[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18141-18142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9976]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181007; FRL 5362-3]


Pirimicarb; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption, 
Solicitation of Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has received a specific exemption request from the Oregon, 
Idaho and Washington Departments of Agriculture (hereafter referred to 
as the ``Applicant'') to use the pesticide pirimicarb to treat up to 
10,000 acres in Oregon, 30,000 acres in Idaho, and 15,000 acres in 
Washington of alfalfa to control aphids and lygus bugs. The Applicants 
propose the use of a new (unregistered) chemical. Therefore, in 
accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA is soliciting public comment before 
making the decision whether or not to grant the exemption.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification 
notation ``OPP-181007,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public 
Response and Program Resource 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, Crystal Mall #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 as an ASCII file 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 
the docket number [OPP-181007]. No Confidential Business Information 
(CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Electronic comments on this 
notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. 
Additional information on electronic submissions can be found below in 
this document.
    Information submitted in any comment concerning this notice may be 
claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information as 
(CBI). Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that 
does not contain CBI must be provided by the submitter for inclusion in 
the public record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed 
publicly by EPA without prior notice. All written comments filed 
pursuant to this notice will be available for public inspection in Rm. 
1132, Crystal Mall No. 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, 
from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Margarita Collantes, 
Registration Division (7505W), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Office location and telephone number: Floor 6, Crystal Station #1, 2800 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, (703) 308-8347; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 18 of the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136p), 
the Administrator may, at her discretion, exempt a state agency from 
any registration provision of FIFRA if she determines that emergency 
conditions exist which require such exemption. The Applicants have 
requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for the use 
of pirimicarb on alfalfa to control aphids and lygus bugs. Information 
in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of this 
request.
    In 1981, the registration for pirimicarb was cancelled. According 
to the Applicants, in 1986 alfalfa seed growers started using 
fluvalinate, a synthetic pyrethroid, to control aphids and small lygus 
bugs. However, by 1990 fluvalinate was replaced by bifenthrin. In 1992, 
growers were noticing increased evidence of resistance toward 
bifenthrin. During this same year, lambdacyhalothrin was registered for 
use on alfalfa seed; however, this pyrethroid has been reported to show 
little effectiveness against lygus bugs. Aphids are becoming an 
increasing problem due to resistance to various registered pyrethroid 
controls. The Applicants claim that since pirimicarb is now being 
supported by Zeneca Inc.,

[[Page 18142]]

its use could control lygus bugs and the aphid population below 
economic levels while retaining predators and parasites.
    Under the proposed exemption, pirimicarb may be applied no more 
than three applications, not to exceed the rate of 3.0 ounces or 0.188 
pound of active ingredient (6.0 ounces of product) per acre, applied in 
a minimum application spray volume of 5 gallons per acre by air or 10 
gallons per acre by ground.
    This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the 
application itself. The regulations governing section 18 require 
publication of a notice of receipt of an application for a specific 
exemption proposing use of a new chemical (i.e., an active ingredient 
not contained in any currently registered pesticide), [40 CFR 166.24 
(a)(1)]. Pirimicarb is an unregistered chemical. Such notice provides 
for opportunity for public comment on the application.
    A record has been established for this notice under docket number 
[OPP-181007] (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, excluding legal holidays. The public 
record is located in Room 1132 of the Public Response and Program 
Resource 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]
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    The official record for this notice, 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 in ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document. 
Accordingly, interested persons may submit written views on this 
subject to the Field Operations Division at the address above.
    The Agency, accordingly, will review and consider all comments 
received during the comment period in determining whether to issue the 
emergency exemptions requested by the Oregon, Idaho and Washington 
Departments of Agricultures.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Emergency 
exemptions.

    Dated: April 15, 1996.

Stephen L. Johnson,
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 96-9976 Filed 4-23-96; 8:45 am]
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