[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66518-66520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19360]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0163; FRL-8099-7]


Aldicarb Revised Risk Assessments; Notice of Availability and 
Solicitation of Risk Reduction Options

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's revised risk 
assessments for the N-methyl carbamate pesticide aldicarb. In addition, 
this notice solicits public comment on risk reduction options for 
aldicarb, as well as an initial impacts and/or preliminary benefits 
assessmentfor a number of

[[Page 66519]]

aldicarb uses. The public is encouraged to suggest risk management 
ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is developing 
an Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) for aldicarb 
through the full, 6-Phase public participation process that the Agency 
uses to involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration and 
tolerance reassessment decisions. Subsequently, EPA will complete the 
cumulative assessment for N-methyl carbamate pesticides, including 
aldicarb. Additional risk mitigation for dietary concerns may be 
necessary for aldicarb at that time. Through these programs, EPA is 
ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 16, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0163, by one of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public 
Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
     Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), 
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South 
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The 
Docket telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2005-0163. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-
mail. The Federal regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through 
regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and 
included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made 
available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA 
recommends that you include your name and other contact information in 
the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. 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. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, 
any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index. 
Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly 
available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted 
material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available 
only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are 
available either in the electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP 
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South 
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. The hours of operation 
of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket telephone number is (703) 
305-5805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Perry, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-0128; 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. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

     1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through 
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the 
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or 
CD ROM that you mail to EPA, 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 claimed as CBI. In addition to one 
complete version of the comment that includes 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. 
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments, 
remember to:
    i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying 
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
     ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to 
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
    iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and 
substitute language for your requested changes.
    iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information 
and/or data that you used.
    v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you 
arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be 
reproduced.
    vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and 
suggest alternatives.
    vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of 
profanity or personal threats.
    viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period 
deadline identified.

II. Background

A. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is making available the Agency's revised risk assessments, 
initially issued for comment through a Federal Register notice 
published on May 17, 2006 (71 FR 28693) (FRL-8064-8 ); a response to 
comments; and related documents for aldicarb. EPA is encouraging the 
public to submit information and suggestions for the risk management of 
aldicarb to

[[Page 66520]]

aid the Agency in its reregistration decision for this chemical (please 
refer to the Note to Reader in the aldicarb public docket). EPA is also 
soliciting public comment on preliminary benefits assessments for 
specific crops. EPA developed the risk assessments for aldicarb as part 
of its public process for making pesticide reregistration eligibility 
and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is 
ensuring that pesticides meet current standards under the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality 
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
    Aldicarb is a restricted use systemic insecticide, acaricide and 
nematicide used to control leaf phylloxera; bud moth; citrus nematode 
(suppression); aphids; mites; white flies; thrips; fleahoppers, 
leafminers; leafhoppers; overwintering boll weevil; lygus; nematodes 
(suppression); cotton leaf perforator; seedcorn maggot; Mexican bean 
beetle; flea beetles; Colorado potato beetle; greenbug; chinch bug; 
three cornered alfalfa hopper (suppression); and sugar beet root 
maggot. Aldicarb is registered for use on agricultural crops including 
citrus, cotton, dry beans, peanuts, pecans, potatoes, sorghum, 
soybeans, sugar beets, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and seed alfalfa 
(CA). In addition, aldicarb may be applied to field grown ornamentals 
(CA) and tobacco, and on coffee grown in Puerto Rico. There are no 
aldicarb products intended for sale to homeowners or for use in 
residential settings.
    EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for 
interested parties to provide risk management proposals or otherwise 
comment on risk management for aldicarb. Risks of concern associated 
with the use of aldicarb are: risks from rural drinking water wells in 
peanut/cotton growing regions in the southern coastal plain (Alabama, 
Georgia, South Carolina), ecological risks to mammals, birds, fish and 
aquatic invertebrates. In targeting these risks of concern, the Agency 
solicits information on effective and practical risk reduction 
measures.
    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)(FRL-7357-9), 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, aldicarb is being reviewed 
through the full 6-Phase public participation process.
    All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES, 
and must be received by EPA on or before the closing date. Comments and 
proposals will become part of the Agency Docket for aldicarb. Comments 
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late'' 
EPA is not required to consider these late comments.
    After considering comments received, EPA will develop and issue for 
comment the aldicarb IRED. Further risk mitigation measures may be 
needed when EPA considers its cumulative assessment of the N-methyl 
carbamate pesticides.

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 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.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: November 8, 2006.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. E6-19360 Filed 11-14-06; 8:45 am]
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