[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24150-24151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11277]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00598; FRL-6079-2]


FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Open Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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SUMMARY: There will be a 3-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act 
(FQPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review a set of scientific 
issues being considered by the Agency in connection with policy for the 
use of the FQPA 10x Safety Factor, statistical methods for the use of 
composite data in acute dietary exposure assessment, and the use of 
watershed-derived percent crop areas as a refinement tool in FQPA 
drinking water exposure assessments for tolerance reassessment. The 
meeting is open to the public. Seating at the meeting will be on a 
first-come basis.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 25; Wednesday, May 26; 
and Thursday, May 27, 1999, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 
1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The telephone number for 
the hotel is: (703) 486-1111.
    By mail, submit written comments (one original and 40 copies) to: 
The Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (7502C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. In person or by delivery service, bring comments 
to: Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, 
VA 22202.
    Comments and data also may be submitted electronically by sending 
electronic mail (e-mail) to: [email protected]. No Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. 
Additional information on electronic submissions can be found under 
Unit V. of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Larry C. Dorsey or Paul I. 
Lewis, Designated Federal Officials, FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel 
(7101C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; Office location: Rm. 117T, CM #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA; telephone: (703) 305-5369; 
e-mail: Dorsey.L[email protected] or Lewis.P[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Purpose of the Meeting

    The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) will present its policy for 
the use of the FQPA 10x Safety Factor. Topics to be discussed are the 
OPP FQPA 10x Safety Factor policy paper, including presentations on 
toxicological and exposure considerations, and the OPP FQPA Standard 
Operating Procedures. In addition, EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention 
and Toxics, in implementing the testing provision of the Toxic 
Substances Control Act, will discuss a proposed toxicology test battery 
that will be used for the testing of industrial/commercial chemicals to 
which there is a high likelihood of exposure to children. This 
toxicology test battery represents a subset of the core toxicology data 
set recommended in the OPP FQPA 10x Safety Factor policy paper. OPPT is 
seeking scientific input/advice specifically on the appropriateness of 
using this subset for this TSCA-related testing purpose.

[[Page 24151]]

    The Agency also will present statistical methodology for the use of 
composite data in acute dietary exposure assessment. The Agency has 
identified a reliable, statistical methodology for applying existing 
information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Pesticide 
Data Program (PDP) report to acute dietary risk assessments. This 
methodology consists of extrapolating pesticide residue data from 
composite samples of fruits and vegetables to single serving sizes of 
fruits and vegetables. Estimates of probable residues present on single 
serving sizes of fruits and vegetables will be applied to a 
probabilistic approach such as, the Monte-Carlo method, in order to 
estimate dietary (food) risks.
    The final session will focus on estimating pesticide concentrations 
in drinking water. Passage of FQPA has led to the development of tools, 
policies, and methods for estimating pesticide concentrations in 
drinking water. As presented at the July 29, 1998 SAP meeting, the 
Agency proposed to replace the existing small edge of a field pond with 
a reservoir and factor in the extent of crop coverage into its 
screening-level drinking water exposure assessments. The proposed SAP 
session is designed to provide a progress report on the development of 
``Watershed-Derived Percent Crop Areas'' (previously termed ``crop area 
factors'') as presented at the July 1998 SAP meeting as well as to seek 
scientific advice on implementation of the Watershed-Derived Percent 
Crop Areas in the FQPA drinking water exposure assessment using the 
proposed index reservoir modeling scenario.
    Individuals requiring special accommodations at this meeting, 
including wheelchair access, should contact Paul Lewis at the address 
listed under ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' at least 5 business 
days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

II. Availability of Review Materials

    A meeting agenda is currently available, and copies of EPA primary 
background documents for the meeting will be available no later than 
May 3, 1999. The meeting agenda and EPA primary background documents 
will be available on the EPA web site -- http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/
SAP/ or may be obtained by contacting the 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; Office location: Rm. 119, CM #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA; telephone: (703) 305-5805.

III. Written Comments and Oral Presentations at the Meeting

    Members of the public wishing to submit comments should contact 
either Larry Dorsey or Paul Lewis at the address or the telephone 
number given under ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' to confirm that 
the meeting date and the agenda have not been modified or changed. 
Interested persons are permitted to file written statements before the 
meeting. To the extent that time permits and upon advanced written 
request to either Larry Dorsey or Paul Lewis, interested persons may be 
permitted by the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel to present oral 
statements at the meeting. The request should identify the name of the 
individual making the presentation, the organization (if any) the 
individual will represent, and any requirements for audio visual 
equipment (e.g., overhead projector, 35 mm projector, chalkboard, etc). 
There is no limit on the length of written comments for consideration 
by the Panel, but oral statements before the Panel are limited to 
approximately 5 minutes. The Agency also urges the public to submit 
written comments in lieu of oral presentations. Persons wishing to make 
oral and/or written statements should notify either Larry Dorsey or 
Paul Lewis and submit 40 copies of the summary information. The Agency 
encourages that written statements be submitted before the meeting to 
provide Panel Members the time necessary to consider and review the 
comments.

IV. Panel Report

    Copies of the Panel's report of their recommendations will be 
available approximately 30 working days after the meeting and may be 
obtained by contacting the Public Information and Records Integrity 
Branch, at the address or telephone number listed in ``ADDRESSES'' at 
the beginning of this document.

V. Public Docket and Submission of Electronic Comments

    A public record has been established for this notice under docket 
control number ``OPP-00598'' (including comments and data submitted 
electronically). A public version of this record, including printed 
versions of electronic comments, which does not include information 
claimed as CBI, 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 of the Public Information and Records Integrity 
Branch at the address listed in ADDRESSES at the beginning of this 
document.
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data 
also will be accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1/6/7/8.0 file 
format or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form 
must be identified by the docket control number ``OPP-00598.'' 
Electronic comments may be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.
    The official record for this notice, as well as the public 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 and will place the 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 ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document.
    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 marked CBI 
will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 
40 CFR part 2. An edited copy of the comment that does not contain the 
CBI material must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. 
Information not marked confidential will be included in the public 
docket. All comments and materials received will be made part of the 
public record and will be considered by the Panel.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: April 26, 1999.
Susan B. Hazen,
Acting Director, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-11277 Filed 5-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F