[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]
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