[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40880-40881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16195]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0878; FRL-9354-5]


Agrobacterium radiobacter; Registration Review Proposed Decision; 
Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's proposed 
registration review decision for the pesticide Agrobacterium 
radiobacter and opens a public comment period on the proposed decision. 
Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations 
to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory 
standard for registration, that is, that the pesticide can perform its 
intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health 
or the environment. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each 
pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other 
knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 10, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0878, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit 
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute.
     Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket 
Center (EPA/DC), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand 
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please

[[Page 40881]]

follow the instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.htm.
    Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along 
with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    For pesticide specific information, contact: Ann Sibold, Regulatory 
Action Leader, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 305-6502; fax number: (703) 308-7026; email address: 
[email protected].
    For general information on the registration review program, 
contact: Kevin Costello, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 305-5026; fax number: (703) 308-8090; email 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, farm worker, 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 regulatory action leader 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 email. 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?

    Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.58, this notice announces the availability 
of EPA's proposed registration review decision for the pesticide 
Agrobacterium radiobacter strains K84/Kerr-84 and K1026, Case 4101, and 
opens a 60-day public comment period on the proposed decision.
    Agrobacterium radiobacter is a naturally occurring soil bacterium 
present in many soil types. Two strains of Agrobacterium radiobacter, 
K84/Kerr-84 and K1026, are registered as microbial pesticides for 
control of Crown Gall (caused by the plant pathogen Agrobacterium 
tumefaciens) when applied to seeds, roots and/or stems of nonbearing 
fruit, nut and ornamental plants.
    The registration review docket for a pesticide includes earlier 
documents related to the registration review of the case. For example, 
the review opened with the posting of a Summary Document, containing a 
Preliminary Work Plan, for public comment. A Final Work Plan was posted 
to the docket following public comment on the initial docket.
    The documents in the docket describe EPA's rationales for 
conducting additional risk assessments for the registration review of 
Agrobacterium radiobacter, as well as the Agency's subsequent risk 
findings. This proposed registration review decision is supported by 
the rationales included in those documents. Following public comment, 
the Agency will issue a final registration review decision for products 
containing Agrobacterium radiobacter.
    The Agency will carefully consider all comments received by the 
closing date and will provide a ``Response to Comments Memorandum'' in 
the docket. The final registration review decision will explain the 
effect that any comments had on the decision and provide the Agency's 
response to significant comments.
    Background on the registration review program is provided at: 
http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/registration_review. Links to earlier 
documents related to the registration review of this pesticide are 
provided at: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/registration_review/agrobacterium_radiobacter/index.htm.

B. What is the Agency's authority for taking this action?

    Section 3(g) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide 
Act (FIFRA) provides authority for this registration review action.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Agrobacterium radiobacter, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: June 22, 2012.
Keith A. Matthews,
Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-16195 Filed 7-10-12; 8:45 am]
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