96-881. Pesticides; Renewal of Agency Information Collection Activities

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1922-1923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-881]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00422; FRL-4991-8]


Pesticides; Renewal of Agency Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) is coming up for renewal. This ICR, Maximum 
Residue Limit (MRL) Petitions for Pesticides on Food/Feed and New Inert 
Ingredients (ICR No. 0597) will expire on May 31, 1996. Before 
submitting the renewal packages to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collection 
as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments identified by the docket control 
number ``OPP-00422'' and ICR number ``0597'' by mail to: Public 
Response Section, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring comments directly to the OPP 
docket which is located in Rm. 1132 of Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson 
Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
    Comments and data may also be submitted electronically by sending 
electronic mail (e-mail) to: [e-mail]. Electronic 
comments must be submitted as a ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form or encryption. Comments and data will also be 
accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1 file format or ASCII file 
format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by 
the docket number ``OPP-00422'' and the ICR number ``0597.'' No 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-
mail. Electronic comments on this document may be filed online at many 
Federal Depository Libraries. Additional information on electronic 
submissions can be found in Unit III. of this document.
    Information submitted as a comment concerning this document may be 
claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information as 
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that 
does not contain CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public 
record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed publicly 
by EPA without prior notice. All written comments will be available for 
public inspection in Rm. 1132 at the Virginia address given above from 
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Kramer, Policy and Special 
Projects Staff, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mail Code (7501C), 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, 
Telephone: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].
    Copies of the complete ICR and accompanying appendices may be 
obtained from Ellen Kramer at the above address or by contacting the 
OPP docket at the location under ADDRESSES.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Availability: Electronic copies of each ICR are available 
from the EPA Public Access gopher (gopher.epa.gov) at the Environmental 
Sub-Set entry for this document under ``Rules and Regulations.''

I. Information Collection Requests

    EPA is seeking comments on the following Information Collection 
Request (ICR).
    Title: Maximum Residue Limits Petitions on Food/Feed and New Inert 
Ingredients. ICR No. 0597. OMB No. 2070-0024. Expiration date: May 31, 
1996.
    Affected entities: Parties affected by this information collection 
are manufacturers of pesticide chemicals.
    Abstract: The use of pesticides on crops often results in pesticide 
residues in or on the crop. To protect the public health from unsafe 
pesticide residues, EPA sets limits, formerly known as tolerances, on 
the nature and level of residues permitted. EPA is mandated under the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended, to ensure 
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 maximum residue limits (MRL) can be 
achieved through testing by submitted analytical methods. EPA will 
establish an MRL or grant an exemption from the requirement of an MRL 
once the data reviewed are deemed adequate.
    Burden Statement: This information is a one-time collection. The 
overall respondent burden hours associated with this collection has 
decreased from the current ICR estimate of 856,920 hours to 216,300 
hours per year. This change is the result of the decrease in the number 
of residue petitions per year. Cost estimates, however, have increased 
due to more realistic labor rates supplied by the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics which reflect more accurately the costs borne by the 
pesticide manufacturers.
    The annual respondent burden for this program is estimated to 
average 1,442 hours per response, including time for: reading any 
instructions, conducting required studies, compiling the information/
data, completing paperwork, and storing/filing/maintaining the data. 
There is no third party notification or public disclosure burden 
associated with this collection.
    Any 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 for EPA's 
regulations are contained in 40 CFR part 9.

II. Request for Comments

    EPA solicits comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collections of information 
described above are necessary for the proper performance of the 
functions of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility.
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burdens 
of the proposed collections of information.
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected.
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
or electronic collection technologies or 

[[Page 1923]]
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Send comments regarding this matter, or any other aspect of this 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
to the docket under the ADDRESSES unit listed above.

III. Public Record

     A record has been established for this action under docket number 
``OPP-00422'' (including comments and data submitted electronically as 
described below). A public version of this record, including printed, 
paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include any 
information claimed as CBI, is available for inspection from 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Fri0day, excluding legal holidays. The public 
record is located in Rm. 1132 of the Public Response and Program 
Resources Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Crystal Mall #2, 
1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:

    [e-mail]

    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    The official record for this action, as well as the public version, 
as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will 
transfer all comments received electronically into printed, paper form 
as they are received and will place the paper copies in the official 
rulemaking record which will also include all comments submitted 
directly in writing. The official rulemaking record is the paper record 
maintained at the address in ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this 
document.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection and Information collection requests.

    Dated: December 15, 1995.
Susan H. Wayland,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.
[FR Doc. 96-881 Filed 1-23-96; 8:45 am]
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