[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 175 (Monday, September 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53795-53796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18076]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2005-0125; FRL-7738-4]


Metam Sodium Risk Assessment; Notice of Avaiabilty; Extension of 
Comment Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: EPA issued a notice in the Federal Register of July 13, 2005, 
concerning the availability of EPA's human health risk assessment and 
related documents for the fumigant metam sodium. This document is

[[Page 53796]]

extending the comment period for 30 days, from September 12, 2005, to 
October 12, 2005.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 12, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number 
OPP-2005-0125 may be submitted electronically, by mail, or through hand 
delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit 
I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of the July 13, 2005 Federal 
Register document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dirk Helder, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-4610; fax 
number: (703) 308-8041; e-mail address:[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

     The Agency included in the July 13, 2005 Federal Register document 
a list of those who may be potentially affected by this action. If you 
have 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-2005-0125. 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.

C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

     To submit comments, or access the official public docket, please 
follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit I.C. of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of the July 13, 2005 Federal Register 
document. If you have questions, consult the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. What Action is EPA Taking?

     This document extends the public comment period established in the 
Federal Register of July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40333) (FRL-7722-1). In that 
document, EPA made available the human health risk assessment for metam 
sodium and metam potassium. They are non-selective pre-plant soil 
fumigants with fungicidal, herbicidal, insecticidal, and nematicidal 
properties. Metam sodium is one of the most widely used agricultural 
pesticides in the U.S. and is presently registered on a wide variety of 
crop groups including: root and tuber vegetables; bulb vegetables; 
leafy vegetables; Brassica (cole) leafy vegetables; legume vegetables; 
fruiting vegetables; cucurbit vegetables; citrus fruits; pome fruits; 
stone fruits; berries; tree nuts; cereal grains; nongrass livestock 
feeds; and herbs and spices. Metam sodium may be applied to plant beds 
as a soil drench treatment. It may also be applied to field or row 
crops during pre-plant and postharvest stages via chemigation, soil 
broadcast treatment, soil band treatment, soil-incorporated treatment, 
and soil-injection treatment. An estimated 51 million pounds of metam 
sodium is applied annually. Lesser amounts of metam potassium are used 
in the U.S.; unless further qualified or specified, use of the term 
``metam sodium'' should be assumed to also include ``metam potassium.'' 
EPA is hereby extending the comment period, which was set to end on 
September 12, 2005, to October 12, 2005. The Agency received a request 
from the Society of American Florists and is therefore, granting the 
extension based on the volume and complexity of the documents to be 
reviewed.

List of Subjects

     Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: September 7, 2005.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 05-18076 Filed 9-8-05; 2:30 pm]
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