[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10287-10289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3844]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34237; FRL-6765-3]


Atrazine; Availability of Preliminary Risk Assessment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of documents that were 
developed as part of EPA's pilot public participation process for 
making reregistration eligibility decisions for the organophosphate and 
certain other, non-organophosphate pesticides and for tolerance 
reassessments consistent with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). 
These documents are the preliminary human health risk assessment and 
related documents for atrazine. This notice also starts a 60-day public 
comment period for the preliminary risk assessment. Comments are to be 
limited to issues directly associated with the one pesticide that has 
risk assessment documents placed in the docket and should be limited to 
issues raised in those documents. By allowing access and opportunity 
for comment on the preliminary risk assessment, EPA is seeking to 
strengthen stakeholder involvement and help ensure our decisions under 
FQPA are transparent and based on the best available information. The 
tolerance reassessment process will ensure that the United States 
continues to have the safest and most abundant food supply. The Agency 
cautions that risk assessments at this stage are preliminary 
assessments only and that further refinements of the risk assessments 
may be appropriate for this pesticide. These documents reflect only the 
work and analysis conducted as of the time they were produced and it is 
appropriate that, as new information becomes available and/or 
additional analyses are performed, the conclusions they contain may 
change.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-34237 for 
Atrazine must be received on or before April 16, 2001.

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 the docket control 
number for atrazine, OPP-34237, in the subject line on the first page 
of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kimberly Lowe, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8059; 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), or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Since other entities may also be interested, 
the Agency has not attempted to describe all

[[Page 10288]]

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 preliminary risk assessments for 
atrazine may also be accessed at http: www.epa.gov/pesticides.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-34237. 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.

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 the docket control number for atrazine, OPP-34237, 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 above. 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-34237. 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 notice.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this 
document.
    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. Background

    EPA is making available preliminary risk assessments that have been 
developed as part of EPA's pilot process for making reregistration 
eligibility decisions for the organophosphate and other pesticides and 
for tolerance reassessments consistent with the FFDCA, as amended by 
the FQPA. The Agency's preliminary human health risk assessment and 
other related documents for atrazine are available in the individual 
pesticide docket. As additional comments, reviews, and risk assessment 
modifications become available, these will also be docketed for 
atrazine.
    The Agency cautions that these risk assessments are preliminary 
assessments only and that further refinements of the risk assessment 
may be appropriate for atrazine. These documents reflect only the work 
and analysis conducted as of the time they were produced and it is 
appropriate that, as new information becomes available and/or 
additional analyses are performed, the conclusions they contain may 
change.
    As the preliminary ecological risk assessment for atrazine is 
completed and registrants complete a 30-day review period to identify 
possible computational or other clear errors in the risk assessment, 
this risk assessment and registrant responses will be placed in the 
individual pesticide docket. A notice of availability for subsequent 
assessments will appear in the Federal Register.
    The Agency is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for 
interested parties to provide written comments and input to the Agency 
on the preliminary risk assessment for the chemical specified in this 
notice. Such comments and input could address, for example, the 
availability of additional

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data to further refine the risk assessment, such as percent crop 
treated information or submission of residue data from food processing 
studies, or could address the Agency's risk assessment methodologies 
and assumptions as applied to this specific chemical. Comments should 
be limited to issues raised within the preliminary risk assessment and 
associated documents. EPA will provide other opportunities for public 
comment on other science issues associated with the pesticide tolerance 
reassessment program. Failure to comment on any such issues 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 should be submitted by April 16, 2001 using the methods in 
Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Comments will become part of 
the Agency record for atrazine.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.


    Dated: February 8, 2001.
Jack E. Housenger,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 01-3844 Filed 2-12-01; 2:53 pm]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S