Methyl Bromide Tolerance Reassessment and Risk Management Decision (TRED) for Methyl Bromide, and Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for Methyl Bromide's Commodity Uses; Notice of Availability, 45546-45548 [E6-12898]
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jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
45546
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 9, 2006 / Notices
Paper may find them at the following
Web site: https://epa.gov/radiation/
news/recentadditions.htm. Copies of the
materials provided to the RAC,
including the Agency’s draft document
entitled ‘‘White Paper: Modifying EPA
Radiation Risk Models Based on BEIR
VII,’’ dated August 2006, as well as
briefing materials and other background
materials pertinent to the activities
announced in this notice may be
requested from Dr. Mary E. Clark of the
U.S. EPA, ORIA by telephone at (202)
343–9348, fax at (202) 243–2395, or email at clark.marye@epa.gov.
Procedures for Providing Public Input:
Interested members of the public may
submit relevant written or oral
information for the SAB Panel to
consider during the advisory process.
Oral Statements: In general, individuals
or groups requesting an oral
presentation at a public teleconference
will be limited to three minutes per
speaker with no more than a total of
fifteen minutes for all speakers. For
face-to-face meetings, in general,
individuals or groups requesting an oral
presentation at a public face-to-face
meeting will be limited to five minutes
per speaker. Interested parties should
contact the DFO, contact information
provided above, in writing via e-mail
seven days prior to the teleconference
meeting date. For the September 6, 2006
teleconference meeting, the deadline is
Wednesday, August 30, 2006. For the
September 26 to 28, 2006 meeting, the
deadline is Tuesday, September 19,
2006 to be placed on the public speaker
list. Written Statements: Written
statements should be received in the
SAB Staff Office seven days prior to the
teleconference meeting. For the
September 6, 2006 teleconference
meeting, the deadline is Wednesday,
August 30, 2006; for the September 26
to 28, 2006 meeting the deadline is
Tuesday, September 19, 2006, so that
the information may be made available
to the SAB’s RAC for their
consideration. Written statements
should be supplied to the DFO in the
following formats: one hard copy with
original signature, and one electronic
copy via e-mail to
kooyoomjian.jack@epa.gov (acceptable
file format: Adobe Acrobat,
WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text files in
IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP format).
Meeting Accommodations: For
information on access or services for
individuals with disabilities, please
contact the DFO, contact information
provided above. To request
accommodation of a disability, please
contact the DFO, preferably at least 10
days prior to the meeting, to give EPA
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as much time as possible to process
your request.
Dated: July 31, 2006.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Associate Director for Science, EPA Science
Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E6–12957 Filed 8–8–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0123; FRL–8083–1]
Methyl Bromide Tolerance
Reassessment and Risk Management
Decision (TRED) for Methyl Bromide,
and Reregistration Eligibility Decision
(RED) for Methyl Bromide’s
Commodity Uses; Notice of Availability
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s Tolerance
Reassessment and Risk Management
Decision (TRED) for Methyl Bromide,
and Reregistration Eligibility Decision
(RED) for Methyl Bromide’s Commodity
Uses, and opens a public comment
period on this document. The Agency’s
risk assessments and other related
documents also are available in the
methyl bromide docket. Methyl bromide
is a broad-spectrum fumigant chemical
that can be used as an acaricide,
antimicrobial, fungicide, herbicide,
insecticide, nematicide, and vertebrate
control agent. This reregistration
decision document covers the methyl
bromide uses that have accompanying
food residue tolerances such as postharvest fumigation of food commodities
in chambers at ports or specialized
structural fumigations at food
processing facilities, as well as some
uses without tolerances that are
performed in similar facilities. EPA has
reviewed the methyl bromide
commodity uses through the public
participation process that the Agency
uses to involve the public in developing
pesticide reregistration and tolerance
reassessment decisions. Through these
programs, EPA is ensuring that all
pesticides meet current health and
safety standards. EPA is currently
assessing risks and will develop risk
management decisions for five soil
fumigant pesticides: Chloropicrin,
dazomet, metam sodium, methyl
bromide, and a new active ingredient,
iodomethane. Risks of a sixth soil
fumigant, 1, 3-D (Telone), will be
discussed for comparative purposes
because the risk management decision
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was completed in 1998. A decision on
the reregistration of methyl bromide’s
non-commodity uses that do not have
food tolerances (e.g., pre-plant soil,
greenhouse, residential) is scheduled to
be completed in 2007 with the other soil
fumigants.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before October 10, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0123, 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.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–
0123. 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 https://
www.regulations.gov or E-mail. The
Federal https://www.regulations.gov Web
site 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 https://www.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
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 9, 2006 / Notices
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:
Steven Weiss, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001;
telephone number: (703) 308-8293; fax
number: (703) 308-8005; E-mail address:
weiss.steven@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
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 https://
www.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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Aug 08, 2006
Jkt 208001
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.
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?
Under section 4 of the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating
existing pesticides to ensure that they
meet current scientific and regulatory
standards. EPA has completed a
Tolerance Reassessment and Risk
Management Decision (TRED) for
Methyl Bromide, and Reregistration
Eligibility Decision (RED) for Methyl
Bromide’s Commodity Uses under
section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Methyl
bromide is a broad-spectrum fumigant
chemical that can be used as an
acaricide, antimicrobial, fungicide,
herbicide, insecticide, nematicide, and
vertebrate control agent. The most
prevalent use pattern is as a soil
fumigant; however, it is also used as a
structural fumigant and for post-harvest
treatment of commodities, which are the
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Fmt 4703
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45547
uses considered in these decisions. EPA
has determined that the data base to
support reregistration is substantially
complete and that products containing
methyl bromide are eligible for
reregistration depending on their
specific uses, provided the risks are
mitigated in the manner described in
the RED. Upon submission of any
required product specific data under
section 4(g)(2)(B) and any necessary
changes to the registration and labeling
(either to address concerns identified in
the RED or as a result of productspecific data), EPA will make a final
reregistration decision under section
4(g)(2)(C) for products containing
methyl bromide.
EPA must review tolerances and
tolerance exemptions that were in effect
when the Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) was enacted in August 1996, to
ensure that these existing pesticide
residue limits for food and feed
commodities meet the safety standard
established by the new law. Tolerances
are considered reassessed once the
safety finding has been made or a
revocation occurs. EPA has reviewed
and made the requisite safety finding for
the methyl bromide tolerances.
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. Due to its uses,
risks, and other factors, methyl bromide
was reviewed through the full 6-Phase
process. Through this process, EPA
worked extensively with stakeholders
and the public to reach the regulatory
decisions for methyl bromide
commodity uses.
The reregistration program is being
conducted under Congressionally
mandated time frames, and EPA
recognizes the need both to make timely
decisions and to involve the public. The
Agency is issuing the methyl bromide
commodity use RED for public
comment. This comment period is
intended to provide an additional
opportunity for public input and a
mechanism for initiating any necessary
amendments to the RED. All comments
should be submitted using the methods
in ADDRESSES, and must be received by
EPA on or before the closing date. These
comments will become part of the
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 9, 2006 / Notices
Agency Docket for methyl bromide.
Comments received after the close of the
comment period will be marked ‘‘late.’’
EPA is not required to consider these
late comments.
The Agency will carefully consider all
comments received by the closing date
and will provide a Response to
Comments Memorandum in the Docket
and https://www.regulations.gov. If any
comment significantly affects the
document, EPA also will publish an
amendment to the RED in the Federal
Register. In the absence of substantive
comments requiring changes, the methyl
bromide RED will be implemented as it
is now presented.
B. What is the Agency’s Authority for
Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA as amended
directs that, after submission of all data
concerning a pesticide active ingredient,
the Administrator shall determine
whether pesticides containing such
active ingredient are eligible for
reregistration, before calling in productspecific data on individual end-use
products and either reregistering
products or taking other ‘‘appropriate
regulatory action.’’
Section 408(q) of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (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.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides
and pests.
Dated: August 2, 2006.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration
Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E6–12898 Filed 8–8–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0203; FRL–8083–3]
Ethylene Oxide; Tolerance
Reassessment Decision for Low Risk
Pesticide; Notice of Availability
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s Tolerance
Reassessment Decision (TRED) for the
pesticide ethylene oxide, and opens a
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19:05 Aug 08, 2006
Jkt 208001
public comment period on this
document, related risk assessments, and
other support documents. EPA has
reviewed this pesticide ethylene oxide
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.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before October 10, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–0203, 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.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2005–
0203. 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 https://
www.regulations.gov or E-mail. The
Federal https://www.regulations.gov Web
site 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 https://www.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
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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.
Joy
Schnackenbeck, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001;
telephone number: (703) 308-8072; fax
number: (703) 308-7070; E-mail
address:schnackenbeck.joy@epa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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.
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45546-45548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12898]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0123; FRL-8083-1]
Methyl Bromide Tolerance Reassessment and Risk Management
Decision (TRED) for Methyl Bromide, and Reregistration Eligibility
Decision (RED) for Methyl Bromide's Commodity Uses; Notice of
Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Tolerance
Reassessment and Risk Management Decision (TRED) for Methyl Bromide,
and Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for Methyl Bromide's
Commodity Uses, and opens a public comment period on this document. The
Agency's risk assessments and other related documents also are
available in the methyl bromide docket. Methyl bromide is a broad-
spectrum fumigant chemical that can be used as an acaricide,
antimicrobial, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, nematicide, and
vertebrate control agent. This reregistration decision document covers
the methyl bromide uses that have accompanying food residue tolerances
such as post-harvest fumigation of food commodities in chambers at
ports or specialized structural fumigations at food processing
facilities, as well as some uses without tolerances that are performed
in similar facilities. EPA has reviewed the methyl bromide commodity
uses through the public participation process that the Agency uses to
involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration and tolerance
reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is ensuring that
all pesticides meet current health and safety standards. EPA is
currently assessing risks and will develop risk management decisions
for five soil fumigant pesticides: Chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium,
methyl bromide, and a new active ingredient, iodomethane. Risks of a
sixth soil fumigant, 1, 3-D (Telone), will be discussed for comparative
purposes because the risk management decision was completed in 1998. A
decision on the reregistration of methyl bromide's non-commodity uses
that do not have food tolerances (e.g., pre-plant soil, greenhouse,
residential) is scheduled to be completed in 2007 with the other soil
fumigants.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 10, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0123, 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-
2005-0123. 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 https://
www.regulations.gov or E-mail. The Federal https://www.regulations.gov
Web site 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 https://www.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
[[Page 45547]]
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: Steven Weiss, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8293; fax
number: (703) 308-8005; E-mail address: weiss.steven@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
https://www.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.
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?
Under section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating existing pesticides to
ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. EPA
has completed a Tolerance Reassessment and Risk Management Decision
(TRED) for Methyl Bromide, and Reregistration Eligibility Decision
(RED) for Methyl Bromide's Commodity Uses under section 4(g)(2)(A) of
FIFRA. Methyl bromide is a broad-spectrum fumigant chemical that can be
used as an acaricide, antimicrobial, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide,
nematicide, and vertebrate control agent. The most prevalent use
pattern is as a soil fumigant; however, it is also used as a structural
fumigant and for post-harvest treatment of commodities, which are the
uses considered in these decisions. EPA has determined that the data
base to support reregistration is substantially complete and that
products containing methyl bromide are eligible for reregistration
depending on their specific uses, provided the risks are mitigated in
the manner described in the RED. Upon submission of any required
product specific data under section 4(g)(2)(B) and any necessary
changes to the registration and labeling (either to address concerns
identified in the RED or as a result of product-specific data), EPA
will make a final reregistration decision under section 4(g)(2)(C) for
products containing methyl bromide.
EPA must review tolerances and tolerance exemptions that were in
effect when the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in
August 1996, to ensure that these existing pesticide residue limits for
food and feed commodities meet the safety standard established by the
new law. Tolerances are considered reassessed once the safety finding
has been made or a revocation occurs. EPA has reviewed and made the
requisite safety finding for the methyl bromide tolerances.
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.
Due to its uses, risks, and other factors, methyl bromide was reviewed
through the full 6-Phase process. Through this process, EPA worked
extensively with stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory
decisions for methyl bromide commodity uses.
The reregistration program is being conducted under Congressionally
mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes the need both to make timely
decisions and to involve the public. The Agency is issuing the methyl
bromide commodity use RED for public comment. This comment period is
intended to provide an additional opportunity for public input and a
mechanism for initiating any necessary amendments to the RED. All
comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES, and must
be received by EPA on or before the closing date. These comments will
become part of the
[[Page 45548]]
Agency Docket for methyl bromide. Comments received after the close of
the comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to
consider these late comments.
The Agency will carefully consider all comments received by the
closing date and will provide a Response to Comments Memorandum in the
Docket and https://www.regulations.gov. If any comment significantly
affects the document, EPA also will publish an amendment to the RED in
the Federal Register. In the absence of substantive comments requiring
changes, the methyl bromide RED will be implemented as it is now
presented.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA as amended directs that, after submission
of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, the Administrator
shall determine whether pesticides containing such active ingredient
are eligible for reregistration, before calling in product-specific
data on individual end-use products and either reregistering products
or taking other ``appropriate regulatory action.''
Section 408(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (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.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.
Dated: August 2, 2006.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E6-12898 Filed 8-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S
