[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 72 (Monday, April 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15214-15216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07418]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0161; FRL-9991-80]


FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meetings

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: There will be a 4-day, in-person public meeting of the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory 
Panel (SAP), augmented with additional experts to provide independent 
scientific advice to the EPA on proposed guidelines for Efficacy 
Testing of Topically Applied Pesticides Used Against Certain 
Ectoparasitic Pests on Pets. Preceding the in-person meeting, there 
will be a public half-day preparatory virtual meeting to consider the 
scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for this peer review.

DATES: 
    Meeting: The 4-day in-person public meeting will be held June 11 to 
14, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. (EDT). The date, 
time, and registration instructions for the preparatory virtual public 
meeting will be announced on the FIFRA SAP website (http://www.epa.gov/sap) by late-April. You may also subscribe to the following listserv 
for alerts when notices regarding this and other SAP-related activities 
are published: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USAEPAOPPT/subscriber/new?topic_id=USAEPAOPPT_101.
    Comments: The Agency encourages written comments and requests for 
oral comments be submitted on or before May 17, 2019. However, written 
comments and requests to make oral comments may be submitted until the 
date of the in-person meeting, but anyone submitting such comments and 
requests after May 17, 2019, should contact the Designated Federal 
Official (DFO) listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. For 
additional instructions, see Unit I.C. and Unit I.D. of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Special accommodations: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, and to request accommodation of a 
disability, please contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT at least 10 days prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time 
as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES: 
    In-Person Meeting: This public meeting will be held at the EPA 
Conference Center, Lobby Level, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S 
Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202. This meeting may also be viewed via 
webcast. Please refer to the FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap for information on how to access the webcasts. Please note that 
this webcast is a supplementary public process provided only for 
convenience. If difficulties arise resulting in webcasting

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outages, the in-person meeting will continue as planned.
    Webcast: The preparatory virtual meeting is open to the public and 
will be conducted via webcast using Adobe Connect and telephone. 
Registration is required to participate during the preparatory virtual 
meeting. Please refer to the FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap for additional information including how to register.
    Requests to present oral comments and requests for special 
accommodations. Submit such requests to the DFO listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Comments. Submit your comments, identified as docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0161, 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 that 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: Dr. Suhair Shallal, DFO, Office of 
Science Coordination and Policy (7201M), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone 
number: 202-564-2057; 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. This action may 
be of interest to persons who are or may be required to conduct testing 
of chemical substances regulated under the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Since other entities may also 
be interested in this guidance, the Agency has not attempted to 
describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action.

B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?

    1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit CBI information to EPA through the 
website regulations.gov or by email. If your comments contain any 
information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected, please 
contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT to obtain 
special instructions before submitting your comments.
    2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting 
your comments, see Tips for Effective Comments at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.

C. How may I participate in the in-person meeting?

    You may participate in the in-person meeting by following the 
instructions in this unit. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is 
imperative that you identify docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0161 in 
the subject line on the first page of your request.
    1. Written comments. The Agency encourages written comments be 
submitted, using the instructions in ADDRESSES and Unit I.B., on or 
before May 17, 2019, to provide FIFRA SAP the time necessary to 
consider and review the written comments. Written comments are accepted 
until the date of the meeting, but anyone submitting written comments 
after May 17, 2019, should contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. Anyone submitting written comments at the meeting 
should bring 30 copies for distribution to the FIFRA SAP by the DFO.
    2. Oral comments. The Agency encourages each individual or group 
wishing to make brief oral comments to the FIFRA SAP during the in-
person meeting to submit their request to the DFO listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT on or before May 17, 2019, in order to be 
included on the meeting agenda. Requests to present oral comments will 
be accepted until the date of the in-person meeting and, to the extent 
that time permits, the Chair of the FIFRA SAP may permit the 
presentation of oral comments at the in-person meeting by interested 
persons who have not previously requested time. The request should 
identify the name of the individual making the presentation, the 
organization (if any) the individual will represent, and any 
requirements for audiovisual equipment. Oral comments before the FIFRA 
SAP during the in-person meeting are limited to approximately 5 minutes 
unless arrangements have been made prior to May 17, 2019. In addition, 
each speaker should bring 30 copies of his or her comments and 
presentation for distribution to the FIFRA SAP during the meeting by 
the DFO.
    3. Seating at the meeting. Seating at the meeting will be open and 
on a first-come basis.

D. How may I participate in the preparatory virtual meeting?

    Registration for the preparatory virtual meeting is required. To 
participate by listening or making a comment during this meeting, 
please visit:https://www.epa.gov/sap to register. Registration online 
will be confirmed by email that will include the webcast meeting Adobe 
Connect link and audio teleconference information.
    1. Written comments. Written comments for the preparatory virtual 
meeting should be submitted, using the instructions in ADDRESSES and 
Unit I.B., on or before May 17, 2019.
    2. Oral comments. Registration is required to participate in the 
preparatory virtual meeting. Please visit the FIFRA SAP website at: 
https://www.epa.gov/sap to register online. Each individual or group 
wishing to make brief oral comments to the FIFRA SAP during the 
preparatory virtual meeting should submit their request when 
registering online or with the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT on or before noon May 17, 2019. Oral comments before the FIFRA 
SAP during the preparatory webcast are limited to approximately 5 
minutes due to the time constraints of this webcast.
    3. Webcast. The preparatory meeting will be webcast only. Please 
refer to the FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap for 
information on how to access the webcast. Registration is required.

II. Background

A. Purpose of the FIFRA SAP

    The FIFRA SAP serves as one of the primary scientific peer review 
mechanisms of EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention 
(OCSPP) and is structured to provide independent scientific advice, 
information and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on pesticides 
and pesticide-related issues as to the impact of regulatory actions on 
human health and the environment. The FIFRA SAP is a federal advisory 
committee established in 1975 under FIFRA that operates in accordance 
with requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
Appendix). The FIFRA SAP is composed of a permanent panel consisting of 
seven members who are appointed by the EPA

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Administrator from nominees provided by the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). FIFRA 
established a Science Review Board (SRB) consisting of at least 60 
scientists who are available to FIFRA SAP on an ad hoc basis to assist 
in reviews conducted by the FIFRA SAP. As a scientific peer review 
mechanism, the FIFRA SAP provides comments, evaluations, and 
recommendations to improve the effectiveness and quality of analyses 
made by Agency scientists. Members of FIFRA SAP are scientists who have 
sufficient professional qualifications, including training and 
experience, to provide expert advice and recommendation to the Agency.

B. Public Meeting

    EPA-registered pesticide products are an important part of pest 
management programs to control invertebrate pests of public health 
importance including fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies that 
can vector diseases to pets and humans. The Agency has multiple 
guidelines intended to assist in the development of appropriate 
protocols to test product efficacy. EPA Product Performance Test 
Guideline OPPTS 810.3300 Treatments to Control Pests of Humans and Pets 
published in March 1998. To increase clarity and consistency in 
efficacy testing and to include current scientific standards, the 
Agency is revising this product performance guideline.
    The proposed guideline applies to products in any topically applied 
formulation, such as a spray, spot-on, collar, shampoo, or dust, if 
intended to be directly applied to pets for a pesticidal purpose such 
as to kill, repel, or control ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and biting 
flies. This guideline does not apply to those products exempt from 
FIFRA Registration under 40 CFR 152.25, products applied to humans or 
livestock, or product performance testing described in other Agency 
guidelines. In addition to guidance for testing efficacy against fleas, 
ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies, the proposed guideline also 
includes testing methods for evaluating efficacy under simulated 
environmental conditions. The Agency is seeking advice and 
recommendations from the SAP on scientific issues associated with the 
proposed revised EPA guideline. The Agency believes the current draft 
guideline represents the state of the science with regard to efficacy 
testing for these products. EPA is committed to reducing the use of 
animals in testing (https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2016-0093-0003). However, at this time no reliable non-animal 
alternatives are available to avoid the use of animals for efficacy 
testing of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and biting flies. As part of the 
SAP, EPA is soliciting comment from the panel on approaches that may, 
in the future, support the replacement or reduction of animal use in 
efficacy testing of ectoparasitic pests on pets.

C. FIFRA SAP Documents and Meeting Minutes

    The EPA's background paper, the supporting materials, and draft 
charge/questions to the FIFRA SAP will be available by mid-April 2019. 
In addition, a list of candidates under consideration as prospective ad 
hoc panelists for this meeting will be available for a 15-day public 
comment period by early to mid-April 2019. The Agency will provide 
additional background documents (e.g., the meeting agenda) as the 
materials become available. You may obtain electronic copies of these 
documents, and certain other related documents that might be available, 
at http://www.regulations.gov in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0161 and on the 
FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap.
    The FIFRA SAP will prepare meeting minutes summarizing its 
recommendations to the Agency approximately 90 days after the meeting. 
The meeting minutes will be posted on the FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap or may be obtained from the OPP Docket at http://www.regulations.gov.

    Authority:  5 U.S.C Appendix 2 et seq.; 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; 21 
U.S.C. 301 et seq.

    Dated: April 9, 2019.
Hayley Hughes,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019-07418 Filed 4-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P