[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52752-52753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22010]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00675; FRL-6740-7]


 Pesticides; Harmonization of Treated Seed Policies and 
Requirements in Canada and the United States; Notice of Availability

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

 ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  This document announces the availability of a discussion 
paper that provides information on how pesticide seed treatment 
products are currently regulated in both Canada and the United States 
and reviews the degree of harmonization in pesticide regulation in the 
two countries. The discussion paper on treated seed contributes to the 
initiatives of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 
Technical Working Group (TWG) on Pesticides. The NAFTA TWG on 
Pesticides aims to develop a harmonized approach to the regulation of 
pesticides in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, while maintaining 
current high levels of protection of public health and the environment 
and supporting the principles of sustainable pest management. Canada 
has also made this harmonization document available for comment through 
its regulatory processes.

DATES:  Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-00675, must 
be received on or before October 16, 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-00675 in the subject line on the first page of your 
response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jean M. Frane, Field and External 
Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (703) 305-5944; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to persons who produce seed treatment 
pesticides, or who use such products, both in the United States and 
Canada. 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,'' ``Regulations and Proposed Rules,'' 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 the NAFTA TWG on Pesticides, go 
directly to the Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international, 
and select ``NAFTA Technical Woking Group (TWG).'' The concurrent 
Canadian Regulatory Proposal is available on their homepage at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-00675. 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

[[Page 52753]]

#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-00675 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, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2.  In person or by courier. Deliver your comments to: 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 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-00675. 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 listed 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 document.
    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 Agency is making available a document entitled ``Discussion 
Paper: Harmonization of Imported Treated Seed in Canada and the United 
States'' prepared jointly by the Agency and Health Canada's Pest 
Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The purpose of this document is to 
provide information on how seed treatment products are currently 
regulated in both Canada and the United States and to review the degree 
of regulatory harmonization of seed treatment pesticides in the two 
countries. This discussion regarding treated seed should also 
contribute toward the realization of the initiatives of the NAFTA TWG 
on Pesticides aimed at harmonizing pesticide registration requirements 
in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
    For the purposes of this document, seed treatments include products 
which are primarily intended to provide protection against soil fungi 
and insect damage. Seeds for propagation may be treated domestically or 
imported as treated seed, may be treated domestically for subsequent 
export, or may be planted to produce crop that is to be exported.
    Both Canada and the United States require registration of seed 
treatment products used for domestic seed treatment. Both countries 
allow exemptions for imported pesticide-treated seeds providing the 
seed is treated with a pesticide registered in the host country for 
that specific purpose and where certain other conditions are met (e.g., 
compliance with coloration and labeling requirements). This discussion 
paper contains two Appendices. Appendix I compares the legal frameworks 
in the United States and Canada. Appendix II is a comparison of the 
general data requirements for a new seed treatment product in the 
United States and Canada.
    The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency has issued this 
document as a Regulatory Proposal with a 45-day comment period.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, intergovernmental relations, pests and 
pesticides.


    Dated: August 23, 2000.
Anne E. Lindsay,
Director, Field and External Affairs Division.

[FR Doc. 00-22010 Filed 8-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S