Flumetralin Reregistration Eligibility Decision; Notice of Availability, 76637-76639 [E8-29972]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 17, 2008 / Notices 3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views. 4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate that you provide. 5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity. 6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES. 7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation. What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to? pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2003– 0034 Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those engaged in primary aluminum production. Title: Reporting Requirements under the Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP). ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1867.04, OMB Control No. 2060–0411. ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February 28, 2008. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA’s regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9. Abstract: EPA’s Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP) was initiated in 1995 and is an important voluntary program contributing to the overall reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. This program focuses on reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions including perfluorocarbon (PFC) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the production of primary aluminum. Seven of the eight U.S. producers of primary aluminum participate in this program. PFCs are very potent greenhouse gases with global warming potentials several thousand times that of carbon dioxide and they persist in the atmosphere for thousands of years. CO2 is emitted from consumption of the carbon anode. EPA has developed this ICR to renew VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:58 Dec 16, 2008 Jkt 217001 authorization to collect information from companies in the VAIP. Participants voluntarily agree to the following: Designating a VAIP liaison; undertaking technically feasible and cost-effective actions to reduce PFC and direct CO2 emissions; and reporting to EPA, on an annual basis, the PFC and CO2 emissions or production parameters used to estimate emissions. The information contained in the annual reports of VAIP members is used by EPA to assess the success of the program in achieving its goals. The information contained in the annual reports may be considered confidential business information and is maintained as such. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90.4 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency’s estimate, which is only briefly summarized here: Estimated total number of potential respondents: 7. Frequency of response: Annual. Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: one per respondent per year. Estimated total annual burden hours: 90.4 hours. Estimated total annual costs: $47,054. This includes an estimated burden cost of $47,054 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs. Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval? There is a decrease of 8 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease reflects EPA’s revised estimates, the number of hours associated with additional activities such as partnership meetings which has PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 76637 decreased from 16.5 hours to 8.5.hours with a corresponding decrease in the associated burden. This change is an adjustment due the reduced frequency of partnership meetings and the use of teleconferencing. What Is the Next Step in the Process for this ICR? EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Dated: December 4, 2008. Dina Kruger, Director, Climate Protection Division. [FR Doc. E8–29963 Filed 12–16–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2007–0990; FRL–8393–2] Flumetralin Reregistration Eligibility Decision; Notice of Availability AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA’s Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide flumetralin, and opens a public comment period on this document. The Agency’s risk assessments and other related documents also are available in the flumetralin Docket. Flumetralin is a plant growth regulator registered for use only on tobacco. It is used to control axillary bud (sucker) growth on tobacco plants. There are no food uses and there are no residential uses. EPA has reviewed flumetralin 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. DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 16, 2009. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM 17DEN1 pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES 76638 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 17, 2008 / Notices number EPA–HQ–OPP–2007–0990, 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 Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only accepted during the Docket Facility’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 Facility telephone number is (703) 305–5805. Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2007– 0990. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov website is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index available at https://www.regulations.gov. 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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:58 Dec 16, 2008 Jkt 217001 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 Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., 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 Facility telephone number is (703) 305–5805. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine StClair, Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460– 0001; telephone number: (703) 347– 8778; fax number: (703) 308–7070; email address: stclair.katherine@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this Action Apply to Me? This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution, or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 RED for the pesticide, flumetralin under section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Flumetralin is a plant growth regulator registered for use only on tobacco. It is used to control axillary bud (sucker) growth on tobacco plants. There are no food uses and there are no residential uses. EPA has determined that the data base to support reregistration is substantially complete and that products containing flumetralin are eligible for reregistration, provided the risks are mitigated either in the manner described in the RED or by another means that achieves equivalent risk reduction. Upon submission of any required product specific data under section 4(g)(2)(B) of FIFRA 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) of FIFRA for products containing flumetralin. Although the flumetralin RED was signed on September 28, 2007, certain components of the document, which did E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM 17DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 17, 2008 / Notices pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES not affect the final regulatory decision, were undergoing final editing at that time. These components, including the list of additional generic data requirements, summary of labeling changes, appendices, and other relevant information, have been added to the flumetralin RED document. 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, flumetralin was reviewed through the modified 4–Phase process. Through this process, EPA worked extensively with stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory decisions for flumetralin. 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 flumetralin 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 Agency Docket for flumetralin. 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 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 flumetralin 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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:58 Dec 16, 2008 Jkt 217001 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.’’ List of Subjects Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests. Dated: December 11, 2008. Peter Caulkins, Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. E8–29972 Filed 12–16–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0859; FRL–8392–9] FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: There will be a 2–day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP) to consider and review Scientific Issues Associated with Designating a Prion as a ‘‘Pest’’ under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and Related Efficacy Test Methods. DATES: The meeting will be held on March 31 and April 1, 2009, from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m, eastern time. Comments. The Agency encourages that written comments be submitted by March 17, 2009, and requests for oral comments be submitted by March 24, 2009. However, written comments and requests to make oral comments may be submitted until the date of the meeting, but anyone submitting written comments after March 17, 2009, should contact the Designated Federal Official (DFO) listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. For additional instructions, see Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Nominations. Nominations of candidates to serve as ad hoc members of the FIFRA SAP for this meeting should be provided on or before December 29, 2008. Special accommodations. For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, and to request accommodation of a disability, please contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 76639 10 days prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Environmental Protection Agency, Conference Center, Lobby Level, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202. Comments. Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0859, 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 Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only accepted during the Docket Facility’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 Facility telephone number is (703) 305–5805. Instructions. Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008– 0859. If your comments contain any information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected, please contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT to obtain special instructions before submitting your comments. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov website is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM 17DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76637-76639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29972]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0990; FRL-8393-2]


Flumetralin Reregistration Eligibility Decision; Notice of 
Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Reregistration 
Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide flumetralin, and opens a 
public comment period on this document. The Agency's risk assessments 
and other related documents also are available in the flumetralin 
Docket. Flumetralin is a plant growth regulator registered for use only 
on tobacco. It is used to control axillary bud (sucker) growth on 
tobacco plants. There are no food uses and there are no residential 
uses. EPA has reviewed flumetralin 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.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID)

[[Page 76638]]

number EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0990, 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 
Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket Facility'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 Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2007-0990. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-
mail. The regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous access'' system, 
which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information 
unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, 
your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part 
of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the 
Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you 
include your name and other contact information in the body of your 
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your 
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic 
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of 
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index 
available at https://www.regulations.gov. 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 Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., 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 Facility telephone 
number is (703) 305-5805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine StClair, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 347-8778; fax 
number: (703) 308-7070; e-mail address: stclair.katherine@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of 
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human 
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide 
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution, 
or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency 
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be 
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through 
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the 
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or 
CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as 
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the 
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one 
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as 
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information 
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. 
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments, 
remember to:
    i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying 
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
     ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to 
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
    iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and 
substitute language for your requested changes.
    iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information 
and/or data that you used.
    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 RED for the pesticide, flumetralin under section 
4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Flumetralin is a plant growth regulator registered 
for use only on tobacco. It is used to control axillary bud (sucker) 
growth on tobacco plants. There are no food uses and there are no 
residential uses. EPA has determined that the data base to support 
reregistration is substantially complete and that products containing 
flumetralin are eligible for reregistration, provided the risks are 
mitigated either in the manner described in the RED or by another means 
that achieves equivalent risk reduction. Upon submission of any 
required product specific data under section 4(g)(2)(B) of FIFRA 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) of FIFRA for products containing flumetralin.
    Although the flumetralin RED was signed on September 28, 2007, 
certain components of the document, which did

[[Page 76639]]

not affect the final regulatory decision, were undergoing final editing 
at that time. These components, including the list of additional 
generic data requirements, summary of labeling changes, appendices, and 
other relevant information, have been added to the flumetralin RED 
document.
    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, flumetralin was reviewed 
through the modified 4-Phase process. Through this process, EPA worked 
extensively with stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory 
decisions for flumetralin.
    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 
flumetralin 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 
Agency Docket for flumetralin. 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 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 
flumetralin 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.''

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: December 11, 2008.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-29972 Filed 12-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S
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