[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 108 (Monday, June 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36301-36303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13299]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0794; FRL-9945-06]


Atrazine, Simazine, and Propazine Registration Review; Draft 
Ecological Risk Assessments; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's draft 
ecological risk assessments for the registration review of atrazine, 
propazine, and simazine and opens a public comment period on these 
documents. 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, the pesticide can perform 
its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human 
health or the environment. As part of the registration review process, 
the Agency has completed comprehensive draft ecological risk 
assessments for all atrazine, propazine, and simazine uses. After 
reviewing comments received during the public comment period, EPA may 
issue revised risk assessments, explain any changes to the draft risk 
assessments, respond to comments, and may request public input on risk 
mitigation before completing proposed registration review decisions for 
atrazine, propazine, and simazine. 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 August 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0794, 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), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 
20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand 
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the 
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html. 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: The Chemical Review Manager listed in Table 1 of Unit III.
    For general questions on the registration review program, contact: 
Richard Dumas, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone

[[Page 36302]]

number: (703) 308-8015; 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 Chemical Review Manager listed in Table 1 of Unit III.

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 preparing and submitting 
your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.
    3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental 
justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, 
including minority and/or low income populations, in the development, 
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and 
policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, the 
Agency seeks information on any groups or segments of the population 
who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other 
factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human 
health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticides 
discussed in this document, compared to the general population.

II. Authority

    EPA is conducting its registration review of atrazine, simazine, 
and propazine pursuant to section 3(g) of the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Procedural Regulations 
for Registration Review at 40 CFR part 155, subpart C. Section 3(g) of 
FIFRA provides, among other things, that the registrations of 
pesticides are to be reviewed every 15 years. Under FIFRA, a pesticide 
product may be registered or remain registered only if it meets the 
statutory standard for registration given in FIFRA section 3(c)(5) (7 
U.S.C. 136a(c)(5)). When used in accordance with widespread and 
commonly recognized practice, the pesticide product must perform its 
intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on the 
environment; that is, without any unreasonable risk to man or the 
environment, or a human dietary risk from residues that result from the 
use of a pesticide in or on food.

III. Registration Reviews

    As directed by FIFRA section 3(g), EPA is reviewing the pesticide 
registrations for atrazine, simazine, and propazine to ensure that they 
continue to satisfy the FIFRA standard for registration--that is, that 
atrazine, simazine, and propazine can still be used without 
unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment.

Table 1--Draft Risk Assessments Being Made Available for Public Comment--
                                Triazines
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                                                      Chemical review
 Registration review case name    Docket ID No.     manager and contact
            and No.                                     information
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Atrazine 0062.................  EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0  Marianne Mannix,
                                 266.               [email protected], (703) 347-0275.
Simazine 0070.................  EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0  Steven Snyderman,
                                 251.               [email protected], (703) 347-
                                                    0249.
Propazine, 0230...............  EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0  Steven Snyderman,
                                 250.               [email protected], (703) 347-
                                                    0249.
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    Atrazine. Draft Ecological Risk Assessment (EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0266). 
Atrazine is one of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the 
United States. It is used primarily on corn, sorghum, and sugarcane to 
control broadleaf and grassy weeds in the Midwest. The draft atrazine 
ecological risk assessment evaluates risk to animals and plants. An 
endangered species assessment has not been completed for atrazine at 
this time. Atrazine was evaluated for its potential to affect endocrine 
systems in mammals and wildlife and the results of the Agency's review 
are found in the Weight of Evidence review in this Registration Review 
docket.
    Simazine. Draft Ecological Risk Assessment (EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0251). 
Simazine is an herbicide used to control broadleaf and grassy weeds on 
corn, citrus, tree nuts, pome fruits, stone fruits, berries, and 
grapes. The draft simazine ecological risk assessment evaluates risk to 
animals and plants. An endangered species assessment has not been 
completed for simazine at this time. Simazine was evaluated for its 
potential to affect endocrine systems in mammals and wildlife and the 
results of the Agency's review are found in the Weight of Evidence 
review in this Registration Review docket.
    Propazine. Ecological Risk Assessment (EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0250). 
Propazine is an herbicide used mainly to control broadleaf and grassy 
weeds on sorghum. The draft propazine ecological risk assessment 
evaluates risk to animals and plants. An endangered species assessment 
has not been completed for propazine at this time. Propazine has not 
been evaluated for its potential to affect endocrine systems in mammals 
and wildlife.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.53(c), EPA is providing an opportunity, 
through this notice of availability, for interested parties to provide 
comments and input concerning the Agency's draft ecological risk 
assessments for atrazine, simazine, and propazine. Such comments and 
input could address, among other things, the Agency's risk assessment 
methodologies and assumptions, as

[[Page 36303]]

applied to these draft risk assessments. The Agency will consider all 
comments received during the public comment period and make changes, as 
appropriate, to the draft ecological risk assessments. After reviewing 
comments received during the public comment period, EPA may issue 
revised risk assessments, explain any changes to the draft risk 
assessments, and respond to comments, and may request public input on 
risk mitigation before completing a proposed registration review 
decision for the identified pesticides.
    1. Other related information. Additional information specific to 
atrazine is available on the Pesticide Registration Review Status Web 
page for this pesticide, https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/atrazine-background-and-updates. Information on the 
Agency's registration review program and its implementing regulation is 
available at http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/registration_review.
    2. Information submission requirements. Anyone may submit data or 
information in response to this document. To be considered during a 
pesticide's registration review, the submitted data or information must 
meet the following requirements:
     To ensure that EPA will consider data or information 
submitted, interested persons must submit the data or information 
during the comment period. The Agency may, at its discretion, consider 
data or information submitted at a later date.
     The data or information submitted must be presented in a 
legible and useable form. For example, an English translation must 
accompany any material that is not in English and a written transcript 
must accompany any information submitted as an audiographic or 
videographic record. Written material may be submitted in paper or 
electronic form.
     Submitters must clearly identify the source of any 
submitted data or information.
     Submitters may request the Agency to reconsider data or 
information that the Agency rejected in a previous review. However, 
submitters must explain why they believe the Agency should reconsider 
the data or information in the pesticide's registration review.
    As provided in 40 CFR 155.58, the registration review docket for 
each pesticide case will remain publicly accessible through the 
duration of the registration review process; that is, until all actions 
required in the final decision on the registration review case have 
been completed.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: May 31, 2016.
Michael Goodis,
Acting Director, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-13299 Filed 6-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P