[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53815-53817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26786]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 180

[OPP-300730; FRL-6034-8]
RIN 2070-AB78


Maleic Hydrazide; Extension of Tolerances for Emergency 
Exemptions

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule extends time-limited tolerances for residues of the 
herbicide maleic hydrazide and its metabolites in or on rice, grain at 
105 parts per million (ppm); rice, straw at 75 ppm; rice, hulls at 240 
ppm; and rice, bran at 180 ppm. In addition, this rule extends time-
limited tolerances for secondary residues in milk at 1.0 ppm; at 2.5 
ppm in meat, 7 ppm in liver, 32 ppm in kidney, and 3 ppm in fat of 
cattle, goats, hogs, horses and sheep; at 0.5 ppm in meat, liver, and 
fat of poultry; 1.4 ppm in poultry meat byproducts; and 0.5 ppm in 
eggs. All of these time-limited tolerances are extended for an 
additional 1-year period, to September 30, 1999. This action is in 
response to EPA's granting of emergency exemptions under section 18 of 
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act authorizing use 
of the pesticide on rice. Section 408(l)(6) of the Federal Food, Drug, 
and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) requires EPA to establish a time-limited 
tolerance or exemption from the requirement for a tolerance for 
pesticide chemical residues in food that will result from the use of a 
pesticide under an emergency exemption granted by EPA under section 18 
of FIFRA.

DATES: This regulation becomes effective October 7, 1998.. Objections 
and requests for hearings must be received by EPA, on or before 
December 7, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Written objections and hearing requests, identified by the 
docket control number, [OPP-300730], must be submitted to: Hearing 
Clerk (1900), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. M3708, 401 M St., 
SW., Washington, DC 20460. Fees accompanying objections and hearing 
requests shall be labeled ``Tolerance Petition Fees'' and forwarded to: 
EPA Headquarters Accounting Operations Branch, OPP (Tolerance Fees), 
P.O. Box 360277M, Pittsburgh, PA 15251. A copy of any objections and 
hearing requests filed with the Hearing Clerk identified by the docket 
control number, [OPP-300730], must also be submitted 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, 
bring a copy of objections and hearing requests to Rm. 119, Crystal 
Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA.
    A copy of objections and hearing requests filed with the Hearing 
Clerk may also be submitted electronically by sending electronic mail 
(e-mail) to: [email protected]. Follow the instructions in 
Unit II. of this preamble. No Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
should be submitted through e-mail.


[[Page 53816]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Stephen Schaible, 
Registration Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Office location, telephone number, and e-mail address: Rm. 267, CM #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA 22202, (703)-308-9362; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA issued a final rule, published in the 
Federal Register of December 5, 1997 (62 FR 64287) (FRL-5754-5), which 
announced that on its own initiative and under section 408(e) of the 
FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. 346a(e) and (l)(6), it established time-limited 
tolerances for the residues of maleic hydrazide and its metabolites in 
or on rice, grain at 105 ppm; rice, straw at 75 ppm; rice, hulls at 240 
ppm; and rice, bran at 180 ppm; in milk at 1.0 ppm; at 2.5 ppm in meat, 
7 ppm in liver, 32 ppm in kidney, and 3 ppm in fat of cattle, goats, 
hogs, horses and sheep; at 0.5 ppm in meat, liver, and fat of poultry; 
1.4 ppm in poultry meat byproducts; and 0.5 ppm in eggs, with an 
expiration date of September 30, 1998. EPA established the tolerances 
because section 408(l)(6) of the FFDCA requires EPA to establish a 
time-limited tolerance or exemption from the requirement for a 
tolerance for pesticide chemical residues in food that will result from 
the use of a pesticide under an emergency exemption granted by EPA 
under section 18 of FIFRA. Such tolerances can be established without 
providing notice or period for public comment.
    EPA received a request to extend the use of maleic hydrazide on 
rice for this year's growing season due to the continued emergency 
situation facing rice growers in Louisiana, as well as growers in 
Mississippi and Texas. Heavy and untimely rainfall has limited the 
effectiveness of soybean herbicides at controlling red rice, which has 
resulted in less than adequate control of red rice in the soybean crops 
and increasing red rice infestations in the intervening commercial rice 
crops. Heavy rains also forced some growers in Louisiana to rework 
their fields last autumn, which buried red rice seed which is normally 
consumed by wildlife feeding at the surface. Red rice competes with the 
commercial rice crop to lower absolute yield, but also lowers both 
milled yield and quality. After having reviewed the submission, EPA 
concurs that emergency conditions exist for these states. EPA has 
authorized under FIFRA section 18 the use of maleic hydrazide on rice 
for control of red rice in rice.
    EPA assessed the potential risks presented by residues of maleic 
hydrazide in or on rice and secondary residues in meat, milk, poultry 
and eggs. In doing so, EPA considered the new safety standard in FFDCA 
section 408(b)(2), and decided that the necessary tolerances under 
FFDCA section 408(l)(6) would be consistent with the new safety 
standard and with FIFRA section 18. The data and other relevant 
material have been evaluated and discussed in the final rule of 
December 5, 1997 (62 FR 64287). Based on that data and information 
considered, the Agency reaffirms that extension of the time-limited 
tolerances will continue to meet the requirements of section 408(l)(6). 
Therefore, the time-limited tolerances are extended for an additional 
1-year period. Although these tolerances will expire and are revoked on 
September 30, 1999, under FFDCA section 408(l)(5), residues of the 
pesticide not in excess of the amounts specified in the tolerances 
remaining in or on rice commodities, meat, milk, poultry and eggs after 
that date will not be unlawful, provided the pesticide is applied in a 
manner that was lawful under FIFRA and the application occurred prior 
to the revocation of the tolerances. EPA will take action to revoke 
these tolerances earlier if any experience with, scientific data on, or 
other relevant information on this pesticide indicate that the residues 
are not safe.

I. Objections and Hearing Requests

     The new FFDCA section 408(g) provides essentially the same process 
for persons to ``object'' to a tolerance regulation issued by EPA under 
new section 408(e) and (l)(6) as was provided in the old section 408 
and in section 409. However, the period for filing objections is 60 
days, rather than 30 days. EPA currently has procedural regulations 
which govern the submission of objections and hearing requests. These 
regulations will require some modification to reflect the new law. 
However, until those modifications can be made, EPA will continue to 
use those procedural regulations with appropriate adjustments to 
reflect the new law.
    Any person may, by December 7, 1998, file written objections to any 
aspect of this regulation and may also request a hearing on those 
objections. Objections and hearing requests must be filed with the 
Hearing Clerk, at the address given above (40 CFR 178.20). A copy of 
the objections and/or hearing requests filed with the Hearing Clerk 
should be submitted to the OPP docket for this rulemaking. The 
objections submitted must specify the provisions of the regulation 
deemed objectionable and the grounds for the objections (40 CFR 
178.25). Each objection must be accompanied by the fee prescribed by 40 
CFR 180.33(i). If a hearing is requested, the objections must include a 
statement of the factual issues on which a hearing is requested, the 
requestor's contentions on such issues, and a summary of any evidence 
relied upon by the requestor (40 CFR 178.27). A request for a hearing 
will be granted if the Administrator determines that the material 
submitted shows the following: There is genuine and substantial issue 
of fact; there is a reasonable possibility that available evidence 
identified by the requestor would, if established, resolve one or more 
of such issues in favor of the requestor, taking into account 
uncontested claims or facts to the contrary; and resolution of the 
factual issues in the manner sought by the requestor would be adequate 
to justify the action requested (40 CFR 178.32). Information submitted 
in connection with an objection or hearing request 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 information that 
does not contain CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public 
record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed publicly 
by EPA without prior notice.

II. Public Record and Electronic Submissions

    The official record for this rulemaking, as well as the public 
version, as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, 
EPA will transfer any copies of objections and hearing requests 
received electronically into printed, paper form as they are received 
and will place the paper copies in the official rulemaking record which 
will also include all comments submitted directly in writing. The 
official rulemaking record is the paper record maintained at the 
Virginia address in ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document.
    Electronic comments may be sent directly to EPA at:
    [email protected].


    Electronic objections and hearing requests must be submitted as an 
ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption.
    Objections and hearing requests will also be accepted on disks in

[[Page 53817]]

WordPerfect 51/6.1 or ASCII file format. All copies of objections and 
hearing requests in electronic form must be identified by the docket 
control number [OPP-300730]. No CBI should be submitted through e-mail. 
Electronic copies of objections and hearing requests on this rule may 
be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

III. Regulatory Assessment Requirements

A. Certain Acts and Executive Orders

    This final rule extends time-limited tolerances that were 
previously extended by EPA under FFDCA section 408(d) in response to a 
petition submitted to the Agency. The Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) has exempted these types of actions from review under Executive 
Order 12866, entitled Regulatory Planning and Review (58 FR 51735, 
October 4, 1993). In addition, this final rule does not contain any 
information collections subject to OMB approval under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., or impose any enforceable 
duty or contain any unfunded mandate as described under Title II of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Pub. L. 104-4). Nor does 
it require any prior consultation as specified by Executive Order 
12875, entitled Enhancing the Intergovernmental Partnership (58 FR 
58093, October 28, 1993), or special considerations as required by 
Executive Order 12898, entitled Federal Actions to Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 
Populations (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994), or require OMB review in 
accordance with Executive Order 13045, entitled Protection of Children 
from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks (62 FR 19885, April 
23, 1997).
    Since this extension of existing time-limited tolerances does not 
require the issuance of a proposed rule, the requirements of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) do not apply. 
Nevertheless, the Agency has previously assessed whether establishing 
tolerances, exemptions from tolerances, raising tolerance levels or 
expanding exemptions might adversely impact small entities and 
concluded, as a generic matter, that there is no adverse economic 
impact. The factual basis for the Agency's generic certification for 
tolerance actions published on May 4, 1981 (46 FR 24950), and was 
provided to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration.

B. Executive Order 12875

    Under Executive Order 12875, entitled Enhancing the 
Intergovernmental Partnership (58 FR 58093, October 28, 1993), EPA may 
not issue a regulation that is not required by statute and that creates 
a mandate upon a State, local, or tribal government, unless the Federal 
government provides the funds necessary to pay the direct compliance 
costs incurred by those governments. If the mandate is unfunded, EPA 
must provide to OMB a description of the extent of EPA's prior 
consultation with representatives of affected State, local, and tribal 
governments, the nature of their concerns, copies of any written 
communications from the governments, and a statement supporting the 
need to issue the regulation. In addition, Executive Order 12875 
requires EPA to develop an effective process permitting elected 
officials and other representatives of State, local, and tribal 
governments ``to provide meaningful and timely input in the development 
of regulatory proposals containing significant unfunded mandates.''
    Today's rule does not create an unfunded Federal mandate on State, 
local, or tribal governments. The rule does not impose any enforceable 
duties on these entities. Accordingly, the requirements of section 1(a) 
of Executive Order 12875 do not apply to this rule.

C. Executive Order 13084

    Under Executive Order 13084, entitled Consultation and Coordination 
with Indian Tribal Governments (63 FR 27655, May 19,1998), EPA may not 
issue a regulation that is not required by statute, that significantly 
or uniquely affects the communities of Indian tribal governments, and 
that imposes substantial direct compliance costs on those communities, 
unless the Federal government provides the funds necessary to pay the 
direct compliance costs incurred by the tribal governments. If the 
mandate is unfunded, EPA must provide to OMB, in a separately 
identified section of the preamble to the rule, a description of the 
extent of EPA's prior consultation with representatives of affected 
tribal governments, a summary of the nature of their concerns, and a 
statement supporting the need to issue the regulation. In addition, 
Executive Order 13084 requires EPA to develop an effective process 
permitting elected officials and other representatives of Indian tribal 
governments ``to provide meaningful and timely input in the development 
of regulatory policies on matters that significantly or uniquely affect 
their communities.''
    Today's rule does not significantly or uniquely affect the 
communities of Indian tribal governments. This action does not involve 
or impose any requirements that affect Indian tribes. Accordingly, the 
requirements of section 3(b) of Executive Order 13084 do not apply to 
this rule.

IV. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other 
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior 
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. This rule is not a 
``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180

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

    Dated: September 28, 1998.

Arnold E. Layne,

Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
    Therefore, 40 CFR Chapter I is amended as follows:

PART 180-[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 180 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 21 U.S.C. 346a and 371.

Sec. 180.175   [AMENDED]

    2. In Sec. 180.175 by amending the table in paragraph (b) for all 
of the commodities by changing the date ``9/30/98'' to read ``9/30/
99.''

[FR Doc. 98-26786 Filed 10-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F