Environmental Protection Agency March 14, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a 45 day public comment period for the External Review Draft of the ``Interim Guidance for Microarray-Based Assays: Data Submission, Quality, Analysis, Management and Training Considerations.'' EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of seeking public comment prior to external peer review. The contractor-lead external expert peer review will be conducted by letter and closed teleconference in the May 2007 timeframe. All comments received, submitted in accordance with this notice, will be shared with the external peer review panel for their consideration. Comments received after the close of the comment period may be considered by EPA when it finalizes the document. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. This draft interim guidance does not represent and should not be construed to represent any EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination. Members of the public may obtain the draft interim guidance from www.regulations.gov; or www.epa.gov/osa/spc/ genomicsguidance.htm; or from Dr. Kathryn Gallagher via the contact information below. This draft Interim Guidance for Microarray-Based Assays outlines recommendations for: (1) What data to submit to the Agency for microarray studies, (2) performance approach considerations regarding quality assessment parameters, (3) data analysis approaches that should be considered; and (4) data management and storage issues for data submitted to or used by the Agency. The guidance applies to both human health and ecological DNA microarray data. The draft document was developed to provide information to the regulated community and other interested parties about submitting microarray data to the Agency and to provide guidance for EPA staff in evaluating such data and/or information.

EPA issued a notice in the Federal Register of January 17, 2007, concerning the availability of the Proposed Risk Mitigation Decision for nine rodenticides. The nine rodenticides covered by the Proposed Risk Mitigation Decision are brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, chlorophacinone, diphacinone, warfarin, zinc phosphide, bromethalin, and cholecalciferol. This document is extending the comment period for 60 days, from March 19, 2007, to May 18, 2007.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of tribenuron methyl in or on corn, field, forage; corn, field, grain; corn, field, stover; rice, grain; rice, straw; sorghum, forage; sorghum, grain, grain; sorghum, grain, stover; soybean, seed; and sunflower, seed. E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Inc. requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR, entitled: ``Plant-Incorporated Protectants; CBI Substantiation and Adverse Effects Reporting'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 1693.05 and OMB Control No. 2070-0142, is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2007. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection.

The Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO)/State FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG) Working Committee on Pesticide Operations and Management (WC/POM) will hold a 2-day meeting, beginning on April 2, 2007 and ending April 3, 2007. This notice announces the location and times for the meeting and sets forth the tentative agenda topics.

This notice announces Agency approval of applications submitted by Jabb of the Carolinas, to conditionally register the pesticide products Beauveria bassiana HF23 (Technical) and the End-use Product, balEnce containing a new active ingredient not included in any previously registered products pursuant to the provisions of section 3(c)(7)(C) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.