Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request, 2539-2541 [2012-837]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2012 / Notices This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the application itself. The regulations governing section 18 of FIFRA require publication of a notice of receipt of an application for a specific exemption proposing a use which is supported by the IR–4 program and has been requested in 5 or more previous years, and a petition for tolerance has not yet been submitted to the Agency. The notice provides an opportunity for public comment on the application, in accordance with requirements set forth at 40 CFR 166.24(a)(7)). The Agency, will review and consider all comments received during the comment period in determining whether to issue the specific exemption requested by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. List of Subjects Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests. Dated: January 9, 2012. Lois Rossi, Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. 2012–811 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–9618–8] Meetings of the Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee and the Local Government Advisory Committee Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS) will meet via teleconference on Monday, February 6, 2012, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. (ET). The Subcommittee will discuss sustainable communities, drinking water regulations and other issues and recommendations to the Administrator regarding environmental issues affecting small communities. This is an open meeting and all interested persons are invited to participate. The Subcommittee will hear comments from the public between 1:40 p.m.–2 p.m. on Monday, February 6, 2012. Individuals or organizations wishing to address the Committee will be allowed a maximum of five minutes to present their point of view. Also, written comments should be submitted electronically to davis.catherinem@epa.gov. Please contact the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) at the number listed below to tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:07 Jan 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 schedule a time on the agenda. Time will be allotted on a first-come firstserve basis, and the total period for comments may be extended if the number of requests for appearances requires it. The Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) will meet via teleconference on Monday, February 6, 2012, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. (ET). The Committee will discuss the recommendations of the LGAC Workgroups and the SCAS. This is an open meeting and all interested persons are invited to participate. The Committee will hear comments from the public between 2:40 p.m.–3 p.m. (ET) on Monday, February 6, 2012. Individuals or organizations wishing to address the Committee will be allowed a maximum of five minutes to present their point of view. Also, written comments should be submitted electronically to eargle.frances@epa.gov. Please contact the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) at the number listed below to schedule a time on the agenda. Time will be allotted on a first-come first-serve basis, and the total period for comments may be extended if the number of requests for appearances requires it. Dates and Addresses: The Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee meeting will be held by teleconference on Monday, February 6, 2012, 1 p.m.– 2 p.m. (ET). The Local Government Advisory Committee meeting will be held by teleconference on Monday, February 6, 2012, 2 p.m.–3 p.m. (ET). Meeting summaries will be available after the meetings online at https:// www.epa.gov/ocir/scas and can be obtained by written request to the DFO. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathy Davis, Designated Federal Officer for the Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS) at (202) 564–2703 or email at davis.catherinem@epa.gov. For the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) contact Frances Eargle at (202) 564–3115 or email at eargle.frances@epa.gov. Information on Services for Those with Disabilities: For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Frances Eargle at (202) 564–3115 or eargle.frances@epa.gov. To request accommodation of a disability, please request it 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2539 Dated: January 9, 2011. Frances Eargle, Designated Federal Officer, Local Government Advisory Committee. [FR Doc. 2012–813 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2011–0689; FRL–9332–6] Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces EPA’s receipt of an EUP for the PlantIncorporated Protectants (PIPs) Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins Cry1Ab, Cry2Ae, Vip3Aa19, and full-length Cry1Ab in event T304–40, GHB119, COT102, and COT67B cotton plants, respectively; and the PIP Bacillus thuringiensis combined trait cotton,T304–40 X GHB119 X COT102 X COT67B; and the combined trait cotton necessary for their production. The Agency has determined that the permit may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency is soliciting comments on this application. DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 17, 2012. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPP–2011–0689, 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–2011– 0689. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM 18JAN1 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 2540 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2012 / Notices 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 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 email comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index 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: Denise Greenway, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone number: (703) 308–8263; email address: greenway.denise@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:07 Jan 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 I. General Information A. Does this action apply to me? This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, however, be of interest to those persons who are interested in agricultural biotechnology or may be required to conduct testing of pesticidal substances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Since other entities may also 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 email. 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. PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. 3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, including minority and/or low income populations, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticides discussed in this document, compared to the general population. II. What action is the Agency taking? Under Section 5 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136c, EPA can allow manufacturers to field test pesticides under development. Manufacturers are required to obtain an EUP before testing new pesticides or new uses of pesticides if they conduct experimental field tests on 10 acres or more of land or one acre or more of water. Pursuant to 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency has determined that the following EUP application may be of regional and national significance, and therefore is seeking public comment on the EUP application: Submitter: Bayer CropScience, (264– EUP–RUT). Pesticide Chemical: PlantIncorporated Protectant Combined Trait Bacillus thuringiensis Cotton T304–40 (Produces Cry1Ab Protein) X GHB119 (Produces Cry2Ae Protein) X COT102 (Produces Vip3Aa19 Protein) X COT67B (Produces Full-length Cry1Ab Protein), and the Combined Trait Cotton necessary for their production, along with the individual events T304–40, GHB119, COT102, and COT67B. Summary of Request: Bayer CropScience is proposing an experimental program to allow plantings for the evaluation of these cotton plant lines between October 1, 2011 and June 1, 2013. Testing the efficacy of insect resistance transgenes and agronomic performance, as well as the production of sample material for regulatory studies, is intended. The applicant requests to conduct testing in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico and in E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM 18JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2012 / Notices 12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Testing is proposed to be conducted on a total of 12,210 acres, of which 2,035 acres will be planted to test PIP materials and 10,175 acres to test non-PIP materials. The proposed experimental program requires up to 0.04 pound of Cry1Ab protein, up to 0.17 pound of Cry2Ae protein, up to 0.08 pound of Vip3Aa19 protein, and up to 0.26 pound of fulllength Cry1Ab protein. The company is researching the potential for Bacillus thuringiensis proteins produced by the inserted genetic material in these cotton PIPs for control of the lepidopteran larvae cotton pests cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea), tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), and beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua). A copy of the application and any information submitted is available for public review in the docket established for this EUP application as described under ADDRESSES. Following the review of the application and any comments and data received in response to this solicitation, EPA will decide whether to issue or deny the EUP request, and if issued, the conditions under which it is to be conducted. Any issuance of an EUP will be announced in the Federal Register. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: List of Subjects Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget Environmental protection, Experimental use permits. Dale L. Aultman, Secretary to the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board, (703) 883–4009, TTY (703) 883– 4056. ADDRESSES: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation, 1501 Farm Credit Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting of the Board will be open to the public (limited space available). In order to increase the accessibility to Board meetings, persons requiring assistance should make arrangements in advance. The matters to be considered at the meeting are: Open Session A. Approval of Minutes • December 8, 2011 B. New Business • Report on Investment Portfolio • Review of Insurance Premium Rates • Overview of Communications Crisis Plan with Porter Novelli Dated: January 12, 2012. Dale L. Aultman, Secretary, Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board. [FR Doc. 2012–864 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6710–01–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Dated: January 9, 2012. W. Michael McDavit, Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. AGENCY: [FR Doc. 2012–837 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] SUMMARY: BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Board Meeting Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board; Regular Meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND TIME: The meeting of the Board will be held at the offices of the Farm Credit Administration in McLean, Virginia, on January 19, 2012, from 9 a.m. until such time as the Board concludes its business. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:07 Jan 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2541 (b) the accuracy of the Commission’s burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before February 17, 2012. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contacts below as soon as possible. Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via fax (202) 395–5167, or via email Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov; and to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email PRA@fcc.gov <mailto:PRA@fcc.gov> and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the ‘‘SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION’’ section below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418–2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page <https:// www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain>, (2) look for the section of the Web page called ‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the ‘‘Select Agency’’ box below the ‘‘Currently Under Review’’ heading, (4) select ‘‘Federal Communications Commission’’ from the list of agencies presented in the ‘‘Select Agency’’ box, (5) click the ‘‘Submit’’ button to the right of the ‘‘Select Agency’’ box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060–0573. Title: Application for Franchise Authority Consent to Assignment or ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM 18JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2539-2541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-837]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0689; FRL-9332-6]


Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces EPA's receipt of an EUP for the Plant-
Incorporated Protectants (PIPs) Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins 
Cry1Ab, Cry2Ae, Vip3Aa19, and full-length Cry1Ab in event T304-40, 
GHB119, COT102, and COT67B cotton plants, respectively; and the PIP 
Bacillus thuringiensis combined trait cotton,T304-40 X GHB119 X COT102 
X COT67B; and the combined trait cotton necessary for their production. 
The Agency has determined that the permit may be of regional and 
national significance. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), 
the Agency is soliciting comments on this application.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 17, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0689, 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-
2011-0689. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the docket

[[Page 2540]]

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 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 email comment 
directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your email 
address will be automatically captured and included as part of the 
comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the 
Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you 
include your name and other contact information in the body of your 
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your 
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic 
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of 
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index 
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: Denise Greenway, Biopesticides and 
Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8263; email 
address: greenway.denise@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to those persons who are interested in 
agricultural biotechnology or may be required to conduct testing of 
pesticidal substances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(FFDCA), or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act 
(FIFRA). Since other entities may also 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 email. 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.
    3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental 
justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, 
including minority and/or low income populations, in the development, 
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and 
policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, the 
Agency seeks information on any groups or segments of the population 
who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other 
factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human 
health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticides 
discussed in this document, compared to the general population.

II. What action is the Agency taking?

    Under Section 5 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136c, EPA can allow manufacturers to 
field test pesticides under development. Manufacturers are required to 
obtain an EUP before testing new pesticides or new uses of pesticides 
if they conduct experimental field tests on 10 acres or more of land or 
one acre or more of water.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency has determined that the 
following EUP application may be of regional and national significance, 
and therefore is seeking public comment on the EUP application:
    Submitter: Bayer CropScience, (264-EUP-RUT).
    Pesticide Chemical: Plant-Incorporated Protectant Combined Trait 
Bacillus thuringiensis Cotton T304-40 (Produces Cry1Ab Protein) X 
GHB119 (Produces Cry2Ae Protein) X COT102 (Produces Vip3Aa19 Protein) X 
COT67B (Produces Full-length Cry1Ab Protein), and the Combined Trait 
Cotton necessary for their production, along with the individual events 
T304-40, GHB119, COT102, and COT67B.
    Summary of Request: Bayer CropScience is proposing an experimental 
program to allow plantings for the evaluation of these cotton plant 
lines between October 1, 2011 and June 1, 2013. Testing the efficacy of 
insect resistance transgenes and agronomic performance, as well as the 
production of sample material for regulatory studies, is intended. The 
applicant requests to conduct testing in the U.S. territory of Puerto 
Rico and in

[[Page 2541]]

12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and 
Texas. Testing is proposed to be conducted on a total of 12,210 acres, 
of which 2,035 acres will be planted to test PIP materials and 10,175 
acres to test non-PIP materials. The proposed experimental program 
requires up to 0.04 pound of Cry1Ab protein, up to 0.17 pound of Cry2Ae 
protein, up to 0.08 pound of Vip3Aa19 protein, and up to 0.26 pound of 
full-length Cry1Ab protein. The company is researching the potential 
for Bacillus thuringiensis proteins produced by the inserted genetic 
material in these cotton PIPs for control of the lepidopteran larvae 
cotton pests cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea), tobacco budworm 
(Heliothis virescens), pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), fall 
armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), and beet armyworm (Spodoptera 
exigua).
    A copy of the application and any information submitted is 
available for public review in the docket established for this EUP 
application as described under ADDRESSES.
    Following the review of the application and any comments and data 
received in response to this solicitation, EPA will decide whether to 
issue or deny the EUP request, and if issued, the conditions under 
which it is to be conducted. Any issuance of an EUP will be announced 
in the Federal Register.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Experimental use permits.

    Dated: January 9, 2012.
W. Michael McDavit,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-837 Filed 1-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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