[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10296-10299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5240]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-64040; FRL-6061-9]


Voluntary Cancellation of Certain Pesticide Registrations

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
ACTION: Notice of receipt of requests to terminate uses.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a 
notice of receipt of requests from several registrants to amend their 
registrations to terminate some or all uses for certain products. These 
requests for voluntary cancellation have been received by the EPA in 
response to the reregistration eligibility evaluation of these 
individual pesticide registrations.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 2, 1999.
ADDRESSES: By mail, submit comments to: Public Information and Records 
Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. In 
person deliver comments to Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson 
Davis Highway, Arlington VA.
    Comments may also be submitted electronically by sending electronic 
mail (e-mail) to: [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 must be identified by docket number [OPP-
64040]. No Confidential Business

[[Page 10297]]

Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Electronic 
comments on this notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries. Additional information on submissions can be found below in 
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Office location
         Product Manager               Pesticide          for mail and      Telephone number    e-mail address
                                                         Special Courier
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jill Bloom......................  Chlorothalonil       Special Review and
                                                        Reregistration
                                                        Division,
                                                        (7508C), Office
                                                        of Pesticide
                                                        Programs, U.S.
                                                        Environmental
                                                        Protection
                                                        Agency, 401 M
                                                        St., SW.,
                                                        Washington, DC
                                                        20460..
                                                                              (703) 308-8019  bloom.jill@epamail
 
 Phil Budig.....................  Dicofol              Do................     (703) 308-8029  budig.phil@epamail
                                                                                               .epa.gov
 
 Dennis Deziel..................  Iprodione            Do................     (703) 308-8173  deziel.dennis@epam
ail.epa.gov
 
Anne Overstreet.................  Propachlor           Do................     (703) 308-8068  overstreet.anne@ep
amail.epa.gov
 
Kathleen Meier..................  Vernolate            Do................     (703) 308-8017  meier.kathleen@epa
mail.epa.gov
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background Information

    The EPA is publishing a single notice in response to registrants 
requests to cancel some or all product registrations for: 
chlorothalonil, dicofol, iprodione, propachlor, and vernolate. See 
table below for specific information regarding the cancellation 
requests.
    The EPA has completed the Reregistration Eligibility Decisions 
(REDs) for dicofol, iprodione, propachlor, and chlorothalonil. The EPA 
examined potential risk concerns and identified additional data 
requirements and/or mitigation measures where applicable. The 
registrants of these chemicals preferred to cancel certain products or 
uses rather than generating additional data or implementing certain 
mitigation measures. The Agency is announcing its intent to cancel 
certain products or uses as requested by the technical registrants. The 
EPA will consider any comments received as a result of this notice 
along with comments received during the public comment period on the 
individual REDs. In the case of vernolate, a Reregistration Eligibility 
Decision was not issued, however, the registrants have requested 
voluntary cancellation of the technical and all end use registrations.

 II. Requests Made to Amend Registrations

    As discussed above, this notice seeks public comment of requests to 
voluntarily cancel certain or all uses for five pesticides. The table 
below provides specific information regarding the dates requested for 
registration amendments, details, terms and conditions under which 
existing stocks may continue to be used.

                                             6F Notice for Voluntary Cancellation of the Following Chemicals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Products       Existing stocks
            Chemical             PC Code    Company Name &     Nature of action     Products       cancelled (if      provisions for        Comments
                                                Address                             affected            any)           registrants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chlorothalonil.................   081901  GB Biosciences      Home Lawn Use            50524-24  None               February 1, 2000   The registrants
                                           Corp., 1800         deletion                                                                 are voluntarily
                                           Concord Place,                              50524-07                                         cancelling the
                                           P.O. Box 15458,                             50524-09                                         home lawn use of
                                           Wilmington, DE                              50524-04                                         this fungicide
                                           19858                                      50524-195                                         to address the
                                                                                      50524-202                                         Agency's concern
                                                                                      50524-207                                         about potential
                                                                                      50524-209                                         post-application
                                                                                      50524-211                                         exposure to
                                                                                      50524-216                                         toddlers around
                                                                                      50524-221                                         the home.
                                                                                      50524-222
 
  .............................      Do.  Sostram             Do.                      60063-01  Do.                Do.
                                           Corporation, 70                             60063-03
                                           Mansell Court,                              60063-05
                                           Suite 230,                                  60063-07
                                           Roswell, GA                                 60063-09
                                                                                       60063-10
 

[[Page 10298]]

 
Dicofol........................   010501  Rohm and Haas       Residential Turf          707-201   None              February 1, 2000   Residential turf
                                           Company, 100        and Ornamentals          707-202                                         was deleted from
                                           Independence Mall   use deletion             707-203                                         the label in
                                           West,                                        707-204                                         August, 1997. On
                                           Philadelphia, PA                             707-205                                         August 13, 1998,
                                           19106                                        707-229                                         the registrant
                                                                                                                                        requested a
                                                                                                                                        label amendment
                                                                                                                                        which would
                                                                                                                                        prohibit the use
                                                                                                                                        of the dicofol
                                                                                                                                        technical (EPA
                                                                                                                                        Reg. No. 707-203
                                                                                                                                        for formulation
                                                                                                                                        into a product
                                                                                                                                        intended for use
                                                                                                                                        on residential
                                                                                                                                        lawns or
                                                                                                                                        ornamentals thus
                                                                                                                                        cancelling all
                                                                                                                                        residential
                                                                                                                                        uses. This label
                                                                                                                                        amendment was
                                                                                                                                        submitted in
                                                                                                                                        November, 1998.
 
Iprodione......................   109801  Rhone-Poulenc Ag,   All Residential           264-453  None               February 1, 2000.  Cancel all
                                           Co., Box 12014,     Uses; deletion           264-480                                         residential
                                           Research Triangle   Herbaceous               264-481                                         uses. These
                                           Park, NC 27709.     Ornamental Seed          264-482                                         include:
                                                               Treatment use            264-483                                         residential
                                                               deletion.                264-524                                         ornamental
                                                                                        264-527                                         usesresidential
                                                                                        264-532                                         turf uses, and
                                                                                        264-562                                         residential uses
                                                                                        264-563                                         on vegetable/
                                                                                        264-571                                         small fruit
                                                                                        538-159                                         gardens. FR
                                                                                        538-182                                         Notice of
                                                                                        538-183                                         Availability for
                                                                                        538-194                                         Iprodione RED
                                                                                        538-217                                         was published
                                                                                       9779-350                                         December 4, 1998
                                                                                       9779-351                                         (63 FR 67066).
 
Propachlor.....................   019101  Monsanto Company,   Dry Flowable              524-423  Ramrod/Atrazine    June 30, 2000      Cancel the dry
                                           700 14th Street,    product deletion.                  formulation.                          flowable
                                           NW., Washington,                                                                             formulation.
                                           D.C. 20005.                                                                                  Propachlor is a
                                                                                                                                        pre-emergent
                                                                                                                                        herbicide
                                                                                                                                        applied once per
                                                                                                                                        year. Registrant
                                                                                                                                        discontinued
                                                                                                                                        production in
                                                                                                                                        August, 1998.
 
Vernolate......................   041404   Zeneca Ag          Technical and all       10182-257  Vernam 7-E         February 1, 2000.  Cancel technical
                                           Products, P.O.      End Use Products          (tech)   Selective                             and all end use
                                           Box 15458,          deleted.               10182-169   Herbicide                             products
                                           Wilmington, DE                             10182-221   Vernam.                     containing the
                                           19850 Drexel                                                                                 active
                                           Chemical Co.,                                                                                ingredient
                                           1700 Channel                                                                                 vernolate.
                                           Avenue, P.O. Box
                                           13327 Memphis, TN
                                           38113.
 
  .............................      Do.  Drexel Chemical     Do.                     19713-255  10-G Selective     Do.                Do.
                                                                                      19713-259   Herbicide Vernam
                                                                                                  Technical
                                                                                                  Herbicide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 III. Terminations Pursuant to Voluntary Requests

     Under section 6(f)(1) of FIFRA, registrants may request at any 
time that ``a pesticide registration of the registrant be canceled or 
amended to terminate one or more pesticide uses.'' (7 U.S.C. 
136d(f)(1)). Consistent with 6(f)(1) of FIFRA, EPA is publishing this 
notice of receipt of these requests for voluntary cancellation and 
allowing 30 days for public comment on the proposed cancellations 
including the existing stocks provisions. For chemicals with product 
cancellations affecting minor uses, (i.e., iprodione), the registrant 
has requested that the Agency complete the voluntary cancellation on a 
schedule consistent with the RED. Absent adverse public comment, the 
Agency intends to proceed with the voluntary cancellation in parallel 
with the final issuance of the RED.

IV. Notification of Intent to Revoke Tolerances (applies to 
Vernolate only)

    This Notice also serves as an advance notification that the Agency 
will revoke the related tolerances following the cancellation of the 
uses listed in this Notice, unless there is a request from the public 
to support the tolerance for

[[Page 10299]]

import purposes. It is EPA's general practice to propose revocation of 
tolerances for residues of pesticide active ingredients for which FIFRA 
registrations no longer exist, to protect the food supply of the U.S. 
and to discourage the misuse of pesticides within the United States. In 
many cases the cancellation of a food use in the U.S. indicates that 
there are insufficient domestic residue data or other information to 
support the continuation of the tolerance and an uncertain amount of 
relevant data concerning residues on imported food. In the absence of 
relevant data, EPA is unable to make a safety finding regarding the 
treated food entering the U.S. Interested parties should notify the 
Agency as soon as possible of the implications on imported food 
resulting from revocation of the vernolate tolerance, and of their 
intent to support the tolerance for the canceled use by responding to 
this Notice. Upon receipt of such notification, EPA will provide 
interested parties with its import tolerance policy and data 
requirements, explaining how an interested party should go about 
retaining a tolerance for import purposes.

V. Procedures for Withdrawal of Request

    To withdraw a request for use cancellation, registrants must submit 
such withdrawal in writing to the appropriate Chemical Review Manager, 
at the address given above. Any request to withdraw a use cancellation 
must be postmarked no later than April 2, 1999.

VI. Proposed Acceptance of Use Termination and Existing Stocks 
Provision

    EPA proposes to accept the registrants' request for amendment to 
terminate some or all registered uses listed in the Table. It is EPA's 
general practice to accept registrant's requests for cancellation of 
registrations or specific registered uses.
    Notice of the request for cancellation is published primarily for 
the purpose of alerting affected parties so that they may either 
attempt to convince the registrant to maintain the registration or 
apply to register the product themselves. EPA proposes to approve these 
cancellations expeditiously after the close of the comment period 
unless the registrant withdraws its request or a compelling reason 
opposing termination is presented in public comments. If the requests 
are granted, any use of the above mentioned chemicals would be 
permitted only if the products are used in accordance with the terms 
and conditions specified on the label.
    EPA also proposes to accept the registrants' requests for existing 
stocks provisions. Under FIFRA section 6(a)(1), EPA may permit the 
continued sale and use of a canceled pesticide if such sale or use ``is 
not inconsistent with the purposes of this Act.'' For each of the 
chemicals listed in this notice: chlorothalonil, dicofol, iprodione, 
propachlor, and vernolate, the Agency has concluded that the limited 
short-term continued use of these pesticides, when used in accordance 
with the label, will not result in unreasonable risk or adverse effects 
to human health or the environment.
    If the EPA grants any or all of the requested cancellations, it is 
likely that the Agency will establish an existing stocks provision 
consistent with the following schedule. The distributors of products 
containing the active ingredients, as listed in the Table, will be 
permitted to sell or distribute all remaining inventory for a period of 
1 year past the existing stocks provision dates as requested by the 
registrants (refer to the Table in Unit II of this document). The end-
users will then be allowed an additional year (for a total of 2 years 
beyond the registrant requested date) for the use of existing stocks 
for each of these chemicals.

VII. Public Comment Procedures

    EPA invites interested parties to submit written comments on all 
facets of this notice. Comments must be submitted by April 2, 1999. 
Comments must bear a document control number. Three copies of the 
comments should be submitted to either location listed under 
``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this notice.
    Information submitted as a comment may be claimed confidential by 
marking any or all information as CBI. EPA will not disclose 
information so marked, except in accordance with procedures set forth 
in 40 CFR part 2. A second copy of such comments, with the CBI deleted, 
also must be submitted for inclusion in the public record. EPA may 
publicly disclose comments not marked confidential without prior 
notification.
    A record has been established for this notice under docket number 
[OPP- 64040]. 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 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The public record is 
available for inspection in Rm. 119 of the Public Information and 
Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division 
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington VA. 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. The official 
version, as described above, will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, 
EPA will transfer all comments received electronically into printed, 
paper form as they are received electronically and will place paper 
copies in the official record, which will also include all comments 
submitted directly in writing. The official record is the paper record 
maintained at the address in the ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this 
notice.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Agricultural commodities, Pesticides and 
pests.

    Dated: February 16, 1999.

Jack E. Housenger,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-5240 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F