[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 124 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34755-34756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16763]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-50830; FRL-5727-4]


Receipt of an Application for an Experimental Use Permit; 
Genetically Engineered Microbial Pesticide

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt of an application (EUP No. 524-
EUP-IT) from Monsanto Company requesting an experimental use permit for 
a genetically engineered microbial pesticide. The Agency has determined 
that the application may be of regional and national significance. 
Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency is 
soliciting public comments on this application.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written comments to: Public Information and 
Records Integrity Branch, Information and Resources Division (7506C), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring comments to: Rm. 1132, 
CM #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
    Comments and data may also be submitted electronically by following 
the instructions under Unit II. of this document. No Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Hollis, PM 90, Biopesticides and 
Pollution Prevention Division (7501W), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Office location, telephone number, and e-mail address: 5th floor CS #1, 
2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA, Telephone: (703) 308-8733, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    EPA has received an application from Monsanto Company of St. Louis, 
Missouri for an experimental use permit (EUP). This EUP application is 
EUP No. 524-EUP-IT. The proposed experiment involves the field testing 
of the transgenic plant pesticide - Potato Leaf Roll Virus Replicase as 
expressed in potatoes. Field testing will include the use of no less 
than 3,480 acres. All work performed will be on a non-crop destruct 
basis. A request for an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance 
for Potato Leaf Roll Virus Replicase protein in or on all raw 
agricultural commodities is being requested with this application.
    Testing will be conducted in the following states: California, 
Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, 
Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. The purpose of this EUP is 
to test the agronomic performance, such as true to variety type, of the 
PLRV resistant potato lines which contain the replicase gene from PLRV. 
Testing will begin upon approval of the EUP. The plants will be grown 
using standard agronomic practices for U.S. potato production to 
evaluate whether the transgenic plants exhibit acceptable agronomic 
traits which are known for the non-transformed parental variety. The 
field will contain between 0.1 and 20 acres of transgenic potatoes, 
depending on the land constraints at each test site. The transgenic 
field plots will be separated from other commercial potato plots by at 
least 3 meters to prevent mechanical mixing of tubers during harvest. 
All potatoes will be harvested either by hand or with field plot 
harvesters.
    After harvest, the field plots will be monitored for 1 year for 
volunteer plants. Any volunteer plants will be destroyed by roughing or 
herbicide treatment. This is common practice in potato production to 
reduce the spread of virus from infected volunteer plants. Tubers will 
be shipped immediately after harvest or may be stored at approved sites 
for up to 12 months.
    Tubers grown for agronomic evaluation will be sold to processors. 
Seeds will be saved for commercial production.
    Following the review of the Monsanto application and any comments 
received in response to this notice, EPA will decide whether to issue 
or deny the EUP request for this EUP program, and if issued, the 
conditions under which it is to be conducted. Any issuance of an EUP 
will be announced in the Federal Register.

II. Public Record

    The official record for this notice, as well as the public version, 
has been established for this notice under docket control number ``OPP-
50830'' (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 
official record is located at the address in ADDRESSES at the beginning 
of this document.
    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. Comment and data 
will also be accepted on disks in Wordperfect 5.1 file format or ASCII 
file format. All comments and data in

[[Page 34756]]

electronic form must be identified by the docket control number OPP-
50830. Electronic comments on this proposed rule may be filed online at 
many Federal Depository Libraries.

    Dated: June 19, 1997.
Kathleen D. Knox,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-16763 Filed 6-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F