[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 135 (Friday, July 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36726-36727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17901]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181016; FRL 5383-4]


Pyriproxyfen and Buprofezin; Receipt of Application for Emergency 
Exemptions, Solicitation of Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA has received specific exemption requests from the 
California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Pesticide 
Regulation (hereafter referred to as the ``Applicant'') to use the 
insect growth regulators pyriproxyfen (CAS 95737-68-1) and buprofezin 
(CAS 69327-76-0) to treat up to 24,000 acres of cotton in Imperial, 
Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, to control the sweet potato, or 
silverleaf whitefly (Bemesia species).
    In the case of pyriproxyfen, the Applicant proposes the first food 
use of an active ingredient. Buprofezin is an unregistered material, 
and its proposed use is thus use of a ``new'' chemical.
    Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA is soliciting 
public comment before making the decision whether or not to grant the 
exemptions.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification 
notation ``OPP-181016,'' 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

[[Page 36727]]

file format or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic 
form must be identified by the docket number [OPP-181016]. 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: Andrea Beard, 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) 308-8791; 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 specific exemptions for the use of 
pyriproxyfen and buprofezin on cotton to control the sweet potato, or 
silverleaf whitefly (SLW). Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 
166 was submitted as part of this request.
    The Applicant states that a new strain or possibly a new species, 
of whitefly, often referred to as the strain B of sweet potato 
whitefly, or silverleaf whitefly (SLW), has been a major pest of cotton 
in Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties of California since 
1991. Since that time, it has steadily spread to new host plants and 
grown in population size each summer and fall. The SLW causes damage by 
feeding, and also through the production of honeydew, which encourages 
growth of sooty mold and other fungi. When SLWs become numerous, their 
direct feeding lowers the yield. The SLW has also been implicated as a 
vector of virus. The Applicant claims that adequate control of the SLW 
is not being achieved with currently registered products and 
alternative cultural practices. The Applicant points out that the 
ability to adequately control this pest is further complicated because 
of the close proximity of these California cotton-growing areas to that 
of Arizona where large populations of whitefly have demonstrated 
resistance to available insecticidal control. It is expected that 
resistant whitefly will migrate into California and cause identical 
resistance problems to those being experienced in Arizona. The 
Applicant indicates that one application of either one or the other of 
the requested chemicals would not provide adequate control throughout 
the season, and since application of either would be limited to one, is 
requesting the use of both materials. The Applicant indicates that 
without adequate control of the SLW in cotton, significant economic 
losses will be suffered.
    The Applicant proposes to apply pyriproxyfen at a rate of 0.054 lb. 
active ingredient (a.i.) per acre with a maximum of one application per 
crop season on a total of 24,000 acres of cotton. The Applicant 
proposes to apply buprofezin at a rate of 0.35 lb. a.i., per acre with 
a maximum of one application per crop season on a total of up to 24,000 
acres of cotton. Therefore, use under these exemptions could 
potentially amount to a maximum total of 1,296 lbs. of pyriproxyfen and 
8,400 lbs. of buprofezin.
    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 in the Federal Register for an 
application for a specific exemption proposing the first food use of an 
active ingredient, or for use of a new (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-181016] (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 exemption requested by the California Department of Pesticide 
Regulation.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Emergency 
exemptions.

    Dated: July 2, 1996.

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

[FR Doc. 96-17901 Filed 7-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F