[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10056-10057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5198]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181032; FRL 5588-6]


Pyriproxyfen and Buprofezin; Receipt of Application for Emergency 
Exemptions, 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 (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 100,000 acres of cotton 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 March 20, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification 
notation ``OPP-181032,'' 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-181032]. 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 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, D.C. 20460. Office 
location, telephone number and e-mail: 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 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, and 
leads to sticky cotton. 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 has also been demonstrated that there are 
whitefly populations in California with 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 up to 100,000 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 up to 100,000 acres of cotton. 
Therefore, use under these exemptions could potentially amount to a 
maximum total of 5,400 lbs. of pyriproxyfen and 35,000 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-181032] (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 8:30 a.m. 
to 4 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.

[[Page 10057]]

    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: February 19, 1997.

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

[FR Doc. 97-5198 Filed 3-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F