[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75805-75807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24261]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268; FRL-7745-8]


Notice of Filing of a Pesticide Petition for Establishment of a 
Regulation for Residues of Poly(hexamethylenebiguaanide) Hydrochloride 
(PHMB) in or on all Food Commodities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the initial filing of a pesticide 
petition proposing the establishment of a regulation for an exemption 
from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the antimicrobial 
poly(hexamethylenebiguaanide) hydrochloride (PHMB) in or on all food 
commodities when the residues are the result of the lawful application 
of a food contact surface sanitizer containing PHMB at 550 parts per 
million (ppm).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 20, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number 
EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268 and pesticide petition (PP) number PP 5F6975, may 
be submitted electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery or 
courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit I. of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Heyward, Antimicrobials Division 
(7511C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone 
number: (703) 308-6422; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an 
agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. 
Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to:
     Crop production (NAICS code 111).
     Animal production (NAICS code 112).
     Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311).
     Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532).
    This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides 
a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this 
action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be 
affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 
codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining 
whether this action might apply to certain entities. 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 EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268. 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 document electronically 
through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' listings 
athttp://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    EDOCKET, EPA's electronic public docket and comment system was 
replaced on November 25, 2005, by an enhanced federal-wide electronic 
docket management and comment system located at http://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the on-line instructions.
    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, to 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

[[Page 75806]]

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.
    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 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 athttp://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 
EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268. 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 EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268. 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 EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-
0268.
    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 EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268. 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

[[Page 75807]]

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.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this 
notice.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action and the pesticide petition number in 
the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also 
provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation related to your 
comments.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is printing a summary of a pesticide petition received under 
section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 
U.S.C. 346a, proposing the establishment of a regulation in 40 CFR part 
180 for residues of the antimicrobial poly(hexamethylenebiguaanide) 
hydrochloride (PHMB) in or on all food commodities when the residues 
are the result of the lawful application of a food contact surface 
sanitizer containing PHMB at 550 ppm. EPA has determined that the 
pesticide petition contains data or information regarding the elements 
set forth in FFDCA section 408(d)(2); however, EPA has not fully 
evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether 
the data support granting of the pesticide petition. Additional data 
may be needed before EPA rules on the pesticide petition.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 180.7(f), a summary of the petition prepared by 
the petitioner is available on EPA's Electronic Docket at http://www.regulations.gov/. To locate this information on the home page of 
EPA's Electronic Docket, select ``Quick Search'' and type the OPP 
docket ID number ``EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0268'' in the search field. Once the 
search has located the docket, clicking on the ``Docket ID'' will bring 
up a list of all documents in the docket for the pesticide including 
the petition summary.

Exemption from the Requirement of a Tolerance

    PP 5F6975. Arch Chemicals, Inc., 1955 Lake Park Drive, Suite 100, 
Smyrna, GA 30080, proposes to establish an exemption from the 
requirement of a tolerance for residues of the antimicrobial PHMB in or 
on all food commodities when the residues are the result of the lawful 
application of a food contact surface sanitizer containing PHMB at 550 
ppm. Because this petition is a request for an exemption from the 
requirement of a tolerance, an analytical method is not required at 
this time.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Agricultural commodities, Feed additives, 
Food additives, Pesticides and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    Dated: November 29, 2005.
Frank Sanders,
Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 05-24261 Filed 12-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S