[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 57 (Monday, March 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11086-11087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05664]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0090; FRL-9990-83]
Potassium Chloride; Receipt of Application for Emergency
Exemption, Solicitation of Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EPA has received a quarantine exemption request from the
Maryland Department of Agriculture to use the pesticide potassium
chloride to treat Hyde's Quarry in Carroll County, Maryland, to control
zebra mussels. The Applicant proposes the use of a new chemical which
has not been registered by EPA as a pesticide. EPA is soliciting public
comment before making the decision whether to grant the exemption.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID)
[[Page 11087]]
number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0090, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://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 https://www.epa.gov/dockets/where-send-comments-epa-dockets.
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along
with more information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael L. Goodis, Registration
Division (7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-
0001; main telephone number: (703) 305-7090; email address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an
agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer.
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).
B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
www.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 https://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 pesticide
discussed in this document, compared to the general population.
II. What action is the Agency taking?
Under section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136p), at the discretion of the EPA
Administrator, a Federal or State agency may be exempted from any
provision of FIFRA if the EPA Administrator determines that emergency
conditions exist which require the exemption. Maryland Department of
Agriculture has requested the EPA Administrator to issue a quarantine
exemption for the use of potassium chloride (CAS No. 7447-40-7) in
Hyde's Quarry in Carroll County, Maryland, to control zebra mussels.
Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of
this request.
As part of this request, the Applicant asserts that zebra mussels
need to be eradicated in this body of water to prevent the
establishment and spread of this aquatic invasive species. The mussels
have a variety of detrimental environmental, economic, and recreational
impacts. Without treatment it is likely that the mussels will establish
a reproducing, self-sustaining population, which would, in turn, serve
as another source population and possibly contribute to the infestation
of other aquatic areas. The Applicant states that the requested
chemical provides the best efficacy for the desired result with the
best economic and environmental feasibility and least impact to human
health and the environment.
The Applicant proposes to treat Hyde's Quarry in Carroll County,
Maryland, containing an estimated 110-115 million gallons of water. The
Applicant proposes to use a 20% potassium chloride solution mixed from
muriate of potash and water. Applications will be made from a boat
using a specially designed diffuser assembly to obtain a quarry-wide
concentration of 100 parts per million over a period of approximately
14 days. This equates to approximately 8,140 gallons of stock solution
introduced daily for the anticipated introduction of approximately
114,000 gallons over the 14-day treatment period. It is anticipated
that only one application will be made, but up to four may be made if
needed.
This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the
application itself. The regulations governing FIFRA section 18 require
publication of a notice of receipt of an application for a quarantine
exemption proposing use of a new chemical (i.e., an active ingredient)
which has not been registered by EPA for use as a pesticide. The notice
provides an opportunity for public comment on the application.
The Agency will review and consider all comments received during
the comment period in determining whether to issue the quarantine
exemption requested by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.
Dated: March 15, 2019.
Daniel Rosenblatt,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2019-05664 Filed 3-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P