65 FR 92 pgs. 30407-30409 - Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Preliminary Risk Assessments
Type: NOTICEVolume: 65Number: 92Pages: 30407 - 30409
Docket number: [OPP-34223; FRL-6558-3]
FR document: [FR Doc. 00-11870 Filed 5-10-00; 8:45 am]
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-34223; FRL-6558-3]
Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Preliminary Risk Assessments
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
This notice announces the availability of documents that weredeveloped as part of the EPA's process for making reregistration eligibility decisions for theorganophosphate pesticides and for tolerance reassessments consistent with the Federal Food,Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996(FQPA). These documents are the preliminary human health risk assessments and relateddocuments for malathion. This notice also starts a 60-day public comment period for thepreliminary risk assessments. Comments and data are to be limited to issues directly associatedwith the organophosphate pesticide that has risk assessments placed in the docket and should be limitedto issues raised in those documents. By allowing access and opportunity for comment on thepreliminary risk assessments, EPA is seeking to strengthen stakeholder involvement and helpensure our decisions under FQPA are transparent and based on the best available information.The tolerance reassessment process will ensure that the United States continues to have the safestand most abundant food supply. The Agency cautions that these risk assessments are preliminaryassessments only and that further refinements of the risk assessments will be appropriate for some,if not all, of these organophosphate pesticides. These documents reflect only the work andanalysis conducted as of the time they were produced and it is appropriate that, as newinformation becomes available and/or additional analyses are performed, the conclusions theycontain may change.
DATES:
Written comments and data on these assessments, identified by the docketcontrol number OPP-34223, must be received on or before July 10, 2000.
ADDRESSES:
Comments and data may be submitted by mail, electronically, or inperson. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION . To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative thatyou identify the docket control number in the subject line on the first page of your response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Angulo, Special Review andReregistration Division (7508W), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental ProtectionAgency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8004; e-mail address: angulo.karen@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general, nevertheless, a wide range ofstakeholders will be interested in obtaining the preliminary risk assessments for malathion,including environmental, human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry;pesticide users; and members of the public interested in the use of pesticides on food. Since otherentities also may be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entitiesthat may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of thisaction to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT .
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of This Document and OtherRelated Documents?
1. Electronically . You may obtain electronic copies of this document, andcertain other related documents that might be available electronically, from the EPA InternetHome Page at http:// www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select "Laws and Regulations" and thenlook up the entry for this document under the " Federal Register -EnvironmentalDocuments." You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings athttp://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. In addition, copiesof the preliminary risk assessments for this organophosphate pesticide may also be accessed athttp://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op.
2. In person . The Agency has established an official record for this actionunder docket control number OPP-34223. The official record consists of the documentsspecifically referenced in this action, and other information related to this action, including anyinformation claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This official record includes thedocuments that are physically located in the docket, as well as the documents that are referencedin those documents. The public version of the official record does not include any informationclaimed as CBI. The public version of the official record, which includes printed, paper versionsof any electronic comments submitted during an applicable comment period is available forinspection in the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday throughFriday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?
You may submit comments and data through the mail, in person, or electronically.To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify the docket control number inthe subject line on the first page of your response.
1. By mail . Submit your comments to: Public Information and RecordsIntegrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), Office ofPesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,Washington, DC 20460.
2. In person or by courier . Deliver your comments to: Public Informationand Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division (7502C),Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. The PIRIB is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
3. Electronically . You may submit your comments electronically by e-mailto: "opp-docket@epa.gov," or you can submit a computer disk as described above. Do notsubmit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. Avoid the use of specialcharacters and any form of encryption. Electronic submissions will be accepted in Wordperfect6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic form must be identified by docketcontrol number OPP-34223. Electronic comments may also be filed online at many FederalDepository Libraries.
D. How Should I Handle CBI That I Want To Submit to the Agency?
Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. You mayclaim information that you submit to EPA in response to this document as CBI by marking anypart or all of that information as CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except inaccordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete version ofthe comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does notcontain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version ofthe official record. Information not marked confidential will be included in the public version ofthe official record without prior notice. If you have any questions about CBI or the proceduresfor claiming CBI, please consult the person listed under "FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONCONTACT."
E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that supportyour views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimatethat you provide.
5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
6. Offer alternative ways to improve the notice or collection activity.
7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this document.
8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket control numberassigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may alsoprovide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.
II. Background
A. What Action Is the Agency Taking?
EPA is making available preliminary risk assessments that have been developed as part ofEPA's process for making reregistration eligibility decisions for the organophosphate pesticidesand for tolerance reassessments consistent with the FFDCA, as amended by the FQPA. TheAgency's preliminary risk assessments for malathion are available in the organophosphatepesticide docket for malathion.
Included in the organophosphate pesticide docket are the Agency's preliminary riskassessments. As additional comments, reviews, and risk assessment modifications becomeavailable, these will also be docketed for the organophosphate pesticide listed in this notice. TheAgency cautions that these risk assessments are preliminary assessments only and that furtherrefinements of the risk assessments will be appropriate for this organophosphate pesticide. Thesedocuments reflect only the work and analysis conducted as of the time they were produced and itis appropriate that, as new information becomes available and/or additional analyses areperformed, the conclusions they contain may change.
As the preliminary risk assessments for the remaining organophosphate pesticides arecompleted and registrants are given a 30-day review period to identify possible computational orother clear errors in the risk assessments, these risk assessments and registrant responses will beplaced in the individual organophosphate pesticide dockets. A notice of availability forsubsequent assessments will appear in the Federal Register .
The Agency is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for interested parties toprovide written comments and data and input to the Agency on the preliminary risk assessmentsfor the organophosphate pesticide specified in this notice. Such comments and data and inputcould address, for example, the availability of additional data to further refine the riskassessments, such as percent crop treated information or submission of residue data from foodprocessing studies, or could address the Agency's risk assessment methodologies and assumptionsas applied to this specific chemical. Comments and data should be limited to issues raised withinthe preliminary risk assessments and associated documents. EPA will provide other opportunitiesfor public comment and data on other science issues associated with the organophosphate pesticide tolerance reassessment program. Failure to comment on any such issues as part of thisopportunity will in no way prejudice or limit a commenter's opportunity to participate fully in laternotice and comment processes. All comments and data should be submitted by July 10, 2000 at the address given underUnit I. Comments and data will become part of the Agency record for the organophosphatepesticide specified in this notice.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.
Dated: May 3, 2000.
Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-11870 Filed 5-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F