[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69554-69555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22619]


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 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2004-0369; FRL-7743-8]


Chloroneb; Reregistration Eligibility Decision

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Reregistration 
Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide chloroneb. The Agency's 
risk assessments and other related documents are also available in the 
chloroneb docket. Chloroneb (1,4-dichloro-2,5-dimethoxybenzene) is a 
systemic fungicide currently registered for seed treatment uses on 
beans (including cowpeas), cotton, lupine, soybeans, and sugar beets to 
protect against a variety of diseases such as seed rot, damping-off, 
blights, and other seedling diseases. Chloroneb is also registered on 
golf course and turf grasses, as well as ornamental plants to control 
blights. EPA has reviewed chloroneb through the public participation 
process that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing 
pesticide reregistration and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through 
these programs, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health 
and safety standards.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wilhelmena Livingston, Special Review 
and Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8025; fax 
number: (703) 308-8041; 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-2004-0369. 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 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. Background

A. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    Under section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating existing pesticides to 
ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. EPA 
has completed a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the 
pesticide, chloroneb under section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. The Agency has 
conducted human health and ecological risk assessments for chloroneb 
for the purposes of making a reregistration decision. The Agency has 
concluded its reregistration eligibility decision for chloroneb and 
determined that the chemical is eligible for reregistration provided 
that: (1) Current

[[Page 69555]]

data gaps and additional data needs are addressed; (2) the risk 
mitigation measures outlined in the RED document are adopted; and (3) 
label amendments are made to implement these measures. Upon submission 
of any required product specific data under section 4(g)(2)(B) and any 
necessary changes to the registration and labeling (either to address 
concerns identified in the RED or as a result of product specific 
data). EPA will make a final reregistration decision under section 
4(g)(2)(C) for products containing chloroneb.
    EPA must review tolerances and tolerance exemptions that were in 
effect when the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in 
August 1996, to ensure that these existing pesticide residue limits for 
food and feed commodities meet the safety standard established by the 
new law. Tolerances are considered reassessed once the safety finding 
has been made or a revocation occurs. EPA has reviewed and made the 
requisite safety finding for the chloroneb tolerances included in this 
notice.
    EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all 
pesticides undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. The 
Agency's Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Reregistration; Public 
Participation Process, published in the Federal Register on May 14, 
2004, (69 FR 26819) explains that in conducting these programs, EPA is 
tailoring its public participation process to be commensurate with the 
level of risk, extent of use, complexity of issues, and degree of 
public concern associated with each pesticide. Due to its uses, risks, 
and other factors, chloroneb was reviewed through the modified 4-Phase 
public participation process. Through this process, EPA worked 
extensively with stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory 
decisions for chloroneb.
    The reregistration program is being conducted under Congressionally 
mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes the need both to make timely 
decisions and to involve the public. A comment period is not needed 
because all issues related to this pesticide were resolved through 
consultations with stakeholders. The Agency therefore is issuing the 
chloroneb RED without a comment period.

B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

    Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA as amended, directs that, after submission 
of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the 
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active 
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in product 
specific data on individual end-use products and either reregistering 
products or taking other ``appropriate regulatory action.''
    Section 408(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 
21 U.S.C. 346a(q), requires EPA to review tolerances and exemptions for 
pesticide residues in effect as of August 2, 1996, to determine whether 
the tolerance or exemption meets the requirements of section 408(b)(2) 
or (c)(2) of FFDCA. This review is to be completed by August 3, 2006.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: November 7, 2005.
Peter Caulkins,
 Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 05-22619 Filed 11-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S