[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77783-77784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31907]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0307; FRL-7281-1]


Organophosphate Pesticide; Availability of Naled Interim Risk 
Management Decision Document

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the interim risk

[[Page 77784]]

 management decision (IRED) document for the organophosphate pesticide 
naled. 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).

DATES: The interim risk management decision document is available in 
the OPP Docket under docket ID number OPP-2002-0307.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Myers, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8589; 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 naled, 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 Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket ID number OPP-2002-0307. The official public docket 
consists of the document 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.
    For questions on the IRED in this document, contact the Chemical 
Review Manager listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of naled and reached an IRED for this 
organophosphate pesticide. Provided that risk mitigation measures are 
adopted, naled fits into its own risk cup--its individual, aggregate 
risks are within acceptable levels. Used mainly to control mosquitos 
and to control insects on a variety of agricultural crops, naled 
residues in food and drinking water do not pose risk concerns. Naled 
may no longer be used in and around the home by residents or 
professional applicators. However, residents can be exposed as 
bystanders from wide-area mosquito control applications. With 
mitigation limiting homeowners' and children's exposure, naled fits 
into its own ``risk cup.'' With other mitigation measures, naled's 
worker and ecological risks are also below levels of concern for 
reregistration.
    The interim risk management decision document for naled 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 this interim risk management decision document, which 
conclude, the pilot public participation process for naled. As part of 
the pilot public participation process, numerous opportunities for 
public comment were offered as this interim risk management decision 
document was being developed. The naled interim risk management 
decision document, therefore, is issued without a formal public comment 
period concluding review of the individual organophosphate pesticide. 
The docket remains open, however, and any comments submitted in the 
future will be placed in the public docket.
    The risk assessments for naled were released to the public through 
notices published in the Federal Register on August 12, 1998 (63 FR 
43175) (FRL-6024-3), 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. This interim 
risk management decision document on naled 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 naled and further risk mitigation measures 
may be needed.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: December 7, 2002.
Betty Shackleford,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-31907 Filed 12-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S