[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7873-7875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-791]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0694; FRL-8115-9]


Pine Oil and Propylene Glycol and Dipropylene Glycol 
Reregistration Eligibility Decisions; Notice of Availability

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  This notice announces the availability of EPA's 
Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the pesticides pine oil 
and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol and opens a public comment 
period on these documents. The Agency's risk assessments and other 
related documents also are available in the pine oil and propylene 
glycol and dipropylene glycol Dockets. Pine oil is an antimicrobial 
used for sanitizing and disinfecting in residential and commercial/
institutional settings. Propylene glycol is used in air sanitization 
and hard surface disinfection and dipropylene glycol is used in air 
sanitization. EPA has reviewed pine oil and propylene glycol and 
dipropylene glycol 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.

DATES:  Comments must be received on or before April 23, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number, by one of the following methods: For pine oil, docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2004-0302 and for propylene 
glycol and dipropylene glycol, docket identification (ID) number EPA-
HQ-OPP-2006-0831.
      Federal eRulemaking 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 
Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., 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 the following docket ID 
numbers: for pine oil docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-
2004-0302; and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol, docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0831. 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 Bldg.), 
2777 S. Crystal Dr., 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:  For Pine Oil: ShaRon Carlisle, 
Antimicrobials Division (7510P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-6427; fax 
number: (703) 308-8481; e-mail address: [email protected].
     For Propylene Glycol and Dipropylene Glycol: Michelle Centra, 
Antimicrobials Division (7510P), Office of Pesticide

[[Page 7874]]

Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-2476; fax 
number: (703) 308-8481; 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?

     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 Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the 
pesticides, pine oil and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol under 
section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Pine oil is an antimicrobial used for 
sanitizing and disinfecting in residential and commercial/institutional 
settings. Propylene glycol is used in air sanitization and hard surface 
disinfection and dipropylene glycol is used in air sanitization. Pest 
(fleas, mites, red lice, and various bacteria and viruses) control for 
pets (cats, dogs, and birds) is also a major active use for propylene 
glycol.
    EPA has determined that the data base to support reregistration is 
substantially complete and that products containing pine oil and 
propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol are eligible for 
reregistration, provided the risks are mitigated either in the manner 
described in the RED or by another means that achieves equivalent risk 
reduction. 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 pine oil and 
propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol.
     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 pine oil and propylene glycol and 
dipropylene glycol 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)(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, pine oil and propylene 
glycol and dipropylene glycol were reviewed through the modified 4-
Phase process. Through this process, EPA worked extensively with 
stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory decisions for pine 
oil and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol.
     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. The Agency is 
issuing the pine oil and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol REDs 
for public comment. This comment period is intended to provide an 
additional opportunity for public input and a mechanism for initiating 
any necessary amendments to the RED. All comments should be submitted 
using the methods in ADDRESSES, and must be received by EPA on or 
before the closing date. These comments will become part of the Agency 
Docket for pine oil and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol. 
Comments received after the close of the comment period will be marked 
``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these late comments.
     The Agency will carefully consider all comments received by the 
closing date and will provide a Response to Comments Memorandum in the 
Docket and regulations.gov. If any comment significantly affects the 
document, EPA also will publish an amendment to the RED in the Federal 
Register. In the absence of substantive comments requiring changes, the 
pine oil and propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol REDs will be 
implemented as it is now presented.

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

[[Page 7875]]

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 was completed by 
August 3, 2006.

List of Subjects

     Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Pine oil, 
Propylene glycol and Dipropylene glycol.

    Dated: February 12, 2007.
Betty Shackleford,
Acting Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 07-791 Filed 2-16-07; 2:27 pm]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S