[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56756-56758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21068]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2004-0033; FRL-7675-4]


Rodenticides; Availability of Revised Comparative Ecological Risk 
Assessment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notices announces the availability of the revised 
comparative ecological risk assessment and related documents for nine 
rodenticides, which includes those addressed in the Reregistration 
Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for zinc phosphide and the rodenticide 
cluster (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, bromethalin, chlorophacinone, and 
diphacinone), as well as three other rodenticides, warfarin, 
difethialone, and cholecalciferol. This notice also opens a 60-day 
public participation period during which the public is encouraged to 
submit risk management ideas or proposals. These actions are designed 
to further efforts to engage stakeholders in a dialogue on risk 
reduction and risk management.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket identificationnumber OPP-2004-
0033, must be received by EPA on or before November 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, or 
through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as 
provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly White, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-8401; 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 revised 
risk assessments and submitting risk management comments on these nine 
rodenticides, including environmental, human health, and agricultural 
advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and members of the 
public interested in the use of pesticides. As such, the Agency has not 
attempted to specifically describe all of the entities potentially 
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-2004-0033. 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, 1801 S. Bell St., 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/. In addition, copies of the 
revised comparative ecological risk assessment for nine rodenticides 
may also be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/rodenticidecluster/.
    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. Once in the system, select ``search,'' 
then key in the appropriate docket ID number.
    Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA Dockets. 
Information claimed as CBI and other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public 
docket, will not be available for public viewing

[[Page 56757]]

in EPA's electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted 
material will not be placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will 
be available only in printed, paper form in the official public docket. 
To the extent feasible, publicly available docket materials will be 
made available in EPA's electronic public docket. When a document is 
selected from the index list in EPA Dockets, the system will identify 
whether the document is available for viewing in EPA's electronic 
public docket. 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. 
EPA intends to work towards providing electronic access to all of the 
publicly available docket materials through EPA's electronic public 
docket.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is 
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, 
will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public 
docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EPA's 
electronic public docket. The entire printed comment, including the 
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket.
    Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or 
delivered to the docket will be transferred to EPA's electronic public 
docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the Docket will 
be scanned and placed in EPA's electronic public docket. Where 
practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the photograph 
will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along with a brief 
description written by the docket staff.

C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand 
delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the 
appropriate docket ID number in the subject line on the first page of 
your comment. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the 
specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the 
comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider 
these late comments. If you wish to submit CBI or information that is 
otherwise protected by statute, please follow the instructions in Unit 
I.D. Do not use EPA Dockets or e-mail to submit CBI or information 
protected by statute.
    1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as 
prescribed in this unit, EPA recommends that you include your name, 
mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in 
the body of your comment. Also include this contact information on the 
outside of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter 
accompanying the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be 
identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact 
you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
or needs further information on the substance of your comment. EPA's 
policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, and any identifying or 
contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included 
as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, 
and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot 
read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you 
for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    i. EPA Dockets. Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to 
submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for 
receiving comments. Go directly to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. 
Once in the system, select ``search,'' andthen key in docket ID number 
OPP-2004-0033. The system is an ``anonymous access'' system, which 
means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.
    ii. E-mail. Comments may be sent by e-mail to [email protected], 
Attention: Docket ID number OPP-2004-0033. In contrast to EPA's 
electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an ``anonymous 
access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to the docket 
without going through EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail 
system automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses 
that are automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as 
part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and 
made available in EPA's electronic public docket.
    iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM 
that you mail to the mailing address identified in Unit I.C.2. These 
electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file 
format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    2. By mail. Send your comments to: Public Information and Records 
Integrity Branch (PIRIB) (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001, Attention: Docket ID number OPP-2004-0033.
    3. By hand delivery or courier. Deliver your comments to: Public 
Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Office of Pesticide 
Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 
2, 1801 S. Bell St., Arlington, VA, Attention: Docket ID 
number OPP-2004-0033. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
docket's normal hours of operation as identified in Unit I.B.1.

D. 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.

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.

[[Page 56758]]

    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. What Action is EPA Taking in this Notice?

    EPA is making available for public viewing the revised comparative 
ecological risk assessment and related documents for nine rodenticides, 
which includes those addressed in the Reregistration Eligibility 
Decisions (REDs) for zinc phosphide and the rodenticide cluster 
(brodifacoum, bromadiolone, bromethalin, chlorophacinone, diphacinone), 
as well as three other rodenticides, warfarin, difethialone, and 
cholecalciferol. Included among the documents being released to the 
public through this notice is EPA's response to comments on the 
preliminary comparative ecological risk assessment. The preliminary 
assessment was released to the public through a notice in the Federal 
Register on January 29, 2003 (FR 68 4468)(FRL-7280-6). Also being 
published is a memorandum summarizing the revisions to the preliminary 
comparative ecological risk assessment that are reflected in the 
revised assessment, and a document that details the use patterns of the 
nine rodenticide active ingredients.
    The Agency notes that the comparative ecological risk assessment 
for the rodenticides is revised; however, further refinements may be 
appropriate. Risk assessment documents 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.
    This notice begins a 60-day public participation period during 
which the public is encouraged to submit risk management proposals or 
otherwise comment on risk management for the nine rodenticides listed 
in this notice. Such comments and proposals could address ideas about 
how to manage ecological risks associated with particular uses of any 
of the nine rodenticides. For example, commenters may suggest ways to 
reduce environmental exposure, e.g., exposure to birds, fish, mammals, 
and other non-target organisms. During the comment period, stakeholders 
are also encouraged to comment on the document titled ``Analysis of 
Rodenticide Bait Use'' and/or to provide additional information related 
to the use and importance of these nine rodenticide products. The 
Agency recongnizes that there are public health and other benefits 
associated with the use of rodenticide baits, and will consider those 
benefits in reaching a risk management decision.
    During the public comment period, EPA plans to work with the United 
States Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National 
Marine Fisheries Service, the United States Department of Defense, and 
other interested stakeholders to identify and propose mitigation 
measures to reduce risks while maintaining the key benefits of the 
rodenticides. If you wish to participate in this process, please 
consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 
Failure to participate or comment as part of this opportunity will in 
no way prejudice or limit a commenter's opportunity to participate 
fully in later notice and comment processes. All comments and proposals 
must be received by EPA on or before November 22, 2004 at the addresses 
given under the ADDRESSES section. Comments and proposals will become 
part of the Agency record for each rodenticide to which it pertains.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: August 25, 2004.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 04-21068 Filed 9-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S