[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11869-11870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5822]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34180; FRL-6068-2]


Chlorine gas; Availability of Reregistration Eligibility Decision 
Document for Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces availability of and starts a 60-day 
public comment period for the Reregistration Eligibility Decision 
document (RED) for the active ingredient Chlorine gas. The RED for this 
chemical is the Agency's formal regulatory assessment of the health and 
environmental database of the subject chemical and presents the 
Agency's determination regarding which pesticidal uses are eligible for 
reregistration.

DATES: Written comments on these decisions must be submitted by May 10, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of comments, identified with the docket control 
number [OPP-34180] and the case number (listed in this document), 
should be submitted to: by 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. In person, deliver comments to: Rm. 
119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, Virginia.
     Comments may also be submitted electronically by following the 
instructions under Unit III. of this document. No Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail.
     Information submitted as a comment in response to this notice may 
be claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information 
as confidential business information (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 docket. Information not marked 
confidential will be included in the public docket without prior notice 
(including comments and data submitted electronically). The public 
docket and docket index, including printed paper versions of electronic 
comments, which does not include any information claimed as CBI will be 
available for public inspection in room 119 at the address given above, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays.
     To request a copy of the RED, or RED Fact Sheet, contact the 
Public Information and Records Integrity Branch, Rm. 119 at the address 
given above, or call (703) 305-5805.

 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions on the RED 
listed, contact Patrick Dobak at (703) 308-8180 or, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Electronic Availability

    Electronic copies of this document and various support documents 
are availble from the Epa home page at the Federal Register--
Environmental Documents entry for this document under ``Laws and 
Regulations'' (http://www.epa.gov.fedrgstr/).
    Electronic copies of the REDs and RED Fact Sheets can be downloaded 
from EPA's World wide web site at http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/.

II. Reregistration Eligibility Decisions

    The Agency has issued a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) 
document for Chlorine gas. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, 
and Rodenticide Act, as amended in 1988, EPA is conducting a 
reregistration program to reevaluate existing pesticides to ensure they 
meet current scientific and regulatory standards. The data base to 
support the reregistration of this chemical is substantially complete.
     Please note that the Chlorine Gas RED was finalized and signed 
prior to August 3, 1996. On that date, the Food Quality Protection Act 
of 1996 (FQPA) became effective, amending portions of both the 
pesticide law (FIFRA) and the food and drug law (FFDCA). Therefore, 
this RED does not address any issues raised by FQPA. Since chlorine gas 
is exempt from tolerances, the tolerance assessment procedures required 
under FQPA are not applicable.
     The Agency is not formally performing an FQPA review as part of 
this RED. However, registrants whose products are registered for use 
for drinking water treatment are required to perform two 2-generation 
reproduction studies and three developmental studies on three 
particular halogenated water disinfection byproducts. These studies 
will better characterize the reproductive and developmental risks that 
may be associated with exposure to these particular compounds. These 
compounds are bromodichloromethane, dichloroacetic acid, and 
dibromoacetic acid.
     Chlorine products registered for use in non-residential swimming 
pools, pulp and paper mill processes, and industrial food processing 
plants and cooling towers are being reclassified as Restricted Use 
Pesticides due to chlorine's extreme acute toxicity plus many 
associated human poisoning incidents. These products must bear 
Restricted Use Pesticide labeling no sooner than October 1, 2000, and 
no later than April 1, 2001.
     Chlorine products registered for drinking water, sewage and 
wastewater treatment uses and residential pool use will be considered 
unclassified. The Agency does not support classifying commercial 
applications of residential pools as a Restricted Use because few 
related accidents or incidents have been reported. Additionally for 
water treatment, applicators already are trained and certified by the 
states to perform these uses.
     The Chlorine Gas RED also is requiring extensive label revisions 
for all products. This is intended to address the potential for 
exposure to chlorine gas and to facilitate enforcement actions in cases 
of misuse and improper distribution. The specific labeling requirements 
included in the RED are also available as an attachment to the RED Fact 
Sheet.
     All registrants of products containing the active ingredient 
listed in this document, have been sent this RED and must respond to 
labeling requirements and product specific data requirements (if 
applicable) within 8 months of receipt. Products containing other 
active ingredients will not be reregistered until those other active 
ingredients are determined to be eligible for reregistration.
     The reregistration program is being conducted under 
Congressionally-

[[Page 11870]]

mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes both the need to make timely 
reregistration decisions and to involve the public. Therefore, EPA is 
issuing this RED as a final document with a 60-day comment period. 
Although the 60-day public comment period does not affect the 
registrant's response due date, it is intended to provide an 
opportunity for public input and a mechanism for initiating any 
necessary amendments to the REDs. All comments will be carefully 
considered by the Agency. If any comment significantly affects a RED, 
EPA will amend the RED by publishing the amendment in the Federal 
Register.

III. 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-34180] (including comments submitted electronically as 
described in this unit). 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 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 will 
also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 file format or ASCII 
file format. All comments in electronic form must be identified by the 
docket control number [OPP-34180]. Electronic comments on this notice 
may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: March 1, 1999.

Jack E. Housenger,

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

[FR Doc. 99-5822 Filed 3-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F