[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14710-14711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6944]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-34253; FRL-6824-7]


Imazalil; Availability of Risk Assessments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of risk assessments 
that were developed as part of EPA's process for making pesticide 
Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) and tolerance reassessments 
consistent with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as 
amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). These risk 
assessments are the human health and environmental fate and effects 
risk assessments and related documents for imazalil. This notice also 
starts a 60-day public comment period for the risk assessments. By 
allowing access and opportunity for comment on the risk assessments, 
EPA is seeking to strengthen stakeholder involvement and help ensure 
decisions made 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.

DATES: Comments, identified by the docket control number OPP-34253 for 
imazalil, must be received on or before May 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit II. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure proper 
receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket control 
number OPP-34253 for imazalil in the subject line on the first page of 
your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dayton Eckerson, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8038 ; 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, nevertheless, a 
wide range of stakeholders will be interested in obtaining the risk 
assessments for imazalil, 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 assessments 
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 docket control number OPP-34253. 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

[[Page 14711]]

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.

II. 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 for the specific chemical of 
interest 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 6.1/8.0/9.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in 
electronic form must be identified by the docket control number of the 
chemical of specific interest. 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.

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is making available to the public the risk assessments that 
have been developed as part of the Agency's interim public 
participation process for tolerance reassessment and reregistration. 
During the next 60 days, EPA will accept comments on the human health 
and environmental fate and effects risk assessments and other related 
documents for imazalil, available in the individual pesticide docket. 
Like other REDs for pesticides developed under the interim process, the 
imazalil RED will be made available for public comment at a future 
date.
    EPA and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been 
using a pilot public participation process for the assessment of 
organophosphate pesticides since August 1998. In considering how to 
accomplish the movement from the current pilot being used for the 
organophosphate pesticides to the public participation process that 
will be used in the future for non-organophosphates, such as imazalil, 
EPA and USDA have adopted an interim public participation process. EPA 
is using this interim process in reviewing the non-organophosphate 
pesticides scheduled to complete tolerance reassessment and 
reregistration in 2002. The interim public participation process 
ensures public access to the Agency's risk assessments while also 
allowing EPA to meet its reregistration commitments. It takes into 
account that the risk assessment development work on these pesticides 
is substantially complete. The interim public participation process 
involves: A registrant error correction period; a period for the Agency 
to respond to the registrant's error correction comments; the release 
of the refined risk assessments and risk characterizations to the 
public via the docket and EPA's internet website; a significant effort 
on stakeholder consultations, such as meetings and conference calls; 
and the issuance of the risk management decision document (i.e., RED) 
after the consideration of issues and discussions with stakeholders. 
USDA plans to hold meetings and conference calls with the public (i.e., 
interested stakeholders such as growers, USDA Cooperative Extension 
Offices, commodity groups, and other Federal government agencies) to 
discuss any identified risks and solicit input on risk management 
strategies. EPA will participate in USDA's meetings and conference 
calls with the public. This feedback will be used to complete the risk 
management decisions and the RED. EPA plans to conduct a close-out 
conference call with interested stakeholders to describe the regulatory 
decisions presented in the RED. REDs for pesticides developed under the 
interim process will be made available for public comment.
    Included in the public version of the official record are the 
Agency's risk assessments and related documents for imazalil. As 
additional comments, reviews, and risk assessment modifications become 
available, these will also be docketed. The imazalil risk assessments 
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.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: March 15, 2002.
  Lois Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-6944 Filed 3-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S