[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 126 (Monday, July 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42716-42718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14065]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0154; FRL-10803-02-OCSPP]
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP); Examination of Microcosm/
Mesocosm Studies for Evaluating the Effects of Atrazine on Aquatic
Plant Communities; Notice of Availability, and Request for Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or ``Agency'') is
announcing the availability of and soliciting public comment on the
``Examination of Microcosm/Mesocosm Studies for Evaluating the Effects
of Atrazine on Aquatic Plant Communities,'' that is being submitted to
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) for peer review. The document is
available for public review and comment. The FIFRA SAP will consider
and review the document at a 3-day virtual public meeting that was
previously announced in the Federal Register of March 24, 2023, The
virtual public meeting will be held on August 22-24, 2023, via a
webcast platform such as ``Zoomgov.com'' and audio teleconference.
DATES: The following is a chronological listing of the dates for the
specific activities that are described in more detail under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
August 2, 2023--Deadline for providing written comments.
August 8, 2023--Deadline for submitting a request for special
accommodations to allow EPA time to process the request before the
meeting.
August 18, 2023--Deadline for registering to be listed on the
meeting agenda to make oral comments during the virtual meeting.
August 22-24, 2023--Scheduled virtual public meeting of the FIFRA
SAP.
August 24, 2023--Deadline for those not making oral comments to
register to receive the links to observe the meeting.
ADDRESSES: To comment: Submit written comments, identified by docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0154, through https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. Do not electronically submit any information you consider to
be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Copyrighted material will not be
posted without explicit permission from the copyright holder. Members
of the public should also be aware that personal information included
in any written comments may be posted on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Additional information on commenting or visiting
the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is
available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
To register for the meeting: For information on how to register and
access the virtual public meeting, please refer to the FIFRA SAP
website at https://www.epa.gov/sap. EPA intends to announce
registration instructions on the FIFRA SAP website by early July 2023.
You may also subscribe to the following listserv for alerts regarding
this and other FIFRA SAP-related activities at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USAEPAOPPT/subscriber/new?topic_id=USAEPAOPPT_101.T.
To request special accommodations: For information on access or
services for individuals with disabilities, and to request
accommodation for a disability, please contact the Designated Federal
Official (DFO) listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The DFO, Tamue Gibson, Mission Support
Division, Office of Program Support, Office of Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency; telephone
number: (202) 564-7642 or the main office number: (202) 564-8450; email
address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. What action is the Agency taking?
EPA is announcing the availability of and soliciting public comment
on the document entitled ``Examination of Microcosm/Mesocosm Studies
for Evaluating the Effects of Atrazine on Aquatic Plant Communities,''
which is available in the docket. EPA is also announcing a 3-day
virtual public meeting on August 22-24, 2023, for the FIFRA SAP to
consider and review the Agency's examination. This August 2023 meeting
was previously announced in the Federal Register of March 24, 2023 (88
FR 17843 (FRL-10803-01-OCSPP)). EPA will be soliciting comments from
the FIFRA SAP on the Agency's examination related to 11 microcosm and
mesocosm studies evaluating the toxicity of atrazine to the exposed
aquatic plant communities.
This document provides instructions for accessing the materials
provided to the FIFRA SAP, submitting written comments, and registering
to provide oral comments and attend the virtual meeting.
B. What is the Agency's authority for taking this action?
The FIFRA SAP is a federal advisory committee established in 1975
under FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq., to provide independent scientific
advice to EPA on health and safety issues related to pesticides. The
FIFRA SAP operates in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. 10, and
[[Page 42717]]
supports activities under FIFRA, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) and other applicable statutes.
C. 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 under the FFDCA and FIFRA. Since other entities
may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all
the specific entities that may be affected by this action.
D. What should I consider as I submit my comments to EPA?
1. Submitting CBI.
Contact the DFO listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT for
instructions before submitted CBI or other sensitive information. Do
not submit this information to EPA electronically (e.g., through
https://www.regulations.gov or email). Clearly mark the part or all of
the information that you claim to be CBI. For confidential 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/commenting-epa-dockets. See also
the instructions in Unit III.
II. Background
A. What is the 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 composed of a
permanent panel consisting of seven members who are appointed by the
EPA Administrator from nominees provided by the National Institutes of
Health and the National Science Foundation. FIFRA established a Science
Review Board consisting of at least 60 scientists who are available to
the 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 the FIFRA SAP are scientists who have sufficient
professional qualifications, including training and experience, to
provide expert advice and recommendations to the Agency.
B. Why did EPA develop this document?
EPA participated in several FIFRA SAP meetings related to
atrazine's impact on the environment (e.g., 2003, 2007, 2009, 2012). In
June 2012, the EPA presented the ``Problem Formulation for the
Environmental Fate and Ecological Risk Assessment for Atrazine'' to the
FIFRA SAP. That problem formulation provided an overview of atrazine
use, exposure, and toxicity for assessing the ecological risk from
atrazine use. One of the major considerations for the 2012 FIFRA SAP
was the process that the EPA used to estimate an aquatic plant
community-based concentration equivalent-level of concern (CE-LOC). The
CE-LOC is a 60-day average concentration of atrazine that, when
exceeded, presents a greater than 50 percent chance of negatively
affecting the productivity, structure, and/or function of an aquatic
plant community.
Cosm studies examining the toxicity of atrazine to aquatic plant
communities are a significant part of the process to estimate the CE-
LOC. Accordingly, from 2002 to 2016, the EPA considered over 70 cosm
studies obtained from the open literature or submitted to the EPA. The
2012 FIFRA SAP identified 11 specific cosm studies from that dataset
(Table 1, page 42-43 of the meeting report) as warranting further
review (in terms of their inclusion/exclusion in the analysis or the
effect/no effect determinations for specific measured endpoints)
because of concerns about study design or performance flaws, as well as
the interpretation of results.
In response to the 2012 FIFRA SAP, the EPA re-evaluated the 11
specific cosm studies identified by the FIFRA SAP and presented this
re-evaluation in the 2013 ``Addendum to the Problem Formulation for the
Ecological Risk Assessment to be Conducted for the Registration Review
of Atrazine'' and the 2016 ``Refined Ecological Risk Assessment for
Atrazine.'' In conducting this 2013 and 2016 re-evaluation, EPA
considered comments from the 2012 FIFRA SAP and the public. This re-
evaluation did not result in a change in the Agency's understanding or
interpretation of those 11 studies. After the issuance of the 2016
ecological risk assessment and the 2022 ``Proposed Revisions to the
Atrazine Interim Registration Review Decision,'' the EPA received
additional public comments about the 11 studies, including a reminder
that the Agency had stated in 2016 its intent to convene a FIFRA SAP
meeting, along with renewed requests to convene a FIFRA SAP meeting,
regarding the studies.
The EPA is returning to the FIFRA SAP to seek feedback on the
outcome of the EPA's 2023 evaluation regarding the inclusion of the 11
studies, and if appropriate, effect/no effect determinations for
specific measured endpoints from the studies that were identified by
the 2012 FIFRA SAP.
III. Virtual Public Meeting of the FIFRA SAP
A. How can I access the documents submitted for review to the FIFRA
SAP?
These documents, including the reevaluation document mentioned
above and all background documents, related supporting materials, and
draft charge questions provided to the FIFRA SAP are available in the
docket at https://www.regulations.gov (docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-
0154) and the FIFRA SAP website at https://www.epa.gov/sap. In
addition, as additional background materials become available and are
provided to the FIFRA SAP, EPA will include those additional background
documents (e.g., FIFRA SAP members and consultants participating in the
meeting and the meeting agenda) in the docket and accessible through
the FIFRA SAP website.
After the public meeting, the FIFRA SAP will prepare meeting
minutes and a final report document summarizing its recommendations to
the EPA. This document will also be posted on in the docket and
available at regulations.gov and the FIFRA SAP website.
B. How can I provide comments for the FIFRA SAP's consideration?
To ensure proper receipt of comments it is imperative that you
identify docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0154 in the subject line on the
first page of your comments and follow the instructions in this unit.
1. Written comments.
The Agency encourages written comments for this meeting be
submitted by the deadlines set in the DATES section
[[Page 42718]]
of this document and following the instructions in this document.
2. Oral comments.
The Agency encourages each individual or group wishing to make
brief oral comments to the FIFRA SAP during the peer review virtual
public meeting to follow the registration instructions that will be
announced on the FIFRA SAP website by early July 2023. Oral comments
before the FIFRA SAP during the peer review virtual public meeting are
limited to five minutes. In addition, each speaker should submit a
written copy of their oral comments and any supporting materials (e.g.,
presentation slides) to the DFO prior to the meeting for distribution
to the FIFRA SAP by the DFO.
C. How can I participate in the virtual public meeting?
The virtual public meeting will be held via a webcast platform such
as ``Zoomgov.com'' and audio teleconference. You must register online
to receive the webcast meeting link and audio teleconference
information. Please follow the registration instructions that will be
announced on the FIFRA SAP website.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 10; 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.
Dated: June 27, 2023.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-14065 Filed 6-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P