[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77624-77626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31696]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34223B; FRL-6756-7]


Organophosphate Pesticide; Availability of Revised Risk 
Assessments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notices announces the availability of the revised risk 
assessments and related documents for the organophosphate pesticide 
malathion. In addition, this notice starts a 60-day public 
participation period during which the public is encouraged to submit 
risk management ideas or proposals. These actions are in response to a 
joint initiative between EPA and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
to increase transparency in the tolerance reassessment process for 
organophosphate pesticides.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-34223B, must 
be received by EPA on or before February 12, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments 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, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control number OPP-34223B in the subject line on the first page of your 
response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Anne Overstreet, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8068; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. 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 revised 
risk assessments and submitting risk management comments on malathion, 
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. As such, the Agency has 
not attempted to specifically describe all the entities potentially 
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult

[[Page 77625]]

the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of This 
Document or Other Related Documents?

     A. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document and other related documents 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 organophosphate pesticides and obtain 
electronic copies of the revised risk assessments and related documents 
mentioned in this notice, you can also go directly to the Home Page for 
the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/.
     B. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-34223B. 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 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 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.

III. How Can I Respond to This Action?

A. 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-34223B in the subject line on 
the first page of your response.
    1.  By mail. Submit comments to: Public Information and Records 
Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2. In person or by courier. Deliver comments to: Public Information 
and Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services 
Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, 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. Submit electronic comments 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. Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file, 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Comments and data will also be accepted on standard computer disks in 
WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic 
form must be identified by the docket control number OPP-34223B. 
Electronic comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

B. How Should I Handle CBI Information 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.

IV. What Action Is EPA Taking in This Notice?

     EPA is making available for public viewing the revised risk 
assessments and related documents for one organophosphate, malathion. 
These documents have been developed as part of the pilot public 
participation process that EPA and USDA are now using for involving 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). 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 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. The 
documents being released to the public through this notice provide 
information on the revisions that were made to the malathion 
preliminary risk assessments, which where released to the public 
through a notice in the Federal Register on May 11, 1999, 65 FR 30407, 
(FRL-6558-3).
    In addition, this notice starts a 60-day public participation 
period during which the public is encouraged to submit risk management 
proposals or otherwise comment on risk management for malathion. The 
Agency is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for interested 
parties to provide written risk management proposals or ideas to the 
Agency on the chemical specified in this notice. Such comments and 
proposals could address ideas about how to manage dietary, 
occupational, or ecological risks on specific malathion use sites or 
crops across the United States or in a particular geographic region of 
the country. To address dietary risk, for example, commenters may 
choose to discuss the feasibility of lower application rates, 
increasing the time interval between application and harvest (``pre-
harvest intervals''), modifications in use, or suggest alternative 
measures to reduce residues contributing to dietary exposure. For 
occupational risks, commenters may suggest personal protective 
equipment or technologies to reduce exposure to workers and pesticide 
handlers. For ecological risks, commenters may suggest ways to reduce 
environmental exposure, e.g., exposure to birds, fish, mammals, and 
other non--target organisms. EPA will provide other opportunities for 
public participation

[[Page 77626]]

and comment on issues associated with the organophosphate tolerance 
reassessment program. Failure to participate or comment as part of this 
opportunity will in no way prejudice or limit a commenter's opportunity 
to participate fully in later notice and comment processes. All 
comments and proposals must be received by EPA on or before February 
12, 2001, at the addresses given under the ADDRESSES section. Comments 
and proposals will become part of the Agency record for the 
organophosphate specified in this notice.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.


    Dated: December 7, 2000.
Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 00-31696 Filed 12-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S