[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41154-41155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19966]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181021; FRL 5387-7]


Bifenthrin; 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 
California Department of Pesticide Regulations (hereafter referred to 
as the ``Applicant'') to use the pesticide bifenthrin to treat up to 
22,000 acres of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and rapini and 40,000 
acres of lettuce to control silverleaf whitefly. An emergency exemption 
for this use has been requested for the previous 6 years, and a 
complete application for registration of this use and a tolerance 
petition has not been submitted to the Agency. 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 August 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification 
notation ``OPP-181021,'' 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

[[Page 41155]]

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-181021]. 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 Applicant has 
requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for the use 
of bifenthrin on lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and rapini to 
control silverleaf whitefly (SWF). Information in accordance with 40 
CFR part 166 was submitted as part of this request.
    According to the Applicant, California still does not have material 
that will provide them with satisfactory late season control of the 
silverleaf whitefly. The registrant (Bayer, Inc.) for the registered 
alternative product imidacloprid Admire/Provado does not want growers 
to use imidacloprid throughout the growing season in order to eliminate 
any potential that the whitefly may develop a resistant gene to 
imidacloprid. When used as a combination, Imidacloprid and bifenthrin 
allowed the growers to maintain the ability to grow a marketable crop 
in 1993 and 1994. Without the use of bifenthrin, the Applicant claims 
that growers will suffer significant economic loss this growing season.
    Under the proposed exemption, a maximum of four applications for 
lettuce and five applications for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and 
rapini would be made at 0.08 to 0.1 lb. active ingredient (a.i./A) [5.2 
to 6.4 fl. ozs.] of product per acre by ground or air equipment. Not to 
apply within 20 days of harvest. Do not apply by ground equipment 
within 25 feet or by air within 150 feet of lakes reservoirs, rivers, 
permanent streams or natural ponds estuaries and commercial fish farms. 
A 200-yard buffer for aerial application and 40 yards for ground 
application shall be observed around aquatic habitats containing 
endangered species (desert pupfish, and Delhi Sands Flower Loving Fly).
    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 if a specific 
exemption use has been requested in any 3 previous years, and a 
complete application for registration of the use and/or a tolerance 
petition has not been submitted to the Agency [etc., see 40 CFR 
166.24]. Such notice provides for opportunity for public comment on the 
application.
    A record has been established for this notice under docket number 
[OPP-181021] (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 
Regulations.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Emergency 
exemptions.

    Dated: July 26, 1996.

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

[FR Doc. 96-19966 Filed 8-6-96; 8:45 am]
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