[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71758-71760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32873]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00627; FRL-6390-9]


Pesticides; Availability of Registration Division's Fiscal Year 
2000 Work Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Registration Division (RD) is announcing 
the availability of its interim Fiscal Year 2000 work plan. This work 
plan as well as the FY1999 work plan can be found at http: //www
.epa.gov/opprd001/workplan. Because the Office of Pesticide Programs' 
FY2000 Operating Plan has not been finalized, this work plan is only 
interim in nature. Once the Office's plan is finalized, RD will publish 
a second notice of availability making public the posting of our final 
FY2000 work plan. With the publication of each year's work plan the 
Registration Division intends to continue to improve the transparency 
of the registration process of new active ingredients and/or new 
tolerance petitions.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-00627, must be 
received on or before February 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit I. of the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.'' To ensure 
proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control number OPP-00627 in the subject line on the first page of your 
response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Robbins, Registration Division 
(7505 C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 
305-6439; fax number: (703) 305-6920; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 71759]]

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me? quit

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to any one who has interest in chemicals that 
are registered by the Registration Division in the Office of Pesticide 
Programs in the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of the 
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic 
Substances. 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.''

B. 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/. To access RD's FY2000 work plan, go directly to www.epa.gov/
opprd001/workplan.
    2. In person or by phone. If you have any questions or need 
additional information about this action, you may contact the technical 
person identified in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' section.
    The Agency has established an official record for this action under 
docket control number OPP-00627. 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 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 holidays. The PIRIB telephone 
number is (703) 305-5805.

C. 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, it is imperative that 
you identify docket control number OPP-O0627 in the subject line on the 
first page of your response.
    1. By mail. Submit your comments 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. Deliver your comments to: Public 
Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources 
and ServicesDivision (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), 
Environmental ProtectionAgency, 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, excludinglegal holidays. The PIRIB 
telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    3. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically by 
e-mail to: [email protected], or you can submit a computer disk as 
described in this unit. Do not submit any information electronically 
that you consider to be CBI. Avoid the use of special characters and 
any form of encryption. Electronic submissions will be accepted in 
WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic 
form must be identified by docket control number OPP-00627. Electronic 
comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

D. How Should I Handle CBI 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 identified under ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.''

E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternative ways to improve the rule or collection 
activity.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this 
notice.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
control number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first 
page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    The Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Office 
of Pesticide Programs, Registration Division (RD) is announcing the 
availability of its interim Fiscal Year 2000 work plan. This work plan 
as well as the FY 1999 work plan can be found at http: //www.epa.gov/
opprd001/workplan. Because the Office of Pesticide Programs' FY2000 
Operating Plan has not been finalized, this work plan is only interim 
in nature. Once the Office's plan is finalized, RD will publish a 
second notice of availability making public the posting of our final 
FY2000 work plan.
    Review of the registration process reveals a diversity of priority 
needs: there are statutory priorities such as minor use, me-too, and 
reduced risk actions; registrants frequently submit their top business 
priorities; USDA submits priorities on the basis of crop/pest 
combinations; priorities for grower groups are channeled directly to 
EPA or revealed by trends in Section 18 requests; and priorities for 
public

[[Page 71760]]

interest groups are frequently related to contemporary issues, such as 
identifying methyl bromide replacement chemicals and alternatives to 
certain organophosphate pesticides.
    This work plan represents RD's attempts at balancing these numerous 
priorities. In no way, however will RD neglect the many other action 
(e.g., label amendments, me-toos and emergency exemption) requests that 
are currently pending or will be submitted to the Agency during FY2000. 
The Agency has constructed this work plan to include some flexibility 
to respond to emerging public health or environmental issues. While 
forecasting such issues can be difficult, the Agency is committed to 
working with all affected parties to address their needs on an 
expeditious basis. Any submission which creates a modification to the 
schedule will, of course, require the appropriate justification and 
scientific data which will allow the Agency to make a sound, health-
based decision. Such adjustments, however, may result in the need to 
modify this work plan during the fiscal year.
    With the publication of each year's work plan the Registration 
Division intends to continue to improve the transparent y of the 
registration process of new active ingredients and/or new tolerance 
petitions.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pests and pesticides.

    Dated: October 29, 1999.

James Jones,

Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-32873 Filed 12-21-99; 8:45 am]
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