Environmental Protection Agency September 14, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces Agency approval of an application to register the pesticide product, Mycogen Brand B.t. moCry1F Insect Resistant Corn Seed and Florbac Slurry containing active ingredients not included in any previously registered product pursuant to the provisions of section 3(c)7 and 3(c)5 respectively of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.

This regulation establishes two exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of alkyl (C10- C16) polyglycosides also known as D-glucopyranose, oligomeric, C10-C16-alkyl glycosides when used as an inert ingredient in or on growing crops, when applied to raw agricultural commodities after harvest, or to animals. Cognis Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of D-glucopyranose, oligomeric, C10-C16-alkyl glycosides.

In accordance with Section 122(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9622(i), notice is hereby given of a proposed administrative settlement for recovery of past response costs concerning the Omega Chemical Site in Whittier, Los Angeles County, California with 171 de minimis settling parties. The settlement is entered into pursuant to Section 122(g) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9622(g) and it requires the settling parties to pay $10,189,384 to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The settlement includes a covenant not to sue the settling parties pursuant to Section 107(a) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9607(a). For thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this notice, the Agency will receive written comments relating to the settlement. The Agency will consider all comments received and may modify or withdraw its consent to the settlement if comments received disclose facts or considerations which indicate that the settlement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. The Agency's response to any comments received will be available for public inspection at 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (``CERCLA'' or ``the Act''), as amended, requires that the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (``NCP'') include a list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The National Priorities List (``NPL'') constitutes this list. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'' or ``the Agency'') in determining which sites warrant further investigation. These further investigations will allow EPA to assess the nature and extent of public health and environmental risks associated with the site and to determine what CERCLA-financed remedial action(s), if any, may be appropriate. This rule adds seven new sites to the General Superfund Section of the NPL.

EPA is proposing to take direct final action approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Utah. On November 29, 2004, the Governor of Utah submitted revisions to Utah's Rule R307-110-12, ``Section IX, Control Measures for Area and Point Sources, Part C, Carbon Monoxide,'' which incorporates a revised maintenance plan for the Ogden carbon monoxide (CO) maintenance area for the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The revised maintenance plan contains revised transportation conformity budgets for the years 2005 and 2021. In addition, the Governor submitted revisions to Utah's Rule R307-110-35, ``Section X, Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program, Part E, Weber County,'' which incorporates a revised vehicle inspection and maintenance program for Weber County. In this action, EPA is approving the Ogden City CO revised maintenance plan, the revised transportation conformity budgets, the revised vehicle inspection and maintenance program for Weber County, and the revisions to rules R307-110-12 and R307-110-35. This action is being taken under section 110 of the Clean Air Act. In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revisions as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial SIP revision and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the preamble to the direct final rule. If EPA receives no adverse comments, EPA will not take further action on this proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, EPA will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. EPA will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time. Please note that if EPA receives adverse comment on an amendment, paragraph, or section of this rule and if that provision may be severed from the remainder of the rule, EPA may adopt as final those provisions of the rule that are not the subject of an adverse comment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct public hearings to receive comments on its proposed amendments to the Public Health and Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Yucca Mountain, Nevada in Amargosa Valley, NV; Las Vegas, NV; and Washington, DC. The amended proposed standards were published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2005. The 60-day public comment period closes on October 21, 2005.