Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations, 24133-24136 [2017-10710]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 100 / Thursday, May 25, 2017 / Notices FDA received 10,450,824 prior notices through ABI/ACS during 2014; 11,282,015 during 2015; and 12,153,880 during 2016. Based on this experience, the Agency estimates that approximately 1,700 users of ABI/ACS will submit an average of 7,647 prior notices annually, for a total of 12,999,900 prior notices received annually through ABI/ACS. FDA estimates the reporting burden for a prior notice submitted through ABI/ACS to be 10 minutes, or 0.167 hour, per notice, for a total burden of 2,170,983 hours. This estimate takes into consideration the burden hours already counted in the information collection approval for FDA importer’s entry notice (OMB control number 0910– 0046), as previously discussed. FDA received 1,529,110 prior notices through PNSI during 2014; 1,633,567 during 2015; and 1,768,790 during 2016. Based on this experience, the Agency estimates that approximately 27,000 registered users of PNSI will submit an average of 70 prior notices annually, for a total of 1,890,000 prior notices received annually. FDA estimates the reporting burden for a prior notice submitted through PNSI to be 23 minutes, or 0.384 hour, per notice, for a total burden of 725,760 hours. FDA received 7,265 cancellations of prior notices through ABI/ACS during 2014; 7,910 during 2015; and 5,948 during 2016. Based on this experience, the Agency estimates that approximately 7,040 users of ABI/ACS will submit an average of 1 cancellation annually, for a total of 7,040 cancellations received annually through ABI/ACS. FDA estimates the reporting burden for a cancellation submitted through ABI/ACS to be 15 minutes, or 0.25 hour, per cancellation, for a total burden of 1,760 hours. FDA received 36,324 cancellations of prior notices through PNSI during 2014; 39,553 during 2015; and 29,743 during 2016. Based on this experience, the Agency estimates that approximately 35,208 registered users of PNSI will submit an average of 1 cancellation annually, for a total of 35,208 cancellations received annually. FDA estimates the reporting burden for a cancellation submitted through PNSI to be 15 minutes, or 0.25 hour, per cancellation, for a total burden of 8,802 hours. FDA has not received any requests for review under § 1.283(d) or § 1.285(j) in the last 3 years; therefore, the Agency estimates that one or fewer requests for review will be submitted annually. FDA estimates that it will take a requestor about 8 hours to prepare the factual and legal information necessary to prepare a VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:04 May 24, 2017 Jkt 241001 request for review. Thus, the Agency has estimated a total reporting burden of 8 hours. FDA received 235 post-hold submissions under § 1.285(i) during 2014; 218 during 2015; and 337 during 2016. Based on this experience, the Agency estimates that 263 post-hold submissions under § 1.285(i) will be submitted annually. FDA estimates that it will take about 1 hour to prepare the written notification described in § 1.285(i)(2)(i). Thus, the Agency estimates a total reporting burden of 263 hours. Dated: May 18, 2017. Anna K. Abram, Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation, and Analysis. [FR Doc. 2017–10712 Filed 5–24–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4164–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA–2008–N–0094] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension/ reinstatement of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection provisions of FDA’s guidance for industry entitled ‘‘Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations.’’ SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 24133 Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection of information by July 24, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows: DATES: Electronic Submissions Submit electronic comments in the following way: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to https:// www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else’s Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov. • If you want to submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’). Written/Paper Submissions Submit written/paper submissions as follows: • Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA–305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. • For written/paper comments submitted to the Division of Dockets Management, FDA will post your comment, as well as any attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ‘‘Instructions.’’ Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. FDA– 2008–N–0094 for ‘‘Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations.’’ Received comments will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as ‘‘Confidential Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM 25MYN1 24134 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 100 / Thursday, May 25, 2017 / Notices https://www.regulations.gov or at the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. • Confidential Submissions—To submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ The Agency will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. Submit both copies to the Division of Dockets Management. If you do not wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and you must identify this information as ‘‘confidential.’’ Any information marked as ‘‘confidential’’ will not be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA’s posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/ fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/201523389.pdf. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the ‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ila S. Mizrachi, Office of Operations, Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A63, 11601 Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 301– 796–7726, PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), Federal Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. ‘‘Collection of information’’ is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of the VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:04 May 24, 2017 Jkt 241001 public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, FDA invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA’s functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations—OMB Control Number 0910–0562—Extension The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, which amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), established a new safety standard for pesticide residues in food, with an emphasis on protecting the health of infants and children. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating the use of pesticides (under FIFRA) and for establishing tolerances or exemptions from the requirement for tolerances for residues of pesticide chemicals in food commodities (under the FD&C Act). EPA may, for various reasons, e.g., as part of a systematic review or in response to new information concerning the safety of a specific pesticide, reassess whether a tolerance for a pesticide residue continues to meet the safety standard in section 408 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 346a). When EPA determines that a pesticide’s tolerance PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 level does not meet that safety standard, the registration for the pesticide may be canceled under FIFRA for all or certain uses. In addition, the tolerances for that pesticide may be lowered or revoked for the corresponding food commodities. Under section 408(l)(2) of the FD&C Act, when the registration for a pesticide is canceled or modified due to, in whole or in part, dietary risks to humans posed by residues of that pesticide chemical on food, the effective date for the revocation of such tolerance (or exemption in some cases) must be no later than 180 days after the date such cancellation becomes effective or 180 days after the date on which the use of the canceled pesticide becomes unlawful under the terms of the cancellation, whichever is later. When EPA takes such actions, food derived from a commodity that was lawfully treated with the pesticide may not have cleared the channels of trade by the time the revocation or new tolerance level takes effect. The food could be found by FDA, the Agency that is responsible for monitoring pesticide residue levels and enforcing the pesticide tolerances in most foods (the U.S. Department of Agriculture has responsibility for monitoring residue levels and enforcing pesticide tolerances in egg products and most meat and poultry products), to contain a residue of that pesticide that does not comply with the revoked or lowered tolerance. We would normally deem such food to be in violation of the law by virtue of it bearing an illegal pesticide residue. The food would be subject to FDA enforcement action as an ‘‘adulterated’’ food. However, the channels of trade provision of the FD&C Act addresses the circumstances under which a food is not unsafe solely due to the presence of a residue from a pesticide chemical for which the tolerance has been revoked, suspended, or modified by EPA. The channels of trade provision (section 408 (l)(5) of the FD&C Act) states that food containing a residue of such a pesticide shall not be deemed ‘‘adulterated’’ by virtue of the residue, if the residue is within the former tolerance, and the responsible party can demonstrate to FDA’s satisfaction that the residue is present as the result of an application of the pesticide at a time and in a manner that were lawful under FIFRA. In the Federal Register of May 18, 2005 (70 FR 28544), we announced the availability of a guidance document entitled ‘‘Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM 25MYN1 24135 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 100 / Thursday, May 25, 2017 / Notices Considerations.’’ The guidance represents FDA’s current thinking on its planned enforcement approach to the channels of trade provision of the FD&C Act and how that provision relates to FDA-regulated products with residues of pesticide chemicals for which tolerances have been revoked, suspended, or modified by EPA under dietary risk considerations. The guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.fda.gov/Food/ GuidanceRegulation/Guidance DocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ ChemicalContaminantsMetals NaturalToxinsPesticides/ ucm077918.htm. We anticipate that food bearing lawfully applied residues of pesticide chemicals that are the subject of future EPA action to revoke, suspend, or modify their tolerances, will remain in the channels of trade after the applicable tolerance is revoked, suspended, or modified. If we encounter food bearing a residue of a pesticide chemical for which the tolerance has been revoked, suspended, or modified, we intend to address the situation in accordance with provisions of the guidance. In general, we anticipate that the party responsible for food found to contain pesticide chemical residues (within the former tolerance) after the tolerance for the pesticide chemical has been revoked, suspended, or modified will be able to demonstrate that such food was handled, e.g., packed or processed, during the acceptable timeframes cited in the guidance by providing appropriate documentation to FDA as discussed in the guidance document. We are not suggesting that firms maintain an inflexible set of documents where anything less or different would likely be considered unacceptable. Rather, we are leaving it to each firm’s discretion to maintain appropriate documentation to demonstrate that the food was so handled during the acceptable timeframes. Examples of documentation that we anticipate will serve this purpose consist of documentation associated with packing codes, batch records, and inventory records. These are types of documents that many food processors routinely generate as part of their basic food-production operations. Accordingly, under the PRA, we are requesting the extension of OMB approval for the information collection provisions in the guidance. Description of Respondents: The likely respondents to this collection of information are firms in the produce and food processing industries that handle food products that may contain residues of pesticide chemicals after the tolerances for the pesticide chemicals have been revoked, suspended, or modified. FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows: TABLE 1—ESTIMATED ANNUAL REPORTING BURDEN 1 Activity Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Total annual responses Average burden per response Total hours Submission of documentation .............................................. 1 1 1 3 3 1 There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information. We expect the total number of pesticide tolerances that are revoked, suspended, or modified by EPA under dietary risk considerations in the next 3 years to remain at a low level, as there have been no changes to the safety standard for pesticide residues in food since 1996. Thus, we expect the number of submissions we will receive under the guidance document will also remain at a low level. However, to avoid counting this burden as zero, we have estimated the burden at one respondent making one submission a year for a total of one annual submission. We based our estimate of the hours per response on the assumption that the information requested in the guidance is readily available to the submitter. We expect that the submitter will need to gather information from appropriate persons in the submitter’s company and to prepare this information for submission to FDA. The submitter will almost always merely need to copy existing documentation. We believe that this effort should take no longer than 3 hours per submission. TABLE 2—ESTIMATED ANNUAL RECORDKEEPING BURDEN 1 Activity Number of recordkeepers Number of records per recordkeeper Total annual records Average burden per recordkeeping Total hours Develop documentation process ......................................... 1 1 1 16 16 1 There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information. In determining the estimated annual recordkeeping burden, we estimated that at least 90 percent of firms maintain documentation, such as packing codes, batch records, and inventory records, as part of their basic food production or import operations. Therefore, the recordkeeping burden was calculated as the time required for the 10 percent of firms that may not be currently maintaining this documentation to develop and maintain documentation, VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:04 May 24, 2017 Jkt 241001 such as batch records and inventory records. In previous information collection requests, this recordkeeping burden was estimated to be 16 hours per record. We have retained our prior estimate of 16 hours per record for the recordkeeping burden. As shown in table 1 of this document, we estimate that one respondent will make one submission per year. Although we estimate that only 1 out of 10 firms will not be currently maintaining the PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 necessary documentation, to avoid counting the recordkeeping burden for the 1 submission per year as 1/10 of a recordkeeper, we estimate that 1 recordkeeper will take 16 hours to develop and maintain documentation recommended by the guidance. E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM 25MYN1 24136 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 100 / Thursday, May 25, 2017 / Notices Dated: May 18, 2017. Anna K. Abram, Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation, and Analysis. ACTION: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publishing a list of information collections that have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ila S. Mizrachi, FDA PRA Staff, Office of Operations, Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 11601 Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 301–796–7726, PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a list of FDA information collections recently approved by OMB under section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507). The OMB control number and expiration date of OMB approval for each information collection are shown in table 1. Copies of the supporting SUMMARY: [FR Doc. 2017–10710 Filed 5–24–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4164–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket Nos. FDA–2013–N–1423; FDA– 2013–N–0730; FDA–2012–N–0977; FDA– 2013–N–0557; FDA–2009–N–0380; FDA– 2013–N–0514; FDA–2013–N–0190; FDA– 2010–D–0350; FDA–2016–N–0538; FDA– 2013–N–1428] Agency Information Collection Activities; Announcement of Office of Management and Budget Approvals AGENCY: Notice. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. statements for the information collections are available on the Internet at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain. 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. TABLE 1—LIST OF INFORMATION COLLECTIONS APPROVED BY OMB OMB control No. Title of collection Importer’s Entry Notice ............................................................................................................................................ Threshold of Regulation for Substances Used in Food-Contact Articles ............................................................... Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents ................................................................................................................................................... Postmarket Surveillance of Medical Devices .......................................................................................................... Product Jurisdiction: Assignment of Agency Component for Review of Premarket Applications .......................... Administrative Procedures for Clinical laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 Categorization (42 CFR 493.17) ................................................................................................................................................................. Requirements under the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986; as amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act .................................................................................. Guidance for Industry on Tobacco Retailer Training Programs ............................................................................. Animation in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising ......................................................................................................... Guidance for Industry: Electronic Drug Product Reporting for Human Drug Compounding Outsourcing Facilities Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ................................................................... Dated: May 18, 2017. Anna K. Abram, Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation, and Analysis. [FR Doc. 2017–10711 Filed 5–24–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4164–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors; Announcement of Meeting; Request for Comments; Amended Notice This notice amends Federal Register notice 82 FR 20484, published May 2, 2017, announcing the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) meeting and requesting comments. The deadline for registration has been changed to June SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:04 May 24, 2017 Jkt 241001 29, 2017. The BSC will provide input to the NTP on programmatic activities and issues. The preliminary agenda has been updated and topics include reports from the NIEHS/NTP Director and NTP Associate Director, and presentations on programmatic activities including NTP efforts and challenges toward studying real world exposures and a state of the science evaluation of transgenerational inheritance of health effects. This meeting will also provide opportunity for input on an effort being coordinated by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) to explore new approaches for evaluating the safety of chemicals and medical products in the United States. All other information in the original notice has not changed. Interested individuals should visit the meeting Web page to stay abreast of agenda topics and other arrangements for the meeting. PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 Date approval expires 0910–0046 0910–0298 12/31/2019 12/31/2019 0910–0312 0910–0449 0910–0523 12/31/2019 12/31/2019 12/31/2019 0910–0607 12/31/2019 0910–0671 0910–0745 0910–0826 12/31/2019 12/31/2019 12/31/2019 0910–0827 12/31/2019 Information about the meeting and registration is available at https:// ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165. Meeting: June 29, 2017; it begins at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) until adjournment. DATES: Dated: May 11, 2017. John R. Bucher, Associate Director, National Toxicology Program. [FR Doc. 2017–10695 Filed 5–24–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM 25MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 100 (Thursday, May 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24133-24136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10710]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2008-N-0094]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues 
of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, 
Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant 
to Dietary Risk Considerations

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing 
an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension/reinstatement of an existing collection of 
information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the 
notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection 
provisions of FDA's guidance for industry entitled ``Channels of Trade 
Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which 
Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the 
Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk 
Considerations.''

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection 
of information by July 24, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov 
will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be 
made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment 
does not include any confidential information that you or a third party 
may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone 
else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, 
such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your 
name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in 
the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
     If you want to submit a comment with confidential 
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, 
submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner 
detailed (see ``Written/Paper Submissions'' and ``Instructions'').

Written/Paper Submissions

    Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
     Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper 
submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Division of 
Dockets Management, FDA will post your comment, as well as any 
attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, 
as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ``Instructions.''
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. 
FDA-2008-N-0094 for ``Agency Information Collection Activities; 
Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Channels of Trade Policy for 
Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances 
Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental 
Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk Considerations.'' Received 
comments will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted 
as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly viewable at

[[Page 24134]]

https://www.regulations.gov or at the Division of Dockets Management 
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
     Confidential Submissions--To submit a comment with 
confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly 
available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You 
should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information 
you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states 
``THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.'' The Agency will 
review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in 
its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the 
claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be 
available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit both copies to the Division of Dockets Management. If you do not 
wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, 
you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body 
of your comments and you must identify this information as 
``confidential.'' Any information marked as ``confidential'' will not 
be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other 
applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of 
comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or 
access the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in 
the heading of this document, into the ``Search'' box and follow the 
prompts and/or go to the Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers 
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ila S. Mizrachi, Office of Operations, 
Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A63, 11601 
Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 301-796-7726, 
PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, 
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with 
this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection 
of information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, FDA 
invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques, when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide 
Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or 
Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary 
Risk Considerations--OMB Control Number 0910-0562--Extension

    The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, which amended the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), established a new safety 
standard for pesticide residues in food, with an emphasis on protecting 
the health of infants and children. The Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) is responsible for regulating the use of pesticides (under FIFRA) 
and for establishing tolerances or exemptions from the requirement for 
tolerances for residues of pesticide chemicals in food commodities 
(under the FD&C Act). EPA may, for various reasons, e.g., as part of a 
systematic review or in response to new information concerning the 
safety of a specific pesticide, reassess whether a tolerance for a 
pesticide residue continues to meet the safety standard in section 408 
of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 346a). When EPA determines that a 
pesticide's tolerance level does not meet that safety standard, the 
registration for the pesticide may be canceled under FIFRA for all or 
certain uses. In addition, the tolerances for that pesticide may be 
lowered or revoked for the corresponding food commodities. Under 
section 408(l)(2) of the FD&C Act, when the registration for a 
pesticide is canceled or modified due to, in whole or in part, dietary 
risks to humans posed by residues of that pesticide chemical on food, 
the effective date for the revocation of such tolerance (or exemption 
in some cases) must be no later than 180 days after the date such 
cancellation becomes effective or 180 days after the date on which the 
use of the canceled pesticide becomes unlawful under the terms of the 
cancellation, whichever is later.
    When EPA takes such actions, food derived from a commodity that was 
lawfully treated with the pesticide may not have cleared the channels 
of trade by the time the revocation or new tolerance level takes 
effect. The food could be found by FDA, the Agency that is responsible 
for monitoring pesticide residue levels and enforcing the pesticide 
tolerances in most foods (the U.S. Department of Agriculture has 
responsibility for monitoring residue levels and enforcing pesticide 
tolerances in egg products and most meat and poultry products), to 
contain a residue of that pesticide that does not comply with the 
revoked or lowered tolerance. We would normally deem such food to be in 
violation of the law by virtue of it bearing an illegal pesticide 
residue. The food would be subject to FDA enforcement action as an 
``adulterated'' food. However, the channels of trade provision of the 
FD&C Act addresses the circumstances under which a food is not unsafe 
solely due to the presence of a residue from a pesticide chemical for 
which the tolerance has been revoked, suspended, or modified by EPA. 
The channels of trade provision (section 408 (l)(5) of the FD&C Act) 
states that food containing a residue of such a pesticide shall not be 
deemed ``adulterated'' by virtue of the residue, if the residue is 
within the former tolerance, and the responsible party can demonstrate 
to FDA's satisfaction that the residue is present as the result of an 
application of the pesticide at a time and in a manner that were lawful 
under FIFRA.
    In the Federal Register of May 18, 2005 (70 FR 28544), we announced 
the availability of a guidance document entitled ``Channels of Trade 
Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which 
Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the 
Environmental Protection Agency Pursuant to Dietary Risk

[[Page 24135]]

Considerations.'' The guidance represents FDA's current thinking on its 
planned enforcement approach to the channels of trade provision of the 
FD&C Act and how that provision relates to FDA-regulated products with 
residues of pesticide chemicals for which tolerances have been revoked, 
suspended, or modified by EPA under dietary risk considerations. The 
guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ChemicalContaminantsMetalsNaturalToxinsPesticides/ucm077918.htm. We 
anticipate that food bearing lawfully applied residues of pesticide 
chemicals that are the subject of future EPA action to revoke, suspend, 
or modify their tolerances, will remain in the channels of trade after 
the applicable tolerance is revoked, suspended, or modified. If we 
encounter food bearing a residue of a pesticide chemical for which the 
tolerance has been revoked, suspended, or modified, we intend to 
address the situation in accordance with provisions of the guidance. In 
general, we anticipate that the party responsible for food found to 
contain pesticide chemical residues (within the former tolerance) after 
the tolerance for the pesticide chemical has been revoked, suspended, 
or modified will be able to demonstrate that such food was handled, 
e.g., packed or processed, during the acceptable timeframes cited in 
the guidance by providing appropriate documentation to FDA as discussed 
in the guidance document. We are not suggesting that firms maintain an 
inflexible set of documents where anything less or different would 
likely be considered unacceptable. Rather, we are leaving it to each 
firm's discretion to maintain appropriate documentation to demonstrate 
that the food was so handled during the acceptable timeframes.
    Examples of documentation that we anticipate will serve this 
purpose consist of documentation associated with packing codes, batch 
records, and inventory records. These are types of documents that many 
food processors routinely generate as part of their basic food-
production operations. Accordingly, under the PRA, we are requesting 
the extension of OMB approval for the information collection provisions 
in the guidance.
    Description of Respondents: The likely respondents to this 
collection of information are firms in the produce and food processing 
industries that handle food products that may contain residues of 
pesticide chemicals after the tolerances for the pesticide chemicals 
have been revoked, suspended, or modified.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                                     Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Number of
                              Activity                                  Number of      responses per     Total annual    Average burden    Total hours
                                                                       respondents       respondent       responses       per response
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submission of documentation........................................               1                1                1                3                3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.

    We expect the total number of pesticide tolerances that are 
revoked, suspended, or modified by EPA under dietary risk 
considerations in the next 3 years to remain at a low level, as there 
have been no changes to the safety standard for pesticide residues in 
food since 1996. Thus, we expect the number of submissions we will 
receive under the guidance document will also remain at a low level. 
However, to avoid counting this burden as zero, we have estimated the 
burden at one respondent making one submission a year for a total of 
one annual submission.
    We based our estimate of the hours per response on the assumption 
that the information requested in the guidance is readily available to 
the submitter. We expect that the submitter will need to gather 
information from appropriate persons in the submitter's company and to 
prepare this information for submission to FDA. The submitter will 
almost always merely need to copy existing documentation. We believe 
that this effort should take no longer than 3 hours per submission.

                                                   Table 2--Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Number of                       Average burden
                              Activity                                  Number of       records per      Total annual         per          Total hours
                                                                      recordkeepers     recordkeeper       records       recordkeeping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Develop documentation process......................................               1                1                1               16               16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.

    In determining the estimated annual recordkeeping burden, we 
estimated that at least 90 percent of firms maintain documentation, 
such as packing codes, batch records, and inventory records, as part of 
their basic food production or import operations. Therefore, the 
recordkeeping burden was calculated as the time required for the 10 
percent of firms that may not be currently maintaining this 
documentation to develop and maintain documentation, such as batch 
records and inventory records. In previous information collection 
requests, this recordkeeping burden was estimated to be 16 hours per 
record. We have retained our prior estimate of 16 hours per record for 
the recordkeeping burden. As shown in table 1 of this document, we 
estimate that one respondent will make one submission per year. 
Although we estimate that only 1 out of 10 firms will not be currently 
maintaining the necessary documentation, to avoid counting the 
recordkeeping burden for the 1 submission per year as 1/10 of a 
recordkeeper, we estimate that 1 recordkeeper will take 16 hours to 
develop and maintain documentation recommended by the guidance.


[[Page 24136]]


    Dated: May 18, 2017.
Anna K. Abram,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2017-10710 Filed 5-24-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P
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