[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75061-75063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27366]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2004-0340; FRL-7689-8]


Disulfoton (Di-Syston 15G); Notice of Receipt of Request to 
Voluntarily Terminate Certain Uses

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a 
notice of receipt of a request by the registrant to voluntarily 
terminate the following uses of the 15% granular formulation of 
disulfoton (DiSyston 15G): Beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, 
cauliflower, cotton, peanuts, peppers, radish grown for seed, and 
clover grown for seed. The registrant will retain use of Di-Syston 15G 
on Fraser fir Christmas trees in North Carolina and coffee trees in 
Puerto Rico, provided that it is used with a new closed system 
applicator. DiSyston 15G is not the last disulfoton product registered 
for agricultural use in the United States. The registrant will retain 
the registration of DiSyston 8E, the liquid emulsifiable concentrate, 
which must also be used with closed systems. However, EPA intends to 
grant this request to terminate these uses at the close of the comment 
period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive 
comments within the comment period that would merit its further review 
of this request, or unless the registrant withdraws their request 
within this period. Upon acceptance of this request, any sale, 
distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be 
permitted only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with 
the terms as described in the final order.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2004-0340, must be 
received on or before June 13, 2005.

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: Christina Scheltema, Special Review 
and Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-2201; fax 
number: (703) 308-8005; 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, and may be of 
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human 
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide 
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution, 
or use of pesticides. Since others 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-2004-0340. 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/.
    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 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

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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,'' and then key in docket ID number 
OPP-2004-0340. 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-2004-0340. 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-2004-0340.
    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-2004-0340. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
docket's normal hours of operation as identified in Unit I.B.1.

D. How Should I Submit CBI to the Agency?

    Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI 
electronically through EPA's electronic public docket or by e-mail. You 
may claim information that you submit to EPA as CBI by marking any part 
or all of that information as CBI (if you submit CBI on disk or CD ROM, 
mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as CBI and then identify 
electronically within the disk or CD ROM the specific information that 
is 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 docket and EPA's electronic public docket. If you submit 
the copy that does not contain CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside 
of the disk or CD ROM clearly that it does not contain CBI. Information 
not marked as CBI will be included in the public docket and EPA's 
electronic public docket 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 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 your estimate.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternatives.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline 
identified.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket 
ID number in the subject line on the first page of your response. It 
would also be helpful if you provided the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation related to your comments.

II. Background on the Receipt of Request to Terminate Uses

    This notice announces receipt by EPA of a request from Bayer 
CropSciences to amend the product registration for DiSyston 15G to 
terminate most agricultural uses. In a letter dated September 30, 2004, 
Bayer CropSciences requested that EPA cancel all agricultural uses of 
DiSyston 15G except for use on Fraser firs in North Carolina and coffee 
trees in Puerto Rico where this product will be applied using a closed-
system hand applicator. In an earlier letter dated May 20, 2004, Bayer 
CropSciences indicated that they would voluntarily cancel these uses 
rather than develop the necessary exposure monitoring data specified in 
the Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED).
    DiSyston 15G (EPA Reg. Nos. 3125-172 and 264-723), the 15% granular 
formulation of disulfoton, is currently registered for use on beans, 
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, coffee trees, cotton, peanuts, 
peppers, radish grown for seed, clover grown for seed, and Christmas 
trees. These uses were determined to be eligible for reregistration in 
the Agency's 2002 IRED for disulfoton provided that certain conditions 
were met, including implementation of closed systems and development of 
confirmatory exposure monitoring data. Because disulfoton is an 
organophosphate (OP), the final reregistration eligiblity decision is 
pending consideration of the OP cumulative risk assessment.

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    This notice announces receipt by EPA of a request from a registrant 
to terminate uses of disulfoton product registrations. The affected 
products and

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the registrants making the request are identified in Tables 1 and 2 of 
this unit.
    Under section 6(f)(1)(A) of FIFRA, registrants may request, at any 
time, that their pesticide registrations be canceled or amended to 
terminate one or more pesticide uses. Section 6(f)(1)(B) of FIFRA 
requires that before acting on a request for voluntary cancellation, 
EPA must provide a 30-day public comment period on the request for 
voluntary cancellation or use termination. In addition, section 
6(f)(1)(C) of FIFRA requires that EPA provide a 180-day comment period 
on a request for voluntary cancellation or termination of any minor 
agricultural use before granting the request, unless:
    1. The registrants request a waiver of the comment period, or
    2. The Administrator determines that continued use of the pesticide 
would pose an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment.
    Unless a request is withdrawn by the registrant within 180 days of 
publication of this notice, or if the Agency determines that there are 
substantive comments that warrant further review of this request, an 
order will be issued amending the affected registrations.

  Table 1.--Disulfoton Product Registrations with Pending Requests for
                                Amendment
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      EPA Registration No.           Product Name           Company
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3125-172                          DiSyston 15G        Bayer CropSciences
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264-723                           DiSyston 15G        Bayer CropSciences
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    Table 2 of this unit includes the name and address of record for 
the registrant of the products listed in Table 1 of this unit.

Table 2.--Registrant Requesting Voluntary Cancellation and/or Amendments
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             EPA Company No.                 Company Name and Address
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264 (formerly 3125)                        Bayer CropSciences, 2 T.W.
                                            Alexander Drive, Research
                                            Triangle Park, NC 277709
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IV. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

    Section 6(f)(1) of FIFRA provides that a registrant of a pesticide 
product may at any time request that any of its pesticide registrations 
be canceled or amended to terminate one or more uses. FIFRA further 
provides that, before acting on the request, EPA must publish a notice 
of receipt of any such request in the Federal Register. Thereafter, 
following the public comment period, the Administrator may approve such 
a request.

V. Procedures for Withdrawal of Request and Considerations for 
Reregistration of Disulfoton

    Registrants who choose to withdraw a request for cancellation must 
submit such withdrawal in writing to the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, postmarked before June 13, 2005. This 
written withdrawal of the request for cancellation will apply only to 
the applicable FIFRA section 6(f)(1) request listed in this notice. If 
the products(s) have been subject to a previous cancellation action, 
the effective date of cancellation and all other provisions of any 
earlier cancellation action are controlling.

VI. Provisions for Disposition of Existing Stocks

    Existing stocks are those stocks of registered pesticide products 
which are currently in the United States and which were packaged, 
labeled, and released for shipment prior to the effective date of the 
cancellation action. If the request for use termination is granted, the 
Agency intends to issue a cancellation order that will allow persons 
other than the registrant to continue to sell and/or use existing 
stocks of cancelled products until such stocks are exhausted, provided 
that such use is consistent with the terms of the previously approved 
labeling on, or that accompanied, the cancelled product. The order will 
specifically prohibit any use of existing stocks that is not consistent 
with such previously approved labeling. If, as the Agency currently 
intends, the final cancellation order contains the existing stocks 
provision just described, the order will be sent only to the affected 
registrants of the cancelled products. If the Agency determines that 
the final cancellation order should contain existing stocks provisions 
different than the ones just described, the Agency will publish the 
cancellation order in the Federal Register.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: December 6, 2004.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 04-27366 Filed 12-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S