[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54001-54002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22818]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00678; FRL-6743-3]


FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: There will be a 3-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act 
(FQPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review a set of issues being 
considered by the Agency pertaining to the Bt plant pesticides risk and 
benefit assessments. The meeting is open to the public. Seating at the 
meeting will be on a first-come basis. Individuals requiring special 
accommodations at this meeting, including wheelchair access, should 
contact Paul Lewis at the address listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT at least 5 business days prior to the meeting so that 
appropriate arrangements can be made.

DATES: The meeting will be held on October 18, 19 and 20 from 8:30 a.m. 
to 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Marriott Crystal Gateway 
Hotel, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, 22202. The 
telephone number for the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel is (703) 271-
5212.
    Requests to participate 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, your request must identify docket control number 
OPP-00678 in the subject line on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lewis, Designated Federal 
Official, Office of Science Coordination and Policy, (7101C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 305-5369; fax 
number: (703) 605-0656; 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 those persons who are or may be required to 
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Federal Food, Drug and 
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). 
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. A meeting agenda is currently available; copies 
of EPA primary background documents for this meeting will be available 
by late September. You may obtain electronic copies of these documents, 
and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the FIFRA SAP Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap. To access this document on the Home Page 
select Federal Register notice announcing this meeting. You can also go 
directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an administrative record 
for this meeting under docket control number OPP-00678. The 
administrative 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 Bt plant 
pesticides risk and benefit assessments, including any information 
claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This administrative 
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 administrative 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 (CM #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 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. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, 
it is imperative that you identify docket control number OPP-00678 in 
the subject line on the first page of your request. Interested persons 
are permitted to file written statements before the meting. To the 
extent that time permits, and upon advance written request to the 
persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, interested 
persons may be permitted by the Chair of the FIFRA Scientific Advisory 
Panel to present oral statements at the meeting. The request should 
identify the name of the individual making the presentation, the 
organization (if any) the individual will represent, and any 
requirements for audiovisual equipment (e.g., overhead projector, 35 mm 
projector, chalkboard, etc.). There is no limit on the extent of 
written comments for consideration by the Panel, but oral statements 
before the panel are limited to approximately 5 minutes. The Agency 
also urges the public to submit written comments in lieu of oral 
presentations. Persons wishing to make oral and/or written statements 
at the meeting should contact the persons listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT and submit 30 copies of their presentation and/or 
remarks to the Panel. The Agency encourages that written statements be 
submitted before the meeting to provide Panel Members the time 
necessary to consider and review the comments.
    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

[[Page 54002]]

(OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
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, CM #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-00678. 
You may also file a request online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

II. Background

A. Purpose of the Meeting

    The registrations for Bt corn and Bt cotton expire in 2001. This 3-
day meeting concerns a reassessment of the risks and benefits for all 
Bt plant-pesticides (corn, cotton, and potatoes). Topics to be 
presented are: insect resistance management, non-target organism 
effects, gene flow/outcrossing, environmental fate in soil, benefits/
economic analysis, human health effects and product characterization.

B. Panel Report

    Copies of the Panel's report of their recommendations will be 
available approximately 45 working days after the meeting, and will be 
posted on the FIFRA SAP web site or may be obtained by contacting the 
Public Information and Records Integrity Branch at the address or 
telephone number listed in Unit I. of this document.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.


    Dated: August 29, 2000.

Steven K. Galson,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and Policy.

[FR Doc. 00-22818 Filed 9-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S