[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