[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46443-46444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23477]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00535A; FRL-6025-2]


Changes to Registration Priority System Involving Organophosphate 
(OP) Alternatives and Reduced Risk Candidates

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: EPA has issued an updated policy for the prioritization and 
expedited review of applications for significant organophosphate (OP) 
alternative new active ingredients and new use registration 
applications for conventional pesticides handled by the Agency. The 
policy is available as a Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice entitled 
``Changes to Registration Priority System Involving Organophosphate 
(OP) Alternatives and Reduced Risk Candidates.'' EPA proposed this 
policy for 30 days of public comment on May 13, 1998. Interested 
parties may request a copy of the Agency's final policy as set forth in 
the ADDRESSES unit of this notice.

ADDRESSES: The PR Notice is available from Peter Caulkins; by mail: 
Registration Division (7505C), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. Office location, telephone number, and 
e-mail address: Rm. 713B, CM #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA, (703) 305-5447, fax: 703-305-6920, e-mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Caulkins at the telephone number 
or address listed above.

[[Page 46444]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Electronic Availability

A. Internet

    Electronic copies of this document and the final PR Notice also are 
available from the EPA Home page at the Federal Register - 
Environmental Documents entry for this document under ``Laws and 
Regulations'' (http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/).

B. Fax-on-Demand

    For Fax-on-Demand, use a faxphone to call 202-401-0527 and select 
item 6111 for a copy of the final PR Notice.

II. Background

    In the Federal Register of May 13, 1998 (63 FR 26591) (FRL-5786-8), 
EPA issued for comment a notice announcing the availability of a draft, 
updated policy for the prioritization and expedited review of 
applications for significant OP alternative new active ingredients and 
new uses for conventional, primarily agricultural pesticides. This 
Federal Register notice announces the availability of the final 
Pesticide Registration (PR). The PR Notice changes how reduced-risk 
candidates will be treated in the priority system. Specifically, the PR 
Notice amends EPA's current priority scheme by making OP alternatives 
that pass the reduced-risk screen the second highest priority (#2) 
behind methyl bromide alternatives (#1). Also, any submission that is 
determined to be a significant OP alternative, which is not granted 
reduced-risk status, but is recommended by the Reduced-Risk Committee 
for expedited review, may become an Agency priority as well. 
Furthermore, any submission that passes the reduced-risk screen may 
become an Agency priority. An Agency priority does not count against a 
company's limit of five priorities.
    Public comments submitted concerning the draft PR Notice and the 
issues listed in the previous FR Notice of Availability were fully 
considered before the PR Notice was made final.

III. Public Docket

    All public comments, as well as a summary of the Agency's responses 
to those comments, are filed in the Office of Pesticide Programs's 
Docket Office under docket control number ``OPP-00535.'' The public 
record 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 Rm. 119, CM #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. To 
contact the docket office by mail, telephone, or e-mail: 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; (703) 305-
5805; e-mail: [email protected].

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Agricultural commodities, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: August 24, 1998.
James Jones
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 98-23477 Filed 8-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F