[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38104-38106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13522]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0083; FRL-7180-7]


FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: There will be a 3-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act 
(FQPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP) to consider and review two 
topics. The first topic is to update the FIFRA SAP

[[Page 38105]]

on the status of preliminary results from cumulative risk estimates for 
organophosphate pesticides (OP) using alternative models (Calendex\TM\, 
LifeLine\TM\, and CARES\TM\) and similar input data and parameters. The 
second topic is review of cumulative risk assessments for OPs: 
Susceptibility and age dependent sensitivity.

DATES: The meeting will be held from June 25-27, 2002, from 8:30 a.m. 
to 5 p.m, eastern standard time.
    For dates on requests to present oral comments, submission of 
written comments, or requests for special seating arrangements, see 
Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 
1800 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. The telephone number for the 
Sheraton Crystal City Hotel is (703) 486-1111.
    Requests to present oral comments, submission of written comments, 
or requests for special seating arrangements 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, your request must 
identify docket ID number OPP-2002-0083 in the subject line on the 
first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Olga Odiott, Designated Federal 
Official (DFO), for topic 1 or Paul Lewis, DFO, for topic 2, Office of 
Science Coordination and Policy (7202M), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-8450; fax number: (202) 564-8382; e-mail addresses: 
[email protected] or [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 persons who are or may be required to 
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Federal Food, Drug, 
and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), FIFRA, and FQPA. Since other entities may 
also 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 one of the DFOs 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/. 
To access this document, 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/.
    A meeting agenda and background documents relevant to this meeting 
are now available. EPA's position paper, questions to the FIFRA SAP, 
and the FIFRA SAP composition (i.e., members and consultants) will be 
available as soon as possible, but no later than mid-June. In addition, 
the Agency may provide additional background documents as the materials 
become available. You may obtain electronic copies of these documents, 
and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the FIFRA SAP Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this meeting under docket ID number OPP-2002-0083. The official record 
consists of the documents specifically referenced in this notice, any 
public comments received during an applicable comment period, and other 
material information, 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. In addition, the Agency may 
provide additional background documents as the material becomes 
available. The public version of the official record, which includes 
printed, paper versions of any electronic comments that may be 
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 May I Participate in this Meeting?

    You may submit requests to present oral comments, written comments, 
or requests for special seating arrangements through the mail, in 
person, or electronically. Do not submit any information in your 
request that is considered CBI. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is 
imperative that you identify docket ID number OPP-2002-0083 in the 
subject line on the first page of your request.
    1. Oral comments. Oral comments presented at the meetings should 
not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or written comments.
    Although requests to present oral comments are accepted until the 
date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), to the extent that time 
permits, interested persons may be permitted by the Chair of the FIFRA 
SAP to present oral comments at the meeting. Each individual or group 
wishing to make brief oral comments to the FIFRA SAP is strongly 
advised to submit their request to one of the DFOs listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT no later than noon, eastern standard time, 
Thursday, June 20, 2002, in order to be included on the meeting agenda. 
The request should identify the name of the individual making the 
presentation, the organization (if any) the individual will represent, 
and any requirements for audiovisual equipment (e.g., overhead 
projector, 35 mm projector, chalkboard). Oral comments before the FIFRA 
SAP are limited to approximately 5 minutes unless prior arrangements 
have been made. In addition, the speaker should bring to the meeting 30 
copies of the oral comments and presentation slides for distribution to 
the FIFRA SAP at the meeting.
    2. Written comments. Although submission of written comments are 
accepted until the date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), the 
Agency encourages that written comments be submitted no later than 
noon, eastern standard time, Thursday, June 20, 2002, to provide the 
FIFRA SAP the time necessary to consider and review the written 
comments. There is no limit on the extent of written comments for 
consideration by the FIFRA SAP. Persons wishing to submit written 
comments at the meeting should contact one of the DFOs listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and submit 30 copies.
    3. Seating at the meeting. Seating at the meeting will be on a 
first-come basis. Individuals requiring special accommodations at this 
meeting, including wheelchair access, should contact the DFOs at least 
5 business days prior to the meeting using the information under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT so that appropriate arrangements can be 
made.

[[Page 38106]]

Contact DFO, Olga Odiott, for topic 1 and DFO, Paul Lewis for topic 2.
    4. Submission of requests and written comments--a. By mail. Submit 
your request or written comments to: Public Information and Records 
Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division 
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection 
Agency, Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    b. In person or by courier. Deliver your request or written 
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.
    c. Electronically. You may submit your request or written comments 
electronically by e-mail to: [email protected]. Do not submit any 
information electronically that you consider to be CBI. Use WordPerfect 
9.0 or ASCII file format and avoid the use of special characters and 
any form of encryption. Be sure to identify by docket ID number OPP-
2002-0083. You may also file a request online at many Federal 
Depository Libraries.

II. Background

A. Purpose of the Meeting

    The FIFRA SAP will meet to review two topics:
    1. Update the FIFRA SAP on the status of preliminary results from 
cumulative risk estimates for organophosphate pesticides (OP) using 
alternative models (Calendex\TM\, LifeLine\TM\, and CARES\TM\) and 
similar input data and parameters.
    Cumulative risk estimates for OPs derived by EPA using the 
Calendex\TM\ model (Novigen Sciences, Inc.) will be compared to 
preliminary results derived by The LifeLine Group using the 
LifeLine\TM\ model and the Sound Science Policy Alliance (SSPA) using 
the CARES\TM\ model. The LifeLine\TM\ assessments were conducted under 
contract to EPA. CARES\TM\ assessments were conducted by a group of OP 
registrants and their consultants (SSPA). These preliminary results 
will be presented to the FIFRA SAP by EPA for informational purposes 
only. The FIFRA SAP will not be asked to formally review and comment on 
these preliminary results.
    2. Cumulative risk assessments for organophosphate pesticides: 
Susceptibility and age dependent sensitivity. The FQPA instructs EPA, 
in making its ``reasonable certainty of no harm'' finding, that in 
``the case of threshold effects,...an additional tenfold margin of 
safety for the pesticide chemical residue and other sources of exposure 
shall be applied for infants and children to take into account 
potential prenatal and postnatal toxicity and completeness of data with 
respect to exposure and toxicity to infants and children.'' In 
implementing the FQPA safety factor provision in the context of 
assessing cumulative risk, the Agency has evaluated pertinent data 
concerning the potential for prenatal and postnatal effects associated 
with the common mechanism of toxicity for OP pesticides (namely, 
inhibition of acetylcholinesterase), the completeness of the hazard 
data with respect to common mechanism of toxicity to infants and 
children, and the completeness of the exposure database. The Agency 
seeks the FIFRA SAP's review on the interpretation of the available 
laboratory studies on cholinesterase activity in fetal, neonatal and 
juvenile rats. In addition, the FIFRA SAP is asked to consider the 
mechanistic basis underlying the age dependent sensitivity of young to 
cholinesterase inhibition caused by OP pesticides.

B. The FIFRA SAP Report

    The FIFRA SAP will prepare a report of its recommendations to the 
Agency in approximately 60 days. The report will be posted on the FIFRA 
SAP web site or may be obtained by contacting the Public Information 
and Records Integrity Branch at the address or telephone number listed 
in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Organophosphate pesticides, Pesticides 
and pests.


    Dated: May 22, 2002.
Sherell A. Sterling,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and Policy.

[FR Doc. 02-13522 Filed 5-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S