[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70016-70017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32384]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00636; FRL-6399-1]


Prior Informed Consent for Chemicals in International Trade; 
Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of document.

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SUMMARY: EPA announces a public meeting to review and discuss the 
provisions of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent 
(PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in 
International Trade, and the issues which will be discussed at the 
first technical meeting of the Interim Chemical Review Committee 
(ICRC). The PIC Agreement creates an international approach to the 
export of banned or severely restricted chemicals and pesticides among 
countries who are signatories of the Agreement. The U.S. is a 
signatory, and an EPA delegate will represent the U.S. on the ICRC. The 
ICRC is responsible for developing the implementation of the Agreement. 
A document entitled, ``Guidance to the U.S. Representative to the 
Interim Chemical Review Committee,'' has been prepared to guide and 
inform the public discussion at the meeting. Comments are invited on 
this document.

DATES: The meeting will be held on January 19, 2000, from 2 p.m. to 4 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Environmental Protection 
Agency, Rm. 1126, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA.
    Requests to participate 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.'' To 
ensure proper receipt by EPA, your request must identify docket control 
number OPP-00636 in the subject line on the first page of your 
response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathleen M. Barnes, Field and External 
Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (703) 305-7101; fax number: (703) 308-1850; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to those persons who manufacture, import, 
export, or use pesticides and industrial chemicals, and those persons 
who have interest in the topic of international trade in products that 
have been designated as ``banned or severely restricted pesticides and 
industrial chemicals.'' Since other entities may also be interested, 
the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that 
may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person 
listed under ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.''

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

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document, and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, 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/. 
Alternatively, you may wish to review materials provided at http://
www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international/ which also has links to the PIC 
Home Page maintained by the Interim Secretariat for the PIC Procedure. 
You may link directly to the PIC Home Page of the U.N. Food Agriculture 
Organization at http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/
Pesticid/PIC/pichome.htm.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this meeting under docket control number OPP-00636. The official record 
consists of the documents specifically referenced in this notice, any 
public comments received during an applicable comment period, and other 
information related to the January 19, 2000 meeting, 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, which includes 
printed, paper versions of any electronic comments that may be 
submitted during an applicable comment period, is available for 
inspection in the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch 
(PIRIB), 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

[[Page 70017]]

holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

III. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?

    You may submit a request to participate in this meeting through the 
mail, in person, or electronically. Do not submit any information in 
your request that is considered CBI. Your request must be received by 
EPA on or before January 5, 2000. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it 
is imperative that you identify docket control number OPP-00636 in the 
subject line on the first page of your request.
    1. By mail. You may submit a request to: Public Information and 
Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services 
Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2. In person or by courier. Public Information and Records 
Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division 
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection 
Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, 
VA. The PIRIB is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    3. Electronically. You may submit your request electronically by e-
mail to: ``[email protected].'' Do not submit any information 
electronically that you consider to be CBI. Use WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or 
ASCII file format and avoid the use of special characters and any form 
of encryption. Be sure to identify by docket control number OPP-00636. 
You may also file a request online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

IV. Background on PIC Agreement

    The U.S. is a signatory to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior 
Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and 
Pesticides in International Trade, commonly known as PIC. Under this 
Agreement, countries nominate substances which have been banned or 
severely restricted, and once approved for inclusion in the Procedure, 
these substances will be subject to additional controls in 
international trade. The PIC creates a system to ensure that countries 
importing particularly dangerous chemicals and pesticides fully 
understand the risks posed by the use of these substances, and can make 
informed decisions about their import. This is primarily achieved 
through the sharing of information about control actions and the risks 
which prompted them. PIC also establishes a mechanism which enables 
countries to refuse import of listed substances, and creates a 
responsibility for exporting countries to prohibit export to that 
country. It also establishes other information exchange provisions 
which include: export notifications, material data safety sheets, and 
labeling. An Interim Chemical Review Committee, commonly known as ICRC, 
has been established to provide technical, expert advice and 
recommendations for implementing parts of the Interim Procedure. The 
Environmental Protection Agency is providing a representative to the 
ICRC who will reflect the regulatory approaches of the U.S. in the 
ICRC. The ICRC will review technical and regulatory information and 
develop recommendations regarding the inclusion of chemicals in the 
Interim PIC Procedures. The Agreement will come into force when 50 
countries or regional economic integration organizations have ratified 
it. Until that time, the Agreement is being operated as a voluntary 
Interim Procedure.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: December 6, 1999.

Anne E. Lindsay,

Director, Field and External Affairs Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-32384 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F