[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 190 (Friday, September 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58529-58530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25054]



[[Page 58529]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34138C; FRL-6748-4]


Pesticides; Availability of Interim Risk Management Decisions

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  This notice announces the availability of the interim risk 
management decision for one organophosphate pesticide, profenofos. This 
decision document has been developed as part of the public 
participation process that EPA and USDA are now using to involve the 
public in the reassessment of pesticide tolerances under the Food 
Quality Protection Act (FQPA), and the reregistration of individual 
organophosphate pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, 
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Carmelita White, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508W), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-7038; 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, nevertheless, a 
wide range of stakeholders will be interested in obtaining the interim 
risk management decision for profenofos, including environmental, human 
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide 
users; and members of the public interested in the use of pesticides on 
food. Since other entities also may 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/. 
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/. In 
addition, copies of the pesticide interim risk management decision 
document released to the public may also be accessed at http: 
www.epa.gov/REDs.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-34138C for profenofos. The 
official record consists of the documents specifically referenced in 
this action, 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.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of profenofos and reached an Interim 
Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) for this organophosphate 
pesticide. Provided that risk mitigation measures are adopted, 
profenofos fits into its own risk cup-- its individual, aggregate risks 
are within acceptable levels. Profenofos also is eligible for 
reregistration, pending a full reassessment of the cumulative risk from 
all organophosphate pesticides. Profenofos residues in food and 
drinking water do not pose risk concerns, and there are no residential 
uses for profenofos, so no relevant mitigation measures are warranted 
at this time. With mitigation measures, profenofos' worker and 
ecological risks also are expected to be below levels of concern for 
reregistration.
    The interim risk management decision on profenofos was made through 
the organophosphate pilot public participation process, which increases 
transparency and maximizes stakeholder involvement in EPA's development 
of risk assessments and risk management decisions. The pilot public 
participation process was developed as part of the EPA-USDA Tolerance 
Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC), which was established in April 
1998, as a subcommittee under the auspices of EPA's National Advisory 
Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. A goal of the pilot 
public participation process is to find a more effective way for the 
public to participate at critical junctures in the Agency's development 
of organophosphate pesticide risk assessments and risk management 
decisions. EPA and USDA began implementing this pilot process in August 
1998, to increase transparency and opportunities for stakeholder 
consultation.
    EPA worked extensively with affected parties to reach the decisions 
presented in the interim risk management decision document, which 
concludes the pilot public participation process for profenofos. As 
part of the pilot public participation process, numerous opportunities 
for public comment were offered as these interim risk management 
decisions were being developed. The profenofos interim risk management 
decision therefore is issued in final, without a formal public comment 
period. The docket remains open, however, and any comments submitted in 
the future will be placed in the public docket.
    The risk assessments for profenofos were released to the public 
through notices in the Federal Register on August 10, 1998, 63 FR 43175 
(FRL-6024-3) and June 16, 1999, 64 FR 32229 (FRL-6087-9).
    EPA's next step under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) is to 
complete a cumulative risk assessment and risk management decision 
encompassing all the organophosphate pesticides, which share a common 
mechanism of toxicity. The interim risk management decision on 
profenofos cannot be considered final until this cumulative assessment 
is complete. Further risk mitigation may be necessary at that time.
    To effect risk mitigation as quickly as possible. The time frame 
for making the changes described in the interim risk management 
decision document is shorter than that in a usual Reregistration 
Eligibility Decision. All labels need to be amended to include the 
above mitigation and submitted to the Agency within 90 days after 
issuance of the interim risk management decision document. When the 
cumulative risk assessment for all organophosphate pesticides has been 
completed, EPA will issue its final tolerance reassessment decision for

[[Page 58530]]

profenofos, and further risk mitigation measures may be needed.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.


    Dated: September 20, 2000.
Lois Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 00-25054 Filed 9-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S