[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 167 (Monday, August 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 59215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20598]



[[Page 59215]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0715; FRL-9947-07-OEI]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submitted to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Tolerance Petitions for 
Pesticides on Food or Feed Crops and New Food Use Inert Ingredients

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has submitted the following information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: ``Tolerance 
Petitions for Pesticides on Food or Feed Crops and New Food Use Inert 
Ingredients'' (EPA ICR No. 0597.12, OMB Control No. 2070-0024). This is 
a request to renew the approval of an existing ICR, which is currently 
approved through August 31, 2016. EPA did not receive any comments in 
response to the previously provided public review opportunity issued in 
the Federal Register of December 24, 2015 (80 FR 80357). With this 
submission, EPA is providing an additional 30 days for public review.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPP-2015-0715, to both EPA and OMB as follows:
    [ssquf] To EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method) or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and
    [ssquf] To OMB via email to [email protected]. Address 
comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information for which disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amaris Johnson, Field and External 
Affairs Division (7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (703) 305-9542; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Docket: Supporting documents, including the ICR that explains in 
detail the information collection activities and the related burden and 
cost estimates that are summarized in this document, are available in 
the docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, West William 
Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is (202) 
566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit 
http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2016. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or 
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending 
at OMB.
    Under PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., an agency may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
The OMB control numbers are displayed either by publication in the 
Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related 
collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB 
control numbers for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR 
part 9.
    Abstract: The use of pesticides to increase crop production often 
results in pesticide residues in or on the crop. To protect the public 
health from unsafe pesticide residues, EPA sets limits on the nature 
and level of residues permitted pursuant to section 408 of the Federal 
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). A pesticide may not be used on 
food or feed crops unless the Agency has established a tolerance 
(maximum residue limit) for the pesticide residues on that crop or 
established an exemption from the requirement to have a tolerance.
    EPA is responsible for ensuring that the maximum residue levels 
likely to be found in or on food/feed are safe for human consumption 
through a careful review and evaluation of residue chemistry and 
toxicology data. In addition, EPA must ensure that adequate enforcement 
of the tolerance can be achieved through the testing of submitted 
analytical methods. If the data are adequate for EPA to determine that 
there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate 
exposure, the Agency will establish the tolerance or grant an exemption 
from the requirement of a tolerance.
    This ICR only applies to the information collection activities 
associated with the submission of a petition for a tolerance action. 
While EPA is authorized to set pesticide tolerances, the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) is responsible for their enforcement. Food or feed 
commodities found to contain pesticide residues in excess of 
established tolerances are considered adulterated, are subject to 
seizure by FDA, and may result in civil penalties.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Pesticide manufacturers, IR-4, and 
similar entities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under FIFRA section 
408.
    Estimated number of respondents: 165 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 285,128 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $27,475,223.58 (per year), there is no cost 
for capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: There is an increase of 48,328 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is a result of a change in the estimated 
average number of tolerance petitions submitted annually (from 137 to 
165), which changes the annual burden hours for respondents. There is 
no change in the per tolerance petition burden. This change is an 
adjustment.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-20598 Filed 8-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P