[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59502-59503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-24095]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0252; FRL-7200-9]


Thiabendazole and Salts; Availability of Reregistration 
Eligibility Decision Documents for Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces availability and starts a 60-day public 
comment period on the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) 
documents for the pesticide active ingredients thiabendazole and salts. 
The RED represents EPA's formal regulatory assessment of the health and 
environmental data base of the subject chemical and presents the 
Agency's determination regarding which pesticidal uses are eligible for 
reregistration.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0252, must be 
received on or before November 22, 2002.

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 docket ID number 
OPP-2002-0252 in the subject line on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Lorilyn Montford, Special 
Review and Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide 
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8170; 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 persons who are or may be required to 
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) or the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); environmental, human health, and agricultural 
advocates; pesticides users; and members of the public interested in 
the use of pesticides. 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 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/. 
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/.
    To access RED documents and RED fact sheets electronically, go 
directly to the REDs table on the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs Home 
Page, at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket ID number OPP-2002-0252. 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 docket ID number OPP-2002-0252 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

[[Page 59503]]

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/
8.0/9.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic form must be 
identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0252. 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 or collection 
activity.
    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 
ID 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

A. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    The Agency has issued REDs for the pesticide active ingredients 
listed in this document. Under the FIFRA, as amended in 1988, EPA is 
conducting an accelerated reregistration program to reevaluate existing 
pesticides to make sure they meet current scientific and regulatory 
standards. The data base to support the reregistration of each of the 
chemicals listed in this document is substantially complete, and each 
pesticide's risks have been mitigated so that it will not pose 
unreasonable risks to people or the environment when used according to 
its approved labeling. In addition, EPA is reevaluating existing 
pesticides and reassessing tolerances under the Food Quality Protection 
Act (FQPA) of 1996. The pesticides included in this notice also have 
been found to meet the FQPA safety standard.
    All registrants of pesticide products containing one or more of the 
active ingredients listed in this document have been sent the 
appropriate REDs, and must respond to labeling requirements and product 
specific data requirements (if applicable) within 8 months of receipt. 
Products also containing other pesticide active ingredients will not be 
reregistered until those other active ingredients are determined to be 
eligible for reregistration.
    The reregistration program is being conducted under 
Congressionally-mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes both the need 
to make timely reregistration decisions and to involve the public. 
Therefore, EPA is issuing these REDs as final documents with a 60-day 
comment period. Although the 60-day public comment period does not 
affect the registrant's response due date, it is intended to provide an 
opportunity for public input and a mechanism for initiating any 
necessary amendments to the REDs. All comments will be carefully 
considered by the Agency. If any comment significantly affects a RED, 
EPA will amend the RED by publishing the amendment in the Federal 
Register.

B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

    The legal authority for these REDs falls under FIFRA, as amended in 
1988 and 1996. Section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA directs that, after 
submission of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the 
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active 
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in product 
specific data on individual end-use products, and either reregistering 
products or taking ``other appropriate regulatory action.''

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: September 13, 2002.
 Lois Ann Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-24095 Filed 9-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S