[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 244 (Friday, December 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66624-66625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33228]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-50837; FRL-5761-4]


Receipt of a Notification to Conduct Small-Scale Field Testing of 
a Genetically Engineered Microbial Pesticide

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt from U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), in cooperation with 
Washington State University (WSU), of a notification (71233-NMP-R) of 
intent to conduct small-scale field testings involving species of 
fluorescent Pseudomonas bacteria, which have been genetically 
engineered to express antimicrobial genes from similar Pseudomonas 
species inhabitating the rhizosphere of wheat. 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 comments on this application.

Dates: Written comments must be received on or before January 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written comments to: Public Information and 
Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division 
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. In person, deliver comments to: 
Rm. 1132, CM #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
    Comments and data may also be submitted electronically to: opp-
[email protected]. Follow the instructions under Unit II. of this 
document. No Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be 
submitted through e-mail.
    Information submitted as a comment concerning this document 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 submitted for inclusion in the public 
record. Information not marked confidential will be included in the 
public docket by EPA without prior notice. The public docket is 
available for public inspection in Rm. 1132 at the Virginia address 
given above, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
legal holidays.


[[Page 66625]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William R. Schneider, PM 90, 
Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511W), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Office location, telephone number, and e-mail 
address: 5th floor CS1 2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA, (703) 308-
8683, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Notice of receipt of this notification does not imply a decision by 
the Agency on this notification.
    These small-scale field tests are designed to evaluate fluorescent 
Pseudomonas strains that are able to control the plant pathogens that 
cause the following diseases in wheat: take-all, Rhizoctonia root rot, 
and Pythium root rot. The bacteria will be applied to the seeds prior 
to planting. In accordance with 40 CFR 172.3, these small-scale field 
tests will be conducted on a cumulative total of no more than 10 acres 
of land and any food or feed crops will be destroyed. Each test site 
will include a containment border such as a 20 foot wide unplanted 
area, fallow-field, or sod-berm, and will be direct-seeded in 
accordance with no-till practices to reduce or eliminate run-off of 
water from the site. The genetically-modified construct and the 
naturally-occuring wild type parental control strain will have been 
selected for a rifampicin-resistance marker gene to facilitate 
monitoring.
    The object of the genetic manipulations is to combine: (1) The 
properties of Pseudomonas isolates that produce efficacious levels of 
antibiotics effective against the microorganisms that cause wheat 
diseases with (2) other Pseudomonas isolates that colonize wheat roots 
well. The antibiotic genes will be stably inserted into the chromosome 
of the recipient strain and both the recipient and the donor strains 
will be fluorescent pseudomonads. For example, in the proposed 1997 
tests, the genes for phenazine-1-carboxylate from Pseudomonas 
fluorescens 2-79, isolated from wheat, were transfered into the 
chromosome of Pseudomonas fluorescens Q8R1-96, which is a better wheat 
root colonizer than strain 2-79. The plasmid used to introduce the 
phzA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, and -G genes is not maintained by the 
recipient strain and, thus, is eliminated, leaving the phenazine 
biosynthetic genes in the Q8R1-06 chromosome.
    Following the review of the ARS/WSU notification and any comments 
received in response to this notice, EPA may approve the tests, ask for 
additional data, require additional modifications to the test 
protocols, or require EUP applications to be submitted. In accordance 
with 40 CFR 172.50, under no circumstances shall the proposed tests 
proceed until the submitters have received notice from EPA of its 
approval of such tests.

II. Public Record and Electronic Submissions

    The official record for this notice, as well as the public version, 
has been established for this notice under docket control number ``OPP-
50857'' (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 Virginia 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 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file 
format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by 
the docket control number ``OPP-50837.'' Electronic comments on this 
document may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: December 15, 1997.

Kathleen D. Knox,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-33228 Filed 12-18-97; 9:30 am]
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