[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5771-5772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3023]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-50815; FRL-5347-5]


Aspergillus Flavus AF36; Notice of Receipt of a Request for an 
Experimental Use Permit

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has received from the Interregional Research Project No. 4 
(IR-4) an application for an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) (69224-EUP-
R) for the use of Aspergillus flavus AF36 as an antimicrobial agent in 
or on cotton. EPA considers this EUP to be of regional or national 
significance and is associated with Petition No. 5E5475.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted to EPA by March 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written comments to: Public Response and 
Program Resources Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring comments to: Rm. 1132, CM #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. Comments and data may also 
be submitted electronically by sending electronic mail (e-mail) to: 
[email protected]. Electronic comments must be submitted in 
ASCII file format avoiding the use of special characters and any form 
of encryption. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in 
WordPerfect in 5.1 file format or ASCII file format. All comments and 
data in electronic form must be identified by docket number OPP-50815. 
No Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through 
e-mail. Electronic comments on this document may be filed online at 
many Federal Depository Libraries. Additional information on electronic 
submissions can be found under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION unit of 
this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shanaz Bacchus, Biopesticides and 
Pollution Prevention Division (7501W), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Office location, telephone number, and e-mail address: 5th Floor, CS 
#1, 2800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, (703)-308-8097; e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that EPA has received 
from IR-4, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, P.O. Box 231, 
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231, an application for an EUP (69224-EUP-R) 
for the use of Aspergillus flavus AF36 (non-aflatoxin-producing strain) 
as an antimicrobial agent in or on cotton. EPA considers this EUP to be 
of regional or national significance and is associated with Petition 
No. 5E5475. The application was submitted on behalf of the Agricultural 
Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert 
E. Lee Boulevard, P.O. Box 19687, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70179-0687.
    The use of Aspergillus flavus AF36 in the proposed manner is 
intended to prevent aflatoxin contamination of cottonseed by 
competitively excluding aflatoxin producing strains from infecting 
treated crop. The microbial pesticide is to be applied over a 3-year 
period at 10 pounds per acre to 1,120 acres of commercial cotton fields 
in Yuma County, Arizona. There will be one application per crop, thus 
allowing a total of 11,200 pounds per year. Applications will be made 
at last cultivation prior to first bloom with a cultivator mounted 
granular applicator. For this EUP program, the registrant proposes to 
treat 120 acres in year 1, and 500 acres each in years 2 and 3. 
Aspergillus flavus AF36 was initially isolated from this region which 
is most seriously affected by aflatoxin contamination. Cottonseed from 
treated and untreated fields will be sampled according to the Arizona 
Commercial Feed Law and monitored for aflatoxin content in a commercial 
laboratory. This experimental use program will be performed in order to 
assess grower response to the use of the microbial pesticide and to 
determine long-term and short-term influences of treating relatively 
large contiguous acreages. Impact within treated fields and outside 
treated fields will be determined and monitored over multiple years. 
Treated crops are intended for commercial use.
    EPA has established a record for this document under docket number 
OPP-50815 (including comments and data submitted electronically as 
described below). A public version of this record, including printed, 
paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include any 
information claimed as CBI, is available for inspection from 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. The public 
record is located in Room 1132 of the Public Response and Program 
Resources Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Crystal Mall #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:
    [email protected] 
    
[[Page 5772]]

    The official record for this document, as well as the public 
version, as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, 
EPA will transfer all comments received electronically into printed, 
paper form as they are received and will place the paper copies in the 
official record which will also include all comments submitted directly 
in writing. The official record is the paper record maintained at the 
address listed under the ``ADDRESSES'' unit at the beginning of this 
document.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Experimental use permits.

    Dated: February 1, 1996.
Janet L. Andersen,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 96-3023 Filed 2-13-96; 8:45 am]
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