Environmental Protection Agency December 9, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing a limited approval and limited disapproval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emissions from solid fuel fired boilers, steam generators and process heaters. We are proposing action on a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

Two Workgroups of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) worked throughout 2009 on possible pilot programs for certain factual label statements and logos for antimicrobial pesticide products. The Workgroup included representatives from pesticide manufacturers (registrants), State pesticide regulatory agencies, U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, environmental and public advocacy groups, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), and others. With this notice, EPA's Office of Pesticides Programs is announcing the development of two voluntary pilot Programs.

EPA is making available for comment a policy paper entitled ``Revised Risk Assessment Methods for Workers, Children of Workers in Agricultural Fields, and Pesticides with No Food Uses,'' that describes how the Agency will assess pesticide risks not governed by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. To provide comprehensive and consistent evaluation of potential risks of food use pesticides, non-food use pesticides, and related occupational exposures, EPA intends to apply risk assessment techniques developed in implementing the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 to any pesticide risk assessment, whether it falls under FQPA or not, as long as applying the risk assessment technique is consistent with good scientific practice and is not otherwise prohibited by law. Specifically, this will include using an additional safety/uncertainty factor to protect children, considering aggregate exposures to pesticides from multiple sources, and considering cumulative effects which may occur from exposure to multiple pesticides with a common mechanism of toxicity. Moreover, risks will be explicitly reported for individuals who had not been explicitly considered, specifically workers age 12-17 and children taken into agricultural fields. Taking this step at this time has important environmental justice ramifications. EPA anticipates that implementing this policy will increase protections, especially for agricultural workers and children of workers in agricultural fields.