[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44920-44921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21429]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

 [OPP-34194; FRL-6099-5]


Ethoprop, Fenamiphos, Phorate, and Terbufos, Revised 
Organophosphate Pesticide Risk Assessments; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA will hold a public meeting to present to interested 
stakeholders the revised risk assessments for four organophosphate 
pesticides: Ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos. 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 
the four organophosphates mentioned in this notice. In addition, 
representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will 
provide ideas on possible risk management for ethoprop, fenamiphos, 
phorate, and terbufos.

DATES: The technical briefing will be held on Thursday, September 2, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: The technical briefing will be held at the Ramada Plaza-Old 
Town, 901 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA, (703) 683-6000.

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 ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos 
revised risk assessments are 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 four organophosphates mentioned in this notice, 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-34194. However, a docket 
control number was established for each of the chemicals in this 
document by previous Federal Register documents. A sequential alphabet 
designation is added to the docket control number each time a new 
Federal Register document in this subject category is published. Use 
the table in this unit to determine the docket control number you need.


 
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               Chemical name                    Docket control number
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Ethoprop                                    34144B
Fenamiphos                                  34134A
Phorate                                     34137A
Terbufos                                    34139B
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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 pesticides ethoprop, fenamiphos, 
phorate, and terbufos. The Agency is presenting the revised risk 
assessments for the chemicals listed in this notice 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 
clarifying questions. In addition, representatives of the USDA will 
provide ideas on possible risk management for ethoprop, fenamiphos, 
phorate, and terbufos.
     Technical briefings are part of the pilot public participation 
process that

[[Page 44921]]

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, the Agency will also release 
for public viewing the ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos 
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 addition, 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.

III. Technical Briefing Schedule


 
 
 
 
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.                     Ethoprop
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon                    Fenamiphos
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.                     Lunch
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.                      Terbufos
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.                      Phorate
 


 List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: August 12, 1999.

Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-21429 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F