[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18546-18547]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07102]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233; FRL-9908-77]


Office of Pesticide Programs; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the Services), are 
holding a one day workshop to provide a forum for stakeholders to offer 
scientific and technical feedback on the interim approaches that were 
issued in November 2013 by the EPA, USDA, and the Services in response 
to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report entitled, ``Assessing 
Risks to Endangered and Threatened Species from Pesticides''. The 
workshop is an opportunity for stakeholders and agencies to continue 
their dialogue on the technical aspects of implementing the NAS 
recommendations, building upon public meetings held in November and 
December 2013 and the implementation of the enhanced stakeholder 
engagement process that was finalized in March 2013. The workshop is 
not designed to, or intended to be a decision-making forum; consensus 
will not be sought or developed at the meeting. This public meeting 
furthers the agencies' goal of developing a consultation process for 
pesticide impacts on listed species that is efficient, inclusive, and 
transparent.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 22, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.
    Requests to participate in the meeting must be received on or 
before April 15, 2014. To request accommodation of a disability, please 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 
preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much 
time as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Office of Pesticide Programs, 
One Potomac Yard, 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202 in 
the 1st floor conference room. Webinar and teleconference information 
will be provided to participants requesting access via webinar and 
telephone.
    Requests to participate in the meeting, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233, may be submitted to 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Eiden, Pesticide Re-
evaluation Division (7508P) and the Environmental Fate and Effects 
Division (7507P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 305-7887; fax number: (703) 308-8005; 
email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 18547]]

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you develop, 
manufacture, formulate, sell, and/or apply pesticide products, and if 
you are interested in the potential impacts of pesticide use on listed 
species. The following list of North American Industrial Classification 
System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather 
provides a guide to help readers determine whether this document 
applies to them.
    Potentially affected entities may include:

 Crop production (NAICS code 111)
 Animal production (NAICS code 112)
 Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311)
 Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532)
 Other stakeholders who have an interest in potential impacts 
of pesticides on listed species

B. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    The docket for this action, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233, is available at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pesticide Programs Regulatory 
Public Docket (OPP Docket) in the Environmental Protection Agency 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001. The Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPP Docket is (703) 305-
5805. Please review the visitor instructions and additional information 
about the docket available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

II. Background

    The workshop is an opportunity for stakeholders and agencies to 
continue their dialogue on the technical aspects of implementing the 
NAS recommendations, building upon public meetings held in November and 
December 2013 and the implementation of the enhanced stakeholder 
engagement process that was finalized in March 2013. The workshop is 
not designed, or intended to be a decision-making forum; consensus will 
not be sought, or developed at the meeting.
    Stakeholders will be asked to provide scientific and technical 
information that could potentially be used by the agencies to inform 
various scientific determinations that will be made during the course 
of evaluation pesticides, including:
    1. Step 1, otherwise known as the ``May Affect'' threshold 
identified by NAS;
    2. Systematic methods for implementing ``Weight of Evidence'' 
analysis that consider both quantitative and qualitative data; and
    3. The consideration of uncertainty in the scientific assessment 
process.

While the focus of this public meeting is on the three topics noted in 
this unit, comments on all aspects of the materials previously provided 
to the public will be accepted. The agencies' interim approach document 
entitled, ``Interagency Approach for Implementation of the National 
Academy of Sciences Report'' (11/13/2013) and the presentation 
materials from the November 2013 stakeholder workshop are available at 
the following Web site: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/endanger/2013/nas.html.

    In addition to the scientific and technical information presented 
by stakeholders, representatives from Federal agencies will join the 
dialogue to ask clarifying questions of the presenters and to respond 
to questions regarding the pesticide registration process and 
Endangered Species Act consultation. The agencies see this forum as an 
integral component of the stakeholder engagement process developed for 
pesticide consultations and contributes to the agencies' commitment to 
adapt and refine the interim approaches as we progress through the 
initial consultations.

III. How can I request to participate in this meeting?

    You may submit a request to participate in this meeting to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Do not submit any 
information in your request that is considered CBI. Requests to 
participate in the meeting, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2014-0233, must be received on or before April 15, 2014.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, FIFRA/ESA consultations, Interim 
approaches, Pesticides, Threatened and endangered species.

    Dated: March 25, 2014.
Michael Goodis,
Acting Director, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2014-07102 Filed 4-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P