Environmental Protection Agency July 25, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing approved collection which is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2008. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

EPA issued a notice in the Federal Register of May 30, 2007 (72 FR 29995) (FRL-8132-2), concerning the availability of EPA's ecological risk assessments, and related documents for the pesticide 4- aminopyridine. This document is extending the comment period for 4- aminopyridine for 23 days. The new comment period ends August 22, 2007.

EPA is proposing to approve a redesignation request and State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) is requesting that the Erie ozone nonattainment area (``Erie Area'' or ``Area'') be redesignated as attainment for the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The Erie Area is comprised of Erie County, Pennsylvania. EPA is proposing to approve the ozone redesignation request for the Erie Area. In conjunction with its redesignation request, the Commonwealth submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan for the Erie Area that provides for continued attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for at least 10 years after redesignation. EPA is proposing to make a determination that the Erie Area has attained the 8-hour ozone NAAQS, based upon three years of complete, quality-assured ambient air quality monitoring data for 2004-2006. EPA's proposed approval of the 8-hour ozone redesignation request is based on its determination that the Erie Area has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA). In addition, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has also submitted a 2002 base-year inventory for the Erie Area, and EPA is proposing to approve that inventory for the Erie Area as a SIP revision. EPA is also providing information on the status of its adequacy determination for the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) that are identified in the maintenance plan for the Erie Area for purposes of transportation conformity, and is also proposing to approve those MVEBs. EPA is proposing approval of the redesignation request and of the maintenance plan and 2002 base-year inventory SIP revisions in accordance with the requirements of the CAA.

EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs is inviting nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC). EPA's current Charter for the PPDC will expire in November 2007. EPA intends to seek renewal of the PPDC Charter for another 2-year term, November 2007 to November 2009, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's ecological risk assessment, and related documents for the pesticide acrolein, and opens a public comment period on these documents. The public is encouraged to suggest risk management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is developing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for acrolein through a modified, 4-Phase public participation process that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration decisions. The ecological risk assessment is being released with this Federal Register Notice. The human health risk assessment for acrolein is currently under development and will be released within a few months. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.

In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of a request by the registrant to voluntarily cancel their registrations to terminate uses of certain products containing the pesticide benzyl benzoate. The request would not terminate the last benzyl benzoate products registered for use in the U.S. EPA intends to grant this request at the close of the comment period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive comments within the comment period that would merit its further review of the request, or unless the registrant withdraws their request within this period. Upon acceptance of this request, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be permitted only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final order.

Since the amendments of October, 1988, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) has required payment of an annual maintenance fee to keep pesticide registrations in effect. The fee, due January 15, 2007, has gone unpaid for 721 registrations. Section 4(i)(5)(G) of FIFRA provides that the Administrator may cancel these registrations by order and without a hearing; orders to cancel all 721 of these registrations have been issued within the past few days.

This regulation establishes a tolerance for combined residues of Glufosinate-ammonium in or on pistachio. Interregional Research Project No. 4 requested this tolerance under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

This notice announces the initial filing of pesticide petitions proposing the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) is requesting that the Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle ozone nonattainment area (``Harrisburg Area'') be redesignated as attainment for the 8-hour ozone ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA is approving the ozone redesignation request for the Harrisburg Area. In conjunction with its redesignation request, PADEP submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan for the Harrisburg Area that provides for continued attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for at least 10 years after redesignation. EPA is approving the 8-hour maintenance plan. PADEP also submitted a 2002 base-year inventory for the Harrisburg Area which EPA is approving. In addition, EPA is approving the adequacy determination for the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) that are identified in the Harrisburg Area maintenance plan for purposes of transportation conformity, and is approving those MVEBs. EPA is approving the redesignation request, and the maintenance plan and the 2002 base-year emissions inventory as revisions to the Pennsylvania SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).