[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51663-51664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25264]



[[Page 51663]]

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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34238; FRL-6775-8]


Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Risk Management 
Decision Documents

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the risk management 
decision documents for four organophosphate pesticides, ethyl 
parathion, phorate, phosalone, and temephos . 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: For general information contact: Carol 
Stangel, Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508W), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8007; e-
mail address: [email protected].
    For technical information contact: For questions on the REDs, IREDs 
or TREDs in this document, contact the appropriate Chemical Review 
Manager listed in the table in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

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 risk 
management decision documents for ethyl parathion, phorate, phosalone, 
and temephos , 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 risk management 
decision documents released to the public may also be accessed at 
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm .
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under OPP docket control numbers OPP-34171C for ethyl 
parathion, OPP-34137C for phorate, OPP-34216B for phosalone, and OPP-
34147C for temephos. 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.
    For questions on the REDs, IREDs or TREDs in this document, contact 
the appropriate Chemical Review Manager listed in this table:

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Chemical Review
          Chemical name                Case No.             Manager          Telephone no.      E-mail address
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethyl Parathion                   0155                Laura Parsons       (703) 305-5776      [email protected]
Phorate                           0103                Ben Chambliss       (703) 308-8174      [email protected]
Phosalone                         0027                John Pates          (703) 308-8195      [email protected]
Temephos                          0006                Dirk Helder         (703) 305-4610      [email protected]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of Ethyl Parathion, Phorate, Phosalone, 
and Temephos and reached a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED), 
an Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED), or a Report on 
FQPA Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Interim Risk Management 
Decision (TRED) for each of these organophosphate pesticides.
    1. Ethyl Parathion RED. All remaining uses of Ethyl Parathion are 
being voluntarily canceled and phased out during the next few years. 
Because no uses will remain, Ethyl Parathion will not be included in 
the cumulative assessment of the organophosphate pesticides.
    2. Phorate IRED. With the adoption of additional risk mitigation 
measures, Phorate fits into its own risk cup; its individual, aggregate 
risks are within acceptable levels.
    3. Phosalone TRED. With no U.S. registrations and import tolerances 
only, Phosalone fits into its own risk cup without additional risk 
mitigation.
    4. Temephos RED. With risk mitigation measures adopted, Temephos is 
eligible for reregistration. Because it has no food uses or other uses 
that result in exposure to children, Temephos will not be included in 
the cumulative assessment of the organophosphate pesticides.
    The risk management decision documents for ethyl parathion, 
phorate, phosalone, and temephos 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

[[Page 51664]]

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 risk management decision documents, which conclude the 
pilot public participation process for ethyl parathion, phorate, 
phosalone, and temephos . As part of the pilot public participation 
process, numerous opportunities for public comment were offered as 
these risk management decision documents were being developed. The 
ethyl parathion, phorate, phosalone, and temephos risk management 
decision documents therefore are 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 ethyl parathion, phorate, phosalone, and 
temephos were released to the public through the following notices 
published in the Federal Register:
    1. Notices for ethyl parathion were published on January 15, 1999 
(64 FR 2644) (FRL-6056-9) and March 1, 2000 (65 FR 11050) (FRL-6494-8).
    2. Notices for phorate were published on August 12, 1998 (63 FR 
43175) (FRL-6024-3) and September 1, 1999 (64 FR 47784) (FRL-6099-9).
    3. Notices for phosalone were published on January 12, 2000 (65 FR 
1867) (FRL-6486-9) and July 26, 2000 (65 FR 45982) (FRL-6737-3).
    4. Notices for temephos were published on September 9, 1998 (63 FR 
48213) (FRL-6030-2), December 18, 1998 (63 FR 70126) (FRL-6052-6), and 
October 6, 1999 (64 FR 54298) (FRL-6387-6).
    EPA's next step under FQPA is to complete a cumulative risk 
assessment and risk management decision for the organophosphate 
pesticides, which share a common mechanism of toxicity. The interim 
risk management decision documents on phorate and phosalone cannot be 
considered final until this cumulative assessment is complete. The 
ethyl parathion and temephos REDs represent the Agency's final 
decisions for these pesticides under the organophosphate pesticide 
review process.
    When the cumulative risk assessment for the organophosphate 
pesticides has been completed, EPA will issue its final tolerance 
reassessment decision for phorate and phosalone, and further risk 
mitigation measures may be needed.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.


    Dated: September 26, 2001.
Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 01-25264 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S