[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20816-20817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: X96-20508]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181010; FRL 5366-6]


Carbofuran; 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 specific exemption requests from the 
California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Pesticide 
Regulation, and from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture 
(hereafter referred to as the ``Applicants'') to use the pesticide 
flowable Carbofuran (Furadan 4F Insecticide/Nematicide) (EPA Reg. No. 
279-2876) to treat up to 300,000 acres of cotton in California, and up 
to 1 million acres of cotton in Mississippi, to control cotton aphids. 
The Applicants propose the use of a chemical which has been the subject 
of a Special Review within EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, and the 
proposed use could pose a risk similar the risk assessed by EPA under 
the Special Review of granular carbofuran. 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 23, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification 
notation ``OPP-181010,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public 
Response and Program Resource Branch, Field Operations Division 
(7506C), Office of

[[Page 20817]]

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-181010]. 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 #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: David Deegan, 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) 308-8327; 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 Applicant has 
requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for the use 
of carbofuran on cotton to control aphids.
    Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as 
part of this request. As part of these requests, the Applicants assert 
that the states of California and Mississippi are likely to experience 
non-routine infestations of aphids during the 1996 cotton growing 
season. The applicants further claim that, without specific exemptions 
of FIFRA for the use of flowable carbofuran on cotton to control cotton 
aphids, cotton growers in much of these states will suffer significant 
economic losses. The applicants also detail use programs designed to 
minimize risks to pesticide handlers and applicators, non-target 
organisms (both Federally-listed endangered species, and non-listed 
species), and to reduce the possibility of drift and runoff.
    The applicants propose to make no more than two applications at the 
rate of 0.25 lb. active ingredient [(a.i.)] (8 fluid oz.) in a minimum 
of 2 gallons of finished spray per acre by air, or 10 gallons of 
finished spray per acre by ground application. The total maximum 
proposed use during the 1996 growing season (California proposes a use 
season of July 20, 1996 until October 15, 1996; Mississippi proposes a 
use season from the date of EPA issuance until September 15, 1996) 
would be 0.5 lb. a.i. (16 fluid oz.) per acre. The applicants propose 
that the maximum acreage which could be treated under the requested 
exemptions would be 300,000 acres (California) and 1 million acres 
(Mississippi). If all acres were treated at the maximum proposed rates, 
then 150,000 lbs. a.i. would be used in California, and 500,000 lbs. 
a.i. would be used in Mississippi.
    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 chemical (i.e., an active ingredient) 
which has been the subject of a Special Review within EPA's Office of 
Pesticide Programs, and the proposed use could pose a risk similar the 
risk assessed by EPA under the previous Special Review. Such notice 
provides for opportunity for public comment on the application.
    A record has been established for this notice under docket number 
[OPP-181010] (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 California EPA, Department of 
Pesticide Regulation, and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Emergency 
exemptions.

    Dated: April 26, 1996.

Peter Caulkins,
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 9611332 Filed 5-7-96; 8:45 am]
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