[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 169 (Wednesday, September 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47784-47786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22456]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34195; FRL-6099-9]


Organophosphate Pesticides: Ethoprop, Fenamiphos, Phorate, and 
Terbufos; Availability of Revised Risk Assessments and Public 
Participation on Risk Management

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the revised risk 
assessments and related documents for four organophosphate pesticides: 
Ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos. In addition, this notice 
starts a 60-day public participation period during which the public is 
encouraged to submit risk management ideas or proposals. These actions 
are in response to a joint initiative between EPA and the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) to increase transparency in the tolerance 
reassessment process for organophosphate pesticides.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket control numbers OPP-34144C for 
ethoprop, OPP-34134B for fenamiphos, OPP-34137B for phorate, and OPP-
34139C for terbufos must be received by EPA on or before November 1, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit III. of the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section. To 
ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control numbers OPP-34144C for ethoprop, OPP-34134B for fenamiphos, 
OPP-34137B for phorate, and OPP-34139C for terbufos in the subject line 
on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Angulo, Special Review and 
Reregistration 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. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, nevertheless, a 
wide range of stakeholders will be interested in obtaining the revised 
risk assessments and submitting risk management comments on ethoprop, 
fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos, 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. As such, the Agency has not attempted to specifically describe 
all the entities potentially affected by this action. 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.

[[Page 47785]]

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

A. Electronically

    You may obtain electronic copies of this document and other related 
documents from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To 
access this document, 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/.
    To access information about organophosphate pesticides and obtain 
electronic copies of the revised risk assessments and related documents 
mentioned in this notice, you can also go directly to the Home Page for 
the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) at http://www.epa.gov/
pesticides/op/.

B. In Person

    The Agency has established official records for these actions under 
docket control numbers OPP-34144C for ethoprop, OPP-34134B for 
fenamiphos, OPP-34137B for phorate, and OPP-34139C for terbufos. The 
official record consists of the documents specifically referenced in 
this action, any public comments received during an applicable comment 
period, and other information related to this action, including any 
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 an 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 (PIRIB) telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

III. How Can I Respond to this Action?

A. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or 
electronically. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, you must identify 
docket control numbers OPP-34144C for ethoprop, OPP-34134B for 
fenamiphos, OPP-34137B for phorate, and OPP-34139C for terbufos in the 
subject line on the first page of your response.
    1. By mail. Submit comments to: 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.
    2. In person or by courier. Deliver comments to: Public Information 
and Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services 
Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., 
Arlington, VA. The Document Control Office (DCO) is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB 
telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    3. Electronically. Submit electronic comments by e-mail to: ``opp-
[email protected],'' or you may mail or deliver your standard computer 
disk using the addresses in this unit. Do not submit any information 
electronically that you consider to be CBI. 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 
standard computer disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. 
All comments in electronic form must be identified by the docket 
control numbers OPP-34144C for ethoprop, OPP-34134B for fenamiphos, 
OPP-34137B for phorate, and OPP-34139C for terbufos. Electronic 
comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

B. How Should I Handle CBI Information that I Want to Submit to the 
Agency?

    Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to 
be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to 
this document as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as 
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete 
version of the comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a 
copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as 
CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version of the 
official record. Information not marked confidential will be included 
in the public version of the official record without prior notice. If 
you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, 
please consult the person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT'' section.

IV. What Action is EPA Taking in this Notice?

     EPA is making available for public viewing the revised risk 
assessments and related documents for four organophosphate pesticides, 
ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos. These documents have been 
developed as 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 assessments and risk management 
decisions. EPA and USDA began implementing this pilot process in August 
1998, to increase transparency and opportunities for stakeholder 
consultation. The documents being released to the public through this 
notice provide information on the revisions that were made to ethoprop, 
fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos preliminary risk assessments, which 
where released to the public August 12, 1998 (63 FR 43175) (FRL-6024-3) 
(fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos) and September12, 1998 (63 FR 48213) 
(FRL-6030-2) (ethoprop) through notices in the Federal Register.
    In addition, this notice starts a 60-day public participation 
period during which the public is encouraged to submit risk management 
proposals or otherwise comment on risk management for ethoprop, 
fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos. The Agency is providing an 
opportunity, through this notice, for interested parties to provide 
written risk management proposals or ideas to the Agency on the 
chemicals specified in this notice. Such comments and proposals could 
address ideas about how to manage dietary, occupational, or ecological 
risks on specific ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos use sites 
or crops across the United States or in a particular geographic region 
of the country. To address dietary risk, for example, commentors may 
choose to

[[Page 47786]]

discuss the feasibility of lower application rates, increasing the time 
interval between application and harvest (``pre-harvest intervals''), 
modifications in use, or suggest alternative measures to reduce 
residues contributing to dietary exposure. For occupational risks, 
commentors may suggest personal protective equipment or technologies to 
reduce exposure to workers and pesticide handlers. For ecological 
risks, commentors may suggest ways to reduce environmental exposure, 
e.g., exposure to birds, fish, mammals, and other non-target organisms. 
EPA will provide other opportunities for public participation and 
comment on issues associated with the organophosphate tolerance 
reassessment program. Failure to participate or comment as part of this 
opportunity will in no way prejudice or limit a commentor's opportunity 
to participate fully in later notice and comment processes. All 
comments and proposals must be received by EPA on or before November 1, 
1999, using the instructions in Unit III. of this document. Comments 
and proposals will become part of the Agency record for the 
organophosphate specified in this notice.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: August 24, 1999.
Lois Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-22456 Filed 8-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F