144.htm.
B. Toxicological Endpoints
For hazards that have a threshold below which there is no
appreciable risk, the dose at which no adverse effects are observed
(the NOAEL) from the toxicology study identified as appropriate for use
in risk assessment is used to estimate the toxicological level of
concern (LOC). However, the lowest dose at which adverse effects of
concern are identified the (LOAEL) is sometimes used for risk
assessment if no NOAEL was achieved in the toxicology study selected.
An uncertainty factor (UF) is applied to reflect uncertainties inherent
in the extrapolation from laboratory animal data to humans and in the
variations in sensitivity among members of the human population as well
as other unknowns.
The linear default risk methodology (Q*) is the primary method
currently used by the Agency to quantify non-threshold hazards such as
cancer. The Q* approach assumes that any amount of exposure will lead
to some degree of cancer risk, estimates risk in terms of the
probability of occurrence of additional cancer cases. More information
can be found on the general principles EPA uses in risk
characterization at https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm.
A summary of the toxicological endpoints for fenhexamid used for
human risk assessment is discussed in Unit III.B. of the final rule
published in the Federal Register of September 26, 2003 (68 FR 55513)
(FRL-7326-7).
C. Exposure Assessment
1. Dietary exposure from food and feed uses. Tolerances have been
established (40 CFR 180.553) for the residues of fenhexamid, in or on a
variety of raw agricultural commodities. Risk assessments were
conducted by EPA to assess dietary exposures from fenhexamid in food as
follows:
i. Acute exposure. Quantitative acute dietary exposure and risk
assessments are performed for a food-use pesticide, if a toxicological
study has indicated the possibility of an effect of concern occurring
as a result of a one-day or single exposure. No such effects were
identified in the toxicological studies for fenhexamid; therefore, a
quantitative acute dietary exposure assessment is unnecessary.
[[Page 43662]]
ii. Chronic exposure. In conducting the chronic dietary exposure
assessment EPA used the Dietary Exposure Evaluation Model software with
the Food Commodity Intake Database (DEEM-FCID\TM\), which incorporates
food consumption data as reported by respondents in the USDA 1994-1996
and 1998 Nationwide Continuing Surveys of Food Intake by Individuals
(CSFII), and accumulated exposure to the chemical for each commodity.
The following assumptions were made for the chronic exposure
assessments: one hundred percent of proposed and registered crops are
treated with fenhexamid, default processing factors, average (chronic)
concentration estimates for drinking water and tolerance-level residues
for all commodities.
iii. Cancer. Fenhexamid is classified as ``not likely'' to be a
human carcinogen. Therefore, a cancer dietary exposure assessment was
not performed.
2. Dietary exposure from drinking water. The Agency lacks
sufficient monitoring exposure data to complete a comprehensive dietary
exposure analysis and risk assessment for fenhexamid in drinking water.
Because the Agency does not have comprehensive monitoring data,
drinking water concentration estimates are made by reliance on
simulation or modeling taking into account data on the physical
characteristics of fenhexamid. Further information regarding EPA
drinking water models used in pesticide exposure assessment can be
found at https://www.epa.gov/oppefed1/models/water/index.htm .
Based on the FIRST and SCI-GROW models, the estimated environmental
concentrations (EECs) of fenhexamid for acute exposures are estimated
to be 29 parts per billion (ppb) for surface water and 0.0007 ppb for
groundwater. The EECs for chronic exposures are estimated to be 1.1 ppb
for surface water and 0.0007 ppb for groundwater. Modeled estimates of
drinking water concentrations were directly entered into the dietary
exposure model (DEEM-FCID\TM\). For chronic dietary risk assessment,
the annual average concentration of 1.1 ppb was used to access the
contribution to drinking water
3. From non-dietary exposure. The term ``residential exposure'' is
used in this document to refer to non-occupational, non-dietary
exposure (e.g., for lawn and garden pest control, indoor pest control,
termiticides, and flea and tick control on pets). Fenhexamid is not
registered for use on any sites that would result in residential
exposure.
4. Cumulative effects from substances with a common mechanism of
toxicity. Section 408(b)(2)(D)(v) of the FFDCA requires that, when
considering whether to establish, modify, or revoke a tolerance, the
Agency consider ``available information'' concerning the cumulative
effects of a particular pesticide's residues and ``other substances
that have a common mechanism of toxicity.'' Unlike other pesticides for
which EPA has followed a cumulative risk approach based on a common
mechanism of toxicity, EPA has not made a common mechanism of toxicity
finding as to fenhexamid and any other substances and fenhexamid does
not appear to produce a toxic metabolite produced by other substances.
For the purposes of this tolerance action, therefore, EPA has not
assumed that fenhexamid has a common mechanism of toxicity with other
substances. For information regarding EPA's efforts to determine which
chemicals have a common mechanism of toxicity and to evaluate the
cumulative effects of such chemicals, see the policy statements
released by EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs concerning common
mechanism determinations and procedures for cumulating effects from
substances found to have a common mechanism on EPA's website at https://
www.epa.gov/pesticides/cumulative.
D. Safety Factor for Infants and Children
1. In general. Section 408 of FFDCA provides that EPA shall apply
an additional tenfold margin of safety for infants and children in the
case of threshold effects to account for prenatal and postnatal
toxicity and the completeness of the data base on toxicity and exposure
unless EPA determines based on reliable data that a different margin of
safety will be safe for infants and children. Margins of safety are
incorporated into EPA risk assessments either directly through use of a
MOE analysis or through using uncertainty (safety) factors in
calculating a dose level that poses no appreciable risk to humans. In
applying this provision, EPA either retains the default value of 10X
when reliable data do not support the choice of a different factor, or,
if reliable data are available, EPA uses a different additional safety
factor value based on the use of traditional uncertainty factors and/or
special FQPA safety factors, as appropriate.
2. Prenatal and postnatal sensitivity. In the rat and the rabbit
developmental toxicity studies, neither quantitative nor qualitative
evidence of increased susceptibility of fetuses to in utero exposure to
fenhexamid was observed. In the rat reproduction study, qualitative
susceptibility was evidenced as significantly decreased pup body
weights in both generations during the lactation period (on lactation
days 7, 14, and 21 in the F2 generation and lactation days
14 and 21 in the F1 generation offspring) in the presence of
lesser maternal toxicity (alterations in clinical chemistry parameters
and decreased organ weights without collaborative histopathology).
Considering the overall toxicity profile and the doses and endpoints
selected for risk assessment for fenhexamid, the degree of concern for
the effects observed in this study was characterized as low, noting
that there is a clear NOAEL and well-characterized dose response for
the offspring effects observed and that these effects occurred in the
presence of parental toxicity. No residual uncertainties were
identified. The NOAEL of 17 mg/kg/day from the chronic dog study used
to establish the chronic Reference Dose (cRfD) for the General
Population (no aRfD was established for any population subgroup) is
lower than the NOAEL of 38.2 mg/kg/day in the reproduction study in
which the offspring effects of concern were observed (LOAEL = 406 mg/
kg/day).
3. Conclusion. There is a complete toxicity data base for
fenhexamid and exposure data are complete or are estimated based on
data that reasonably accounts for potential exposures. EPA determined
that the 10X Safety Factor to protect infants and children should be
reduced to 1X for the following reasons:
There are no residual uncertainties for pre and/or post
natal toxicities via the oral route since the doses selected for
concerns for the developmental and offspring toxicities seen in the
above mentioned studies.
There are no residual uncertainties for pre and/or post
natal toxicities via the dermal route since the dose/endpoint/study/
species of concern was used for dermal-risk assessment.
The toxicology data base is complete.
Developmental neurotoxicity studies are not required for
fenhexamid based on the following weight-of-the-evidence
considerations:
i. Lack of evidence of abnormalities in the development of the
fetal nervous system in the pre/post natal studies.
ii. Neither brain weight nor histopathological examination of the
nervous system was affected in the subchronic and chronic studies.
[[Page 43663]]
iii. Decreased body temperatures observed in male rats in the acute
neurotoxicity study were not considered to be toxicologically
significant.
The dietary (food) exposure assessment utilizes existing
and proposed tolerance level residues and assumes 100% of crops treated
with fenhexamid. The assessment is based on reliable data and is not
expected to underestimate exposure/risk.
Conservative assumptions are used in the drinking water
models. The drinking water exposure assessment is not expected to
underestimate exposure/risk.
Fenhexamid is not registered for use sites that would
result in residential exposure.
E. Aggregate Risks and Determination of Safety
The Agency currently has two ways to estimate total aggregate
exposure to a pesticide from food, drinking water, and residential
uses. First, a screening assessment can be used, in which the Agency
calculates drinking water levels of comparison (DWLOCs) which are used
as a point of comparison against estimated drinking water
concentrations (EDWCs). The DWLOC values are not regulatory standards
for drinking water, but are theoretical upper limits on a pesticide's
concentration in drinking water in light of total aggregate exposure to
a pesticide in food and residential uses. More information on the use
of DWLOCs in dietary aggregate risk assessments can be found at https://
www.epa.gov/oppfead1/trac/science/screeningsop.pdf.
More recently the Agency has used another approach to estimate
aggregate exposure through food, residential and drinking water
pathways. In this approach, modeled surface and groundwater EDWCs are
directly incorporated into the dietary exposure analysis, along with
food. This provides a more realistic estimate of exposure because
actual body weights and water consumption from the CSFII are used. The
combined food and water exposures are then added to estimated exposure
from residential sources to calculate aggregate risks. The resulting
exposure and risk estimates are still considered to be high end, due to
the assumptions used in developing drinking water modeling inputs.
1. Acute risk. An acute risk assessment was not performed. No
toxicological endpoint attributable to a single (acute) dietary
exposure was identified. Therefore, acute risk from exposure to
fenhexamid is not expected.
2. Chronic risk. Using the exposure assumptions described in this
unit for chronic exposure, EPA has concluded that exposure to
fenhexamid from food and water will utilize 11% of the cPAD for the
U.S. population, 21% of the cPAD for all infants less than 1 year old,
and 28% of the cPAD for children 1-2 years old, the subpopulation at
greatest exposure. There are no residential uses for fenhexamid.
Therefore, EPA does not expect the aggregate exposure to exceed 100% of
the cPAD
3. Short-term risk and Intermediate-term. Short-term and
intermediate-term aggregate exposures take into account residential
exposure plus chronic exposure to food and water (considered to be a
background exposure level). Fenhezamid is not registered for use on any
sites that would result in residential exposure. Therefore, the
aggregate risk is the sum of the risk from food and water, which do not
exceed the Agency's level of concern.
4. Aggregate cancer risk for U.S. population. The Agency has
classified fenhexamid as a ``not likely'' human carcinogen based on
lack of evidence of carcinogenicity in male and female rats as well as
in male and female mice, and on the lack of genotoxicity in an
acceptable battery of mutagenicity studies. Therefore, fenhexamid is
not expected to pose a cancer risk.
5. Determination of safety. Based on these risk assessments, EPA
concludes that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result
to the general population, and to infants and children from aggregate
exposure to fenhexamid.
IV. Other Considerations
A. Analytical Enforcement Methodology
Adequate enforcement methodology Bayer AG Method 00362 (HPLC - ECD)
is available to enforce the tolerance expression. The method may be
requested from: Chief, Analytical Chemistry Branch, Environmental
Science Center, 701 Mapes Rd., Ft. Meade, MD 20755-5350; telephone
number: (410) 305-2905; e-mail address: residuemethods@epa.gov.
B. International Residue Limits
Fenhexamid per se is the residue to be regulated in pomegranate,
cilantro or non-bell pepper. There are no Canadian, Mexican, or Codex
MRLs for fenhexamid ``for these crops'' , therefore, there are no
issues for international harmonization.
V. Conclusion
Therefore, the tolerance is established for residues of fenhexamid,
(N-2,3-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl cyclohexanecarboxamide, in or
on cilantro, leaves at 30.0 ppm; pepper, nonbell at 0.02 ppm; and
pomegranate at 2.0.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
This final rule establishes a tolerance under section 408(d) of
FFDCA in response to a petition submitted to the Agency. The Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has exempted these types of actions from
review under Executive Order 12866, entitled Regulatory Planning and
Review (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993). Because this rule has been
exempted from review under Executive Order 12866 due to its lack of
significance, this rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211,
Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001). This final rule does
not contain any information collections subject to OMB approval under
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., or impose
any enforceable duty or contain any unfunded mandate as described under
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Public Law
104-4). Nor does it require any special considerations under Executive
Order 12898, entitled Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice
in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (59 FR 7629,
February 16, 1994); or OMB review or any Agency action under Executive
Order 13045, entitled Protection of Children from Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997). This action does
not involve any technical standards that would require Agency
consideration of voluntary consensus standards pursuant to section
12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995
(NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, section 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note). Since
tolerances and exemptions that are established on the basis of a
petition under section 408(d) of FFDCA, such as the tolerance in this
final rule, do not require the issuance of a proposed rule, the
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et
seq.) do not apply. In addition, the Agency has determined that this
action will not have a substantial direct effect on States, on the
relationship between the national government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of
government, as specified in Executive Order 13132, entitled Federalism
(64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999). Executive Order 13132 requires EPA to
develop an accountable process to ensure ``meaningful and timely input
[[Page 43664]]
by State and local officials in the development of regulatory policies
that have federalism implications.'' ``Policies that have federalism
implications'' is defined in the Executive order to include regulations
that have ``substantial direct effects on the States, on the
relationship between the national government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of
government.'' This final rule directly regulates growers, food
processors, food handlers and food retailers, not States. This action
does not alter the relationships or distribution of power and
responsibilities established by Congress in the preemption provisions
of section 408(n)(4) of FFDCA. For these same reasons, the Agency has
determined that this rule does not have any ``tribal implications'' as
described in Executive Order 13175, entitled Consultation and
Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments (65 FR 67249, November 6,
2000). Executive Order 13175, requires EPA to develop an accountable
process to ensure ``meaningful and timely input by tribal officials in
the development of regulatory policies that have tribal implications.''
``Policies that have tribal implications'' is defined in the Executive
order to include regulations that have ``substantial direct effects on
one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal
Government and the Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.''
This rule will not have substantial direct effects on tribal
governments, on the relationship between the Federal Government and
Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities
between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, as specified in
Executive Order 13175. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not apply to
this rule.
VII. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule,
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior
to publication of this final rule in the Federal Register. This final
rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Agricultural commodities, Pesticides and pests, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: July 21, 2006.
Daniel J. Rosenblatt,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
0
Therefore, 40 CFR chapter I is amended as follows:
PART 180--AMENDED
0
1. The authority citation for part 180 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
0
2. Section 180.553 is amended by alphabetically adding commodities to
the table in paragraph (a) to read as follows:
Sec. 180.553 Fenhexamid; tolerances for residues.
(a) * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parts per
Commodity million
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
Cilantro, leaves 30.0
* * * * *
Pepper, nonbell 0.02
* * * * *
Pomegranate 2.0
* * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FR Doc. E6-12348 Filed 8-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S