Pesticide Registration Review; Draft Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments for Formaldehyde and Paraformaldehyde; Notice of Availability, 28769-28771 [2024-08399]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28769-28771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08399]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0739; FRL-11816-01-OCSPP]


Pesticide Registration Review; Draft Human Health and Ecological 
Risk Assessments for Formaldehyde and Paraformaldehyde; Notice of 
Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's draft human 
health and ecological risk assessments for the registration review of 
formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde and opens a 60-day public comment 
period on this document.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 18, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0739, through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at 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. Additional 
instructions on commenting and visiting the docket, along with more 
information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Chemical Review Manager for 
formaldehyde identified in table 1 of unit I.
    For general questions on the registration review program, contact: 
Melanie Biscoe, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 566-0701; 
email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    This notice is directed to the public in general and may be of 
interest to a

[[Page 28770]]

wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human health, 
worker rights advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and 
members of the public interested in the sale, distribution, or use of 
pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency has not 
attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by 
this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of 
this action to a particular entity, consult the Chemical Review Manager 
identified in table 1 in unit I.

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/commenting-epa-dockets.
    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.
    4. Information submission requirements. Anyone may submit data or 
information in response to this document. To be considered during a 
pesticide's registration review, the submitted data or information must 
meet the following requirements:
     To ensure that EPA will consider data or information 
submitted, interested persons must submit the data or information 
during the comment period. However, the Agency may, at its discretion, 
consider data or information submitted at a later date.
     The data or information submitted must be presented in a 
legible and useable form. For example, an English translation must 
accompany any material that is not in English, and a written transcript 
must accompany any information submitted as an audio graphic or 
videographic record. Written material may be submitted in paper or 
electronic form.
     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.

II. Background

    Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide 
registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the 
statutory standard for registration, that is, the pesticide can perform 
its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human 
health or the environment. As part of the registration review process, 
the Agency has completed comprehensive draft human health and/or 
ecological risk assessments for the pesticides listed in table 1 in 
unit I. After reviewing comments received during the public comment 
period, EPA may issue a revised risk assessment, explain any changes to 
the draft risk assessment, and respond to comments and may request 
public input on risk mitigation before completing a proposed 
registration review decision for the pesticides listed in table 1 in 
unit I. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide's 
registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, 
including its effects on human health and the environment.

III. Authority

    EPA is conducting its registration review of formaldehyde and 
paraformaldehyde pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) section 3(g) (7 U.S.C. 136(g)) and the 
Procedural Regulations for Registration Review at 40 CFR part 155, 
subpart C. FIFRA section 3(g) provides, among other things, that 
pesticide registrations are to be reviewed every 15 years. Consistent 
with 40 CFR 155.57, in its final registration review decision, EPA will 
ultimately determine whether a pesticide continues to meet the 
registration standard in FIFRA section 3(c)(5) (7 U.S.C. 136a(c)(5)).
    As part of the registration review process, the Agency has 
completed draft human health and ecological risk assessments on 
formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde. Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.53(c), EPA 
generally provides for at least a 30-day public comment period on draft 
human health and/or ecological risk assessments during registration 
review. This comment period is intended to provide an opportunity for 
public input on the Agency's assessment of the human health and/or 
ecological risks posed by use of these pesticides.

IV. What action is the Agency taking?

    Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.53(c), this notice announces the 
availability of EPA's draft human health and ecological risk 
assessments for formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde and opens a 60-day 
public comment period on this document.

  Table 1--Formaldehyde and Paraformaldehyde Registration Review Docket
                                 Details
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                                                        Chemical Review
  Registration review case name                           Manager and
             and No.                 Docket ID No.          contact
                                                          information
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Formaldehyde and                  EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-07  Kendall Ziner,
 Paraformaldehyde Case 0556.       39.                 [email protected], (202) 566-
                                                       0621.
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    All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES and 
must be received by the EPA on or before the closing date. These 
comments will become part of the docket for formaldehyde and 
paraformaldehyde.

[[Page 28771]]

The Agency will consider all comments received during the public 
comment period and make changes, as appropriate, to the draft human 
health and/or ecological risk assessment. As appropriate, EPA may then 
issue a revised risk assessment, explain any changes to the draft risk 
assessment, and respond to comments.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: April 10, 2024.
Anita Pease,
Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2024-08399 Filed 4-18-24; 8:45 am]
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