[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-361]



[[Page 844]]

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 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-30445; FRL-5761-3]


Receipt of an Application to Amend a Microbial Pesticide 
Product's Composition Via Recombinant DNA Technology

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt of an application to amend a 
Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki EG7841 product by using a 
modified construct of this active ingredient during commercial 
production. The Agency has determined that this amendment application 
may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, the Agency is 
soliciting public comments on this amendment application.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to EPA by February 6, 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 the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION unit 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Mendelsohn, 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, 2805 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, (703) 308-8715; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of receipt of this amendment 
application does not imply a decision by the Agency on this 
application.
    An application to amend CRYMAX Bioinsecticide (EPA Reg. No. 55638-
34) was received from Ecogen, Inc., 2005 Cabot Boulevard West, 
Langhorne, PA 19047-3023. The proposed amendment involves modifying the 
Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki EG7841 product by using a 
modified construct of the active ingredient during commercial 
production. The cry gene carried by the recombinant plasmid in EG7841 
was modified by site-directed mutagenesis to incorporate a single amino 
acid substitution in its encoded cry protein. Following review of this 
amendment and any comments received in response to this notice, EPA may 
approve the amendment, ask for additional data prior to making a 
regulatory decision, or deny the application.
    The official record for this notice, as well as the public version, 
has been established for this document under docket control number 
``OPP-30445'' (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. Comments 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-30445.'' Electronic comments on this 
notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Genetically engineered microbial 
pesticides.

    Dated: December 24, 1997.
Kathleen D. Knox,
Acting Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 98-361 Filed 1-6-98; 8:45 am]
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