[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41423-41425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19725]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

 [OPP-34161C; FRL-6097-2]


 Methyl Parathion; Notice of Time Change for Public Meeting on 
Revised Organophosphate Risk Assessments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA will hold a public meeting to present the revised risk 
assessments for one organophosphate pesticide, methyl parathion, to 
interested stakeholders. This public meeting, called a ``Technical 
Briefing,'' will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to learn about 
the data, information, and methodologies that the Agency used in 
revising its risk assessments for methyl parathion. In addition, 
representatives of the U.S.

[[Page 41424]]

Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide ideas on possible risk 
management for methyl parathion.

DATES: The technical briefing will be held on Monday, August 2, 1999, 
from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The technical briefing will be held at the Holiday Inn-Old 
Town, 625 First St., Alexandria, VA, (703) 548-6300.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Angulo, Special Review and 
Registration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (703) 308-8004; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency 
has not attempted to specifically describe all the entities potentially 
affected by this action. The Agency believes that a wide range of 
stakeholders will be interested in technical briefings on 
organophosphates, including environmental, human health, and 
agricultural advocates, the chemical industry, pesticide users, and 
members of the public interested in the use of pesticides on food. If 
you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a 
particular entity, consult the person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT'' section.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document or Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document and certain other available documents from the EPA Internet 
Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select ``Laws and 
Regulations'' and then look up the entry for this document under the `` 
Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You can also go directly 
to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    A brief summary of the methyl parathion revised risk assessments is 
now available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/status.htm/, as well 
as in paper as part of the public version of the official record as 
described in Unit I.B.2. of this document. To access information about 
the revised risk assessments, which are scheduled for release on the 
day of the technical briefing, for the organophosphate pesticide methyl 
parathion, go directly to the Home Page for the Office of Pesticide 
Programs at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-34161C. The official record 
consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any 
public comments received during the applicable comment period, and 
other information related to this action, including information claimed 
as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This official record 
includes the documents that are physically located in the docket, as 
well as the documents that are referenced in those documents. The 
public version of the official record does not include any information 
claimed as CBI. The public version of the official record, which 
includes printed, paper versions of any electronic comments submitted 
during the applicable comment period, is available for inspection in 
Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The Public Information and Records Integrity Branch telephone 
number is (703) 305-5805.

II. What Action has EPA Taken?

    This document announces the Agency's intention to hold a technical 
briefing for the organophosphate pesticide, methyl parathion. The 
Agency is presenting the revised risk assessments for methyl parathion 
to interested stakeholders. Technical briefings are designed to provide 
stakeholders with an opportunity to become even more informed about an 
organophosphate's risk assessment. EPA will describe in detail the 
revised risk assessments, including: The major points (e.g., 
contributors to risk estimates); how public comment on the preliminary 
risk assessments affected the revised risk assessments; and the 
pesticide use information/data that was used in developing the revised 
risk assessments. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to ask

[[Page 41425]]

clarifying questions. In addition, representatives of the USDA will 
provide ideas on possible risk management for methyl parathion.
     Technical briefings are part of the pilot public participation 
process that EPA and USDA are now using for involving the public in the 
reassessment of pesticide tolerances under the Food Quality Protection 
Act (FQPA), and the reregistration of individual organophosphate 
pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide 
Act (FIFRA). The pilot public participation process was developed as 
part of the EPA-USDA Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC), 
which was established in April 1998 as a subcommittee under the 
auspices of EPA's National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy 
and Technology. A goal of the pilot public participation process is to 
find a more effective way for the public to participate at critical 
junctures in the Agency's development of organophosphate risk 
assessment and risk management decisions. EPA and USDA began 
implementing this pilot process in August 1998 in response to Vice 
President Gore's directive to increase transparency and opportunities 
for stakeholder consultation.
     On the day of the technical briefing, in addition to making copies 
available at the meeting site, the Agency will also release for public 
viewing the methyl parathion revised risk assessments and related 
documents to the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch and 
the OPP Internet web site that are described in Unit I.B.1. of this 
document. In the near future, the Agency will issue a Federal Register 
notice to provide an opportunity for a 60-day public participation 
period during which the public may submit recommendations and proposals 
for transition.

 List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: July 27, 1999.

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

[FR Doc. 99-19725 Filed 7-28-99; 2:49 pm]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F