[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49186-49188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23753]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-OW-7063-7]


Notice of Availability of Draft Aquatic Life Criteria Document 
for Atrazine

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft aquatic life criteria document 
for atrazine.

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SUMMARY: Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and publish, and from 
time to time revise, criteria for water accurately reflecting the 
latest scientific knowledge. These criteria provide EPA's 
recommendations to states and authorized tribes as guidance in 
establishing their water quality standards as state or tribal law or 
regulation. Today, EPA is notifying the public about the availability 
of the draft aquatic life criteria document for atrazine.
    EPA is notifying the public about the availability of this draft 
document in accordance with the Agency's process for developing or 
revising criteria (63 FR 68354, December 10, 1998). As indicated in the 
December 10, 1998 FR notice, the Agency believes it is important to 
provide the public with an opportunity to submit scientific information 
on draft criteria. EPA is soliciting views from the public on issues of 
science pertaining to the information used in deriving the draft 
criteria. EPA is also soliciting input from the public on harmonizing 
risk assesssment methods used by the Office of Water (OW) in its draft 
aquatic life criteria document for atrazine and by the Office of 
Pesticide Programs (OPP) in its Preliminary Ecological Fate and Effects 
Risk Assessment for Atrazine, published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.

DATES: All significant scientific information must be submitted to the 
Agency under docket number W-01-10. All significant scientific 
information submissions are requested to be submitted within 60 days 
after publication of this notice. The Administrative Record supporting 
this draft guidance document is available at the Water Docket, Room EB 
57, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 
20460 on Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, between 9 
a.m. and 4 p.m. For access to docket materials call (202) 260-3027 for 
an appointment. A reasonable fee will be charged for photocopies.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and three copies of any written significant 
scientific information to W-01-10 Comment Clerk, Water Docket (MC4101), 
USEPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. Information 
may be hand-delivered to the Water Docket, USEPA, Room EB 57,

[[Page 49187]]

401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Information may also be 
submitted electronically to [email protected]. Information should be 
submitted as a WP5.1, 6.1 and/or 8.0 or an ASCII file with no form of 
encryption.
    Copies of the criteria document entitled, Ambient Aquatic Life 
Water Quality Criteria for Atrazine may be obtained from EPA's Water 
Resource Center by phone at (202) 260-7786, or by e-mail to 
[email protected] or by conventional mail to EPA Water 
Resource Center, RC-4100, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20460. 
Alternatively, consult www.epa.gov/OST/standards for download 
availability.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Gostomski, Health and Ecological 
Criteria Division (4304), US EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
Washington, D.C. 20460; (202) 260-1321; [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Are Recommended Water Quality Criteria?

    Recommended water quality criteria are the concentrations of a 
chemical in water at or below which aquatic life are protected from 
acute and chronic adverse effects of the chemical. Section 304(a)(1) of 
the Clean Water Act requires EPA to develop and publish, and from time 
to time revise, criteria for water accurately reflecting the latest 
scientific knowledge. Water quality criteria developed under section 
304(a) are based solely on data and scientific judgments. They do not 
consider economic impacts or the technological feasibility of meeting 
the criteria in ambient water. Section 304(a) criteria provide guidance 
to States and Tribes in adopting water quality standards and provide a 
scientific basis for them to develop controls of discharges or releases 
of pollutants. The criteria also provide a scientific basis for EPA to 
develop Federally promulgated water quality standards under section 
303(c).

What Is Atrazine and Why Are We Concerned About It?

    Atrazine is an organic chemical used as an herbicide throughout the 
U.S. for control of weeds in agricultural crops. Environmental exposure 
occurs mainly from its application as an herbicide but may also occur 
from industrial manufacture, distribution releases, precipitation, 
field runoff, and drift. Atrazine is moderately volatile and soluble in 
water, and resistant to natural degradation in water. Because of 
atrazine's chemical properties and widespread use as an herbicide, 
concerns have been raised over the potential risks posed by exposure of 
aquatic organisms to it. For these reasons, EPA has developed the 
following water quality criteria:

Freshwater

Aquatic life should not be affected unacceptably if the:
    One-hour average concentration of atrazine does not exceed 350 ug/l 
more than once every three years on the average (Acute Criterion); and
    Four-day average concentration of atrazine does not exceed 12 ug/l 
more than once every three years on the average (Chronic Criterion).

Saltwater

Aquatic life should not be affected unacceptably if the:
    One hour average concentration of atrazine does not exceed 760 ug/l 
more than once every three years on the average (Acute Criterion); and
    Four-day average concentration of atrazine does not exceed 26 ug/l 
more than once every three years on the average (Chronic Criterion).

Definitions of Criteria Terminology

    One hour average: the average of all samples taken during a one 
hour period by either continuous sampling or periodic grab samples.
    Four day average: the average of all samples taken during four 
consecutive days by either continuous sampling or periodic grab 
samples. Also known as a 96-hour average.
    Acute Criterion: A chemical concentration protective of aquatic 
organisms from short term exposure to fast acting chemicals or spikes 
in concentrations. For example exposure of a fish moving through an 
area for foraging but not residing in the area.
    Chronic Criterion: A chemical concentration protective of aquatic 
organisms from longer term exposure to slower acting chemicals or 
relatively steady concentrations. For example, exposure of a fish that 
resides in an area.

How Has EPA Coordinated Development of Ecological Risk Assessments 
on Atrazine Between the Office of Water (OW) and the Office of 
Pesticide Programs (OPP)?

    Concurrent with OW's release of the Draft Aquatic Life Criteria 
Document for Atrazine, OPP is releasing its Preliminary Ecological Fate 
and Effects Risk Assessment for Atrazine. Both offices shared their 
aquatic toxicity data bases for atrazine in the development of their 
risk assessment documents. OW and OPP are currently consulting on their 
respective ecological risk assessment methodologies. Although there are 
similarities in the approaches, differences remain. When the 
consultation is completed, there may be revisions to this assessment. 
While the consultation is underway, both offices are making their 
respective ecological risk assessments for atrazine available to the 
public and requesting comment on their respective methodologies. It 
would be helpful if comments regarding a methodology that are made to 
one office are also made available to the other. OW and OPP will share 
comments received on their respective risk assessment methodologies and 
will coordinate review of those comments.

Why Is EPA Notifying the Public About the Draft Atrazine Criteria 
Document?

    Today, EPA is notifying the public about the availability of the 
draft aquatic life criteria document for atrazine to expand the 
public's involvement in the criteria development process. EPA notified 
the public of its intent to develop aquatic life criteria for atrazine 
in the Federal Register on October 29, 1999 (64 FR 58409). At that time 
EPA made available to the public all references identified by a recent 
literature review and solicited any additional pertinent data or 
scientific views that would be useful in developing the aquatic life 
criteria for atrazine. EPA is now making the draft aquatic life 
criteria document for atrazine available for public review.
    As indicated in the December 10, 1998 FR notice, the Agency 
believes it is important to provide the public with an opportunity to 
submit scientific information on draft criteria. EPA is soliciting 
views from the public on issues of science pertaining to the 
information used to derive the draft criteria. EPA will review and 
consider significant scientific information submitted by the public 
that might not have otherwise been identified during development of 
these criteria.

Where Can I Find More Information on EPA's Revised Process for 
Developing New or Revised Criteria?

    The Agency published detailed information about its revised process 
for developing and revising criteria in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 1998 (63 FR 68354) and in the EPA document entitled, 
National Recommended Water Quality--Correction (EPA 822-Z-99-001, April 
1999). The purpose of the revised process is to provide expanded 
opportunities for public input, and to make the criteria development 
process more efficient.


[[Page 49188]]


    Dated: August 8, 2001.
Geoffrey H. Grubbs,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 01-23753 Filed 9-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P