[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77491-77492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31361]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0295; FRL-7279-2]


Tetrachlorvinphos; Availability of Interim Risk Management 
Decision Document

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the interim risk 
management decision document for tetrachlorvinphos. This decision 
document has been developed as part of the public participation process 
that EPA and the 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: 
Demson Fuller, Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508C), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 308-8062; 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 interim 
risk management decision document for tetrachlorvinphos, 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 and pets. 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 Copies of This Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPP-2002-0295. The 
official public docket consists of the documents specifically 
referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other 
information related to this action. Although a part of the official 
docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute. The official public docket is the collection of materials 
that is available for public viewing at the Public Information and 
Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The docket telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may 
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official 
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that 
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be 
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly 
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in 
Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 
appropriate docket ID number.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of tetrachlorvinphos and reached an 
Interim Tolerance Reassessment Eligibility Decision (TRED) or a Report 
on FQPA Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Interim Risk Management 
Decision for this pesticide. With risk mitigation measures adopted, 
tetrachlorvinphos fits into its own risk cup-its individual, aggregate 
risks are within acceptable levels. The RED for tetrachlorvinphos was 
completed in 1995. At that time, the Agency assessed the risk for 
dietary, occupational, ecological, and residential concerns. With the 
passage of FQPA, the tolerances for tetrachlorvinphos needed to be 
reassessed according to the FQPA safety standard. In this current 
assessment, the Agency looked at dietary, residential and occupational 
concerns.
    Tetrachlorvinphos is currently applied dermally to livestock to 
control flies and mites; used as a feed-through (oral) larvicide in 
cattle, hogs, goats, and horses; in cattle ear tags to control flies; 
and in poultry production to control beetles, flies, and mites. 
Tetrachlorvinphos also is used as a dust/powder, aerosol, and pump 
spray on pets and in pet sleeping areas, and in collars and shampoos 
for direct treatment of pets. It is used as a spray to control nuisance 
and public health pests (flies) in and around refuse sites, 
recreational areas, and for general outdoor treatment.
    Dietary risks from eating food items containing residues of 
tetrachlorvinphos are below the level of concern for the entire U.S. 
population, including infants and children. Drinking water is not a 
significant source of exposure. Residential handler and post 
application risks were also not of concern for all exposure scenarios. 
However, the Agency has concern over

[[Page 77492]]

the potential for over-application of powder products. Labels need to 
be modified to specify how much product to apply to treat pets of 
different sizes. Additionally, based on discussions with stakeholders, 
EPA believes that directions for outdoor uses as premise sprays around 
kennels, yards, campgrounds, and parks, and along foot paths and 
roadways leading to such areas, must clearly limit use to spot 
treatments only.
    Worker risks for most scenarios are not of concern if measures to 
reduce exposure, such as personal protective equipment, are used. 
However, use of the EC formulation as a paint-on poses high risks to 
workers despite the maximum protection feasible. Therefore this use 
will be removed from product labels. For other scenarios, such as 
applying dusts with power dusting equipment, additional data are needed 
to confirm that risks to workers will not be excessive.
    In addition, EPA has determined that labels for tetrachlorvinphos 
feed-through products for horses must state that the product is a 
chlolinesterase inhibitor, describe signs of cholinesterase inhibition 
in horses, caution against the use with other cholinesterase inhibiting 
compounds, and direct horse owners to consult a veterinarian before 
using products containing tetrachlorvinphos on debilitated, aged, 
breeding, pregnant or nursing animals.
    The interim risk management decision document for tetrachlorvinphos 
was 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 
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 interim risk management decision documents, which 
conclude the pilot public participation process for tetrachlorvinphos. 
As part of the pilot public participation process, numerous 
opportunities for public comment were offered as these interim risk 
management decision documents were being developed. The 
tetrachlorvinphos interim risk management decision document therefore 
is 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 tetrachlorvinphos were released to the 
public through a notice published in the Federal Register of January 
15, 1999 (64 FR 2644) (FRL-6056-9) and March 27, 2000 (65 FR 16197) 
(FRL-6551-4). Addenda to these assessments are also available in the 
public docket.
    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 document on tetrachlorvinphos cannot be 
considered final until this cumulative assessment is complete.
    When the cumulative risk assessment for the organophosphate 
pesticides has been completed, EPA will issue its final tolerance 
reassessment decision for tetrachlorvinphos and further risk mitigation 
measures may be needed.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: December 3, 2002.
 Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-31361 Filed 12-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S