EPA Draft Proposal To Improve Lepidopteran Resistance Management; Notice of Availability, 55448-55450 [2020-19779]

Download as PDF 55448 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 174 / Tuesday, September 8, 2020 / Notices • Submitters must clearly identify the source of any submitted data or information. • Submitters may request the Agency to reconsider data or information that the Agency rejected in a previous review. However, submitters must explain why they believe the Agency should reconsider the data or information in the pesticide’s registration review. As provided in 40 CFR 155.58, the registration review docket for each pesticide case will remain publicly accessible through the duration of the registration review process; that is, until all actions required in the final decision on the registration review case have been completed. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. Dated: August 25, 2020. Mary Reaves, Acting Director, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. 2020–19778 Filed 9–4–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2020–0429; FRL–10013–50] United States Department of Justice and Parties to Certain Litigation; Transfer of Data Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces that pesticide related information submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), including information that may have been claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI) by the submitter will be transferred to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and parties to certain litigation. This transfer of data is in accordance with the CBI regulations governing the disclosure of potential CBI in litigation. DATES: Access to this information by DOJ and the parties to certain litigation is ongoing and expected to continue during the litigation as discussed in this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001; main telephone number: jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:32 Sep 04, 2020 Jkt 250001 (703) 347–0292; email address: glyphosateregreview@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is being provided pursuant to 40 CFR 2.209(d) to inform affected businesses that EPA, via DOJ, will provide certain information to the parties and the Court in the consolidated matters of Rural Coalition, et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Case No. 20–70801 (9th Cir.) and Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency et al., Case No. 20–70787 (9th Cir.) (collectively, referred to as the ‘‘Glyphosate Litigation’’). The information is contained in documents that have been submitted to EPA pursuant to FIFRA and FFDCA by pesticide registrants or other datasubmitters, including information that has been claimed to be, or determined to potentially contain CBI. In the Glyphosate Litigation, the petitioners seek judicial review of EPA’s Interim Registration Review Decision (Interim Decision) for the pesticide active ingredient glyphosate that was issued pursuant to the FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. The documents are being produced as part of the Administrative Record of the Interim Decision at issue and include documents that registrants or other datasubmitters may have submitted to EPA regarding the pesticide glyphosate, and that may be subject to various release restrictions under federal law. The information includes documents submitted with pesticide registration applications and may include CBI as well as scientific studies subject to the disclosure restrictions of FIFRA section 10(g), 7 U.S.C. 136h(g). All documents that may be subject to release restrictions under federal law are designated as ‘‘Confidential or Restricted Information’’ under a Protective Order that parties to the Glyphosate litigation jointly filed with the court on July 1, 2020 (Dkt.37–2). The Protective Order precludes public disclosure of any such documents by the parties in this action who have received the information from EPA, unless a party successfully obtains a dedesignation as Confidential or Restricted Information of any portion of the Administrative Record via the procedure described in paragraph 6 of the Protective Order, and limits the use of such documents to litigation purposes only. EPA expects to begin providing documents no later than 10 business days from the issuance of the Protective Order. If filed with the Court, such documents would be filed under seal PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 and would not be available for public review, unless the information contained in the document has been determined to not be subject to FIFRA section 10(g) and all CBI has been redacted. At the conclusion of the Glyphosate Litigation, paragraph 8 of the Protective Order requires that record material EPA designates as ‘‘Confidential or Restricted Information’’ be destroyed or returned to EPA. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; and 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. Dated: August 31, 2020. Mary Reaves, Acting Director, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. 2020–19773 Filed 9–4–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2019–0682; FRL–10013–29] EPA Draft Proposal To Improve Lepidopteran Resistance Management; Notice of Availability Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: EPA is making available for public comment a proposal to improve current resistance management strategies for certain Lepidopteran pests of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plantincorporated protectants (PIPs) in corn and cotton. EPA is soliciting input from all affected stakeholders such as corn and cotton growers, crop consultants, industry, academia, non-governmental organizations and the general public. DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 9, 2020. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPP–2019–0682, by one of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. • Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/ DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001. • Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at https:// www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 174 / Tuesday, September 8, 2020 / Notices Due to the public health concerns related to COVID–19, the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) and Reading Room is closed to visitors with limited exceptions. The staff continues to provide remote customer service via email, phone, and webform. For the latest status information on EPA/DC services and docket access, visit https:// www.epa.gov/dockets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001; main telephone number: (703) 305–7090; email address: BPPDFRNotices@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES A. Does this action apply to me? You may be potentially affected by this action if you are a registrant or manufacturer of Bt PIPs, grow Bt corn or cotton PIPs for crop or animal production, serve as a corn agronomist, crop consultant or extension specialist, or conduct insect resistance management-related research. The following list of North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers determine whether this document applies to them. Potentially affected entities may include: • Crop production (NAICS code 111). • Animal production (NAICS code 112). • Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311). • Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532). 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. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:32 Sep 04, 2020 Jkt 250001 2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting tips at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/ comments.html. C. How can I get copies of this document and other related information? A copy of the proposal, titled ‘‘EPA Draft Proposal to Address Resistance Risks to Lepidopteran Pests of Bt Following the July 2018 FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Recommendation’’ is available in the docket under docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPP–2019–0682. II. What action is the Agency taking? EPA is making available for public comment a proposal to improve current resistance management strategies for certain Lepidopteran pests of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs) in corn and cotton. EPA’s proposal contains measures designed to delay lepidopteran development of resistance to Bt corn and cotton PIPs in response to multiple reports of Bt resistance among some pests. The proposal was informed by advice received by the Agency from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel and from unsolicited comments received from several stakeholder groups. EPA believes that the proposed measures will prolong the effectiveness of Bt PIPs for Lepidopteran pest control. This goal has significance, given the long safety record of Bt PIPs. If used properly, Bt PIPs greatly reduce the need for conventional pesticides and the risks they may present to human health and the environment. EPA is soliciting comments from all affected stakeholders, including corn and cotton growers, crop consultants, industry, academia, and the general public. As part of its regulation of Bt corn and cotton PIPs, EPA requires measures to delay the development of resistance among target pests. These measures include the use of non-Bt PIP refuges to provide susceptible insects (to dilute any resistance genes in the population), annual monitoring to detect resistance in pest populations, mitigation steps if resistance develops, a refuge compliance program, and grower education. EPA is concerned about recent cases of Bt resistance among corn and/or cotton pests that have been documented by academic and industry researchers. Bt resistance has been reported for corn earworm, fall armyworm, western bean cutworm, and southwestern corn borer. In a white paper prepared for the SAP PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 55449 meeting, EPA identified a number of risk factors that likely contributed to these resistance cases and could lead to more widespread resistance incidents in the future. These risk factors include a lack of ‘‘high dose’’ toxin expression in Bt PIPs for some of the Lepidopteran target pests, cross resistance between different Bt PIPs, cross-pollination of Bt and refuge plants in Bt corn seed blend products, poor compliance with non-PIP refuge requirements, and ineffective resistance monitoring methods. Seeking guidance on these concerns, the Agency convened a FIFRA SAP meeting in July 2018. The panel was tasked with evaluating the reported cases of resistance and EPA’s identified risk factors and providing guidance on potential improvements to the current resistance management program. Meeting materials, including EPA’s white paper, the charge to the panel, and the SAP’s final report, are available in docket number EPA–HQ–OPP–2017– 0617. Following the SAP meeting, EPA developed a proposal to bolster current resistance management strategies for Lepidopteran target pests of Bt corn and cotton PIPs. EPA’s proposal addresses the following aspects of resistance management: • A proposed new resistance definition for ‘‘non-high dose’’ Lepidopteran pests, based on unexpected injury (UXI) levels in Bt corn and cotton; • Enhanced resistance monitoring using sentinel plots in regions at high risk of resistance and investigations of UXI cases with standardized pest damage thresholds; • Improved resistance mitigation for cases of confirmed resistance by implementing best management practices (BMPs) once UXI has been detected; • Increased communications among stakeholders to provide ‘‘early warnings’’ on potential cases of resistance to Bt PIPs; • Industry reporting to EPA on UXI investigations and BMP implementation. EPA believes these proposed enhancements are consistent with the SAP’s guidance and will prolong the effectiveness of Bt corn and cotton PIPs by reducing selection pressure for resistance, improving resistance monitoring, and better mitigating populations that do develop resistance. The Agency’s goals are to prolong the durability of Bt corn and cotton PIPs while maintaining the environmental benefits of these management tools. In addition to the above elements, EPA has identified three further E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1 55450 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 174 / Tuesday, September 8, 2020 / Notices measures for public comment, but will not take a position on them until it has reviewed all stakeholder input: • Phase down of single traits and non-functional pyramids; • Increasing percent refuge in seed blend products; and • Measures to improve refuge compliance. The Agency is seeking input on the proposal from potentially affected entities and other stakeholders, including (but not limited to) registrants of Bt PIPs, corn and cotton growers, crop consultants/agronomists, commodity groups, extension entomologists, academic researchers, and the general public. Commenters are also encouraged to provide input on the specific recommendations of the SAP, including alternate approaches or counter proposals towards addressing the issues raised by the panel and the Agency’s resistance management goals. During the comment period, EPA will seek to further engage affected entities and other stakeholders through webinars in late July and August to discuss the proposal and answer questions. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. Dated: August 19, 2020. Jean Overstreet, Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. 2020–19779 Filed 9–4–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [OMB 3060–1085; FRS 17037] Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might ‘‘further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:32 Sep 04, 2020 Jkt 250001 employees.’’ The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number. DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted on or before October 8, 2020. ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. Your comment must be submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email to PRA@fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418–2991. 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 Title of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission’s burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might ‘‘further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.’’ OMB Control Number: 3060–1085. Title: Section 9.11, Interconnected Voice Over internet Protocol (VoIP) E911 Compliance; Section 9.12, Implementation of the NET 911 Improvement Act of 2008: Location Information from Owners and Controllers of 911 and E911 Capabilities. Form Number: N/A. Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection. Respondents: Individuals or Households; Business or other for-profit entities; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal government. Number of Respondents and Responses: 72 respondents; 16,200,496 responses. Estimated Time per Response: 0.09 hours (five minutes). Frequency of Response: One-time, on occasion, third party disclosure requirement, and recordkeeping requirement. Obligation to Respond: Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 151–154, 152(a), 155(c), 157, 160, 201, 202, 208, 210, 214, 218, 219, 222, 225, 251(e), 255, 301, 302, 303, 307, 308, 309, 310, 316, 319, 332, 403, 405, 605, 610, 615, 615 note, 615a, 615b, 615c, 615a–1, 616, 620, 621, 623, 623 note, 721, and 1471. Total Annual Burden: 1,481,249 hours. Total Annual Cost: $238,890,000. Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s). Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information. Needs and Uses: The Commission is obligated by statute to promote ‘‘safety of life and property’’ and to ‘‘encourage and facilitate the prompt deployment throughout the United States of a seamless, ubiquitous, and reliable endto-end infrastructure’’ for public safety. Congress has established 911 as the national emergency number to enable E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55448-55450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19779]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0682; FRL-10013-29]


EPA Draft Proposal To Improve Lepidopteran Resistance Management; 
Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: EPA is making available for public comment a proposal to 
improve current resistance management strategies for certain 
Lepidopteran pests of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plant-incorporated 
protectants (PIPs) in corn and cotton. EPA is soliciting input from all 
affected stakeholders such as corn and cotton growers, crop 
consultants, industry, academia, non-governmental organizations and the 
general public.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 9, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0682, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit 
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute.
     Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket 
Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 
20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand 
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the 
instructions at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.

[[Page 55449]]

    Due to the public health concerns related to COVID-19, the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC) and Reading Room is closed to visitors with 
limited exceptions. The staff continues to provide remote customer 
service via email, phone, and webform. For the latest status 
information on EPA/DC services and docket access, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Biopesticides and 
Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; main telephone number: (703) 305-7090; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you are a 
registrant or manufacturer of Bt PIPs, grow Bt corn or cotton PIPs for 
crop or animal production, serve as a corn agronomist, crop consultant 
or extension specialist, or conduct insect resistance management-
related research. The following list of North American Industrial 
Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, 
but rather provides a guide to help readers determine whether this 
document applies to them. Potentially affected entities may include:
     Crop production (NAICS code 111).
     Animal production (NAICS code 112).
     Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311).
     Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532).

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 preparing and submitting 
your comments, see the commenting tips at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.

C. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    A copy of the proposal, titled ``EPA Draft Proposal to Address 
Resistance Risks to Lepidopteran Pests of Bt Following the July 2018 
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Recommendation'' is available in the 
docket under docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0682.

II. What action is the Agency taking?

    EPA is making available for public comment a proposal to improve 
current resistance management strategies for certain Lepidopteran pests 
of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs) in 
corn and cotton. EPA's proposal contains measures designed to delay 
lepidopteran development of resistance to Bt corn and cotton PIPs in 
response to multiple reports of Bt resistance among some pests. The 
proposal was informed by advice received by the Agency from the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory 
Panel and from unsolicited comments received from several stakeholder 
groups. EPA believes that the proposed measures will prolong the 
effectiveness of Bt PIPs for Lepidopteran pest control. This goal has 
significance, given the long safety record of Bt PIPs. If used 
properly, Bt PIPs greatly reduce the need for conventional pesticides 
and the risks they may present to human health and the environment. EPA 
is soliciting comments from all affected stakeholders, including corn 
and cotton growers, crop consultants, industry, academia, and the 
general public.
    As part of its regulation of Bt corn and cotton PIPs, EPA requires 
measures to delay the development of resistance among target pests. 
These measures include the use of non-Bt PIP refuges to provide 
susceptible insects (to dilute any resistance genes in the population), 
annual monitoring to detect resistance in pest populations, mitigation 
steps if resistance develops, a refuge compliance program, and grower 
education.
    EPA is concerned about recent cases of Bt resistance among corn 
and/or cotton pests that have been documented by academic and industry 
researchers. Bt resistance has been reported for corn earworm, fall 
armyworm, western bean cutworm, and southwestern corn borer. In a white 
paper prepared for the SAP meeting, EPA identified a number of risk 
factors that likely contributed to these resistance cases and could 
lead to more widespread resistance incidents in the future. These risk 
factors include a lack of ``high dose'' toxin expression in Bt PIPs for 
some of the Lepidopteran target pests, cross resistance between 
different Bt PIPs, cross-pollination of Bt and refuge plants in Bt corn 
seed blend products, poor compliance with non-PIP refuge requirements, 
and ineffective resistance monitoring methods. Seeking guidance on 
these concerns, the Agency convened a FIFRA SAP meeting in July 2018. 
The panel was tasked with evaluating the reported cases of resistance 
and EPA's identified risk factors and providing guidance on potential 
improvements to the current resistance management program. Meeting 
materials, including EPA's white paper, the charge to the panel, and 
the SAP's final report, are available in docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2017-
0617.
    Following the SAP meeting, EPA developed a proposal to bolster 
current resistance management strategies for Lepidopteran target pests 
of Bt corn and cotton PIPs. EPA's proposal addresses the following 
aspects of resistance management:
     A proposed new resistance definition for ``non-high dose'' 
Lepidopteran pests, based on unexpected injury (UXI) levels in Bt corn 
and cotton;
     Enhanced resistance monitoring using sentinel plots in 
regions at high risk of resistance and investigations of UXI cases with 
standardized pest damage thresholds;
     Improved resistance mitigation for cases of confirmed 
resistance by implementing best management practices (BMPs) once UXI 
has been detected;
     Increased communications among stakeholders to provide 
``early warnings'' on potential cases of resistance to Bt PIPs;
     Industry reporting to EPA on UXI investigations and BMP 
implementation.
    EPA believes these proposed enhancements are consistent with the 
SAP's guidance and will prolong the effectiveness of Bt corn and cotton 
PIPs by reducing selection pressure for resistance, improving 
resistance monitoring, and better mitigating populations that do 
develop resistance. The Agency's goals are to prolong the durability of 
Bt corn and cotton PIPs while maintaining the environmental benefits of 
these management tools.
    In addition to the above elements, EPA has identified three further

[[Page 55450]]

measures for public comment, but will not take a position on them until 
it has reviewed all stakeholder input:
     Phase down of single traits and non-functional pyramids;
     Increasing percent refuge in seed blend products; and
     Measures to improve refuge compliance.
    The Agency is seeking input on the proposal from potentially 
affected entities and other stakeholders, including (but not limited 
to) registrants of Bt PIPs, corn and cotton growers, crop consultants/
agronomists, commodity groups, extension entomologists, academic 
researchers, and the general public. Commenters are also encouraged to 
provide input on the specific recommendations of the SAP, including 
alternate approaches or counter proposals towards addressing the issues 
raised by the panel and the Agency's resistance management goals. 
During the comment period, EPA will seek to further engage affected 
entities and other stakeholders through webinars in late July and 
August to discuss the proposal and answer questions.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: August 19, 2020.
Jean Overstreet,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2020-19779 Filed 9-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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