[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 242 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78488-78490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32033]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34236; FRL-6759-5]


Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Interim Risk 
Management Decision Documents

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  This notice announces the availability of the interim risk 
management decision documents for seven organophosphate and carbamate 
pesticides: Coumaphos, fenitrothion, mevinphos, oxamyl, phostebupirim, 
propetamphos, and tribufos. These decision documents have been 
developed as part of the public participation process that EPA and U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (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).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Carol Stangel, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental

[[Page 78489]]

Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (703) 308-8007; e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    For technical questions on an IRED or TRED listed, contact the 
appropriate Chemical Review Manager:

 
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                                                        Chemical Review
          Chemical Name                Case No.             Manager          Telephone No.      e-mail Address
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Coumaphos                         0018                Monica Alvarez      (703) 308-8026      [email protected]
Fenitrothion                      0445                Stephanie Nguyen    (703) 605-0702      [email protected]
Mevinphos                         0250                Joseph Nevola       (703) 308-8037      [email protected]
Oxamyl                            0253                Carmelita White     (703) 308-7038      [email protected]
Phostebupirim                     (none)              Stacey Milan        (703) 305-2505      [email protected]
Propetamphos                      2550                Gary Mullins        (703) 308-8044      [email protected]
Tribufos                          2145                Anne Overstreet     (703) 308-8068      [email protected]
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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 documents for coumaphos, fenitrothion, 
mevinphos, oxamyl, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos, 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 documents 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 numbers OPP-34236 and OPP-34196B for 
coumaphos, OPP-34197B for fenitrothion, OPP-34215B for mevinphos, OPP-
34227A for oxamyl, OPP-34186B for phostebupirim, OPP-34174C for 
propetamphos, and OPP-34148B for tribufos. 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.

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of coumaphos, fenitrothion, mevinphos, 
oxamyl, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos and reached an 
Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) or a Report on FQPA 
Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Interim Risk Management Decision 
for these organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. Provided that risk 
mitigation measures are adopted, or in some cases without additional 
risk mitigation, coumaphos, fenitrothion, mevinphos, oxamyl, 
phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos fit into their own risk cups 
-- their individual, aggregate risks are within acceptable levels.
     The interim risk management decision documents for coumaphos, 
fenitrothion, mevinphos, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos were 
made through the organophosphate pesticide 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. The interim risk management decision for oxamyl, a 
carbamate pesticide, was made through a similar public participation 
process.
    EPA worked extensively with affected parties to reach the decisions 
presented in the interim risk management decision documents, which 
conclude the pilot public participation process for coumaphos, 
fenitrothion, mevinphos, oxamyl, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and 
tribufos. As part of the pilot public participation process, numerous 
opportunities for public comment were offered as these interim risk 
management decision documents were being developed. The coumaphos, 
fenitrothion, mevinphos, oxamyl, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and 
tribufos interim risk management decision documents therefore are 
issued in final form, 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 coumaphos, fenitrothion, mevinphos, 
oxamyl,

[[Page 78490]]

phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos were released to the public 
through the following notices published in the Federal Register:
    1. Notices for coumaphos were published on September 2, 1999 (64 FR 
48164) (FRL-6380-9) and April 26, 2000 (65 FR 24468) (FRL-6556-7).
    2. Notices for fenitrothion were published on September 2, 1999 (64 
FR 48164) (FRL-6380-9) and March 1, 2000 (65 FR 11050) (FRL-6494-8).
    3. Notices for mevinphos were published on January 12, 2000 (65 FR 
1867) (FRL-6486-9) and June 30, 2000 (65 FR 40631) (FRL-6595-6).
    4. A notice for oxamyl was published on June 28, 2000 (65 FR 39898) 
(FRL-6595-3).
    5. Notices for phostebupirim were published on May 26, 1999 (64 FR 
28469) (FRL-6083-4) and March 27, 2000 (65 FR 16197) (FRL-6551-4).
    6. Notices for propetamphos were published on January 15, 1999 (64 
FR 2644) (FRL-6056-9) and December 1, 1999 (64 FR 67263) (FRL-6397-5).
    7. Notices for tribufos were published on September 9, 1998 (63 FR 
48213) (FRL-6030-2) and September 24, 1999 (64 FR 51755) (FRL-6385-2).
    EPA's next step under 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 documents on coumaphos, 
fenitrothion, mevinphos, phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos 
cannot be considered final until this cumulative assessment is 
complete. The interim risk management decision document for oxamyl 
cannot be considered final until EPA completes a cumulative risk 
assessment and risk management decision for the carbamate pesticides.
    When the cumulative risk assessment for all organophosphate 
pesticides has been completed, EPA will issue its final tolerance 
reassessment decision for coumaphos, fenitrothion, mevinphos, 
phostebupirim, propetamphos, and tribufos, and further risk mitigation 
measures may be needed. Similarly, when the cumulative risk assessment 
for all carbamate pesticides is completed, the Agency will issue its 
final tolerance reassessment decision and further risk mitigation may 
be needed for oxamyl.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: December 8, 2000.
Lois Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-32033 Filed 12-14-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S