[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4913-4914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1859]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-180958; FRL 4930-1]
Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption to use
Pyrithiobac-Sodium Herbicide; Solicitation of Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA has received a specific exemption request from the South
Carolina Department of Fertilizer and Pesticide Control (hereafter
referred to as the ``Applicant'') for use of the pesticide,
pyrithiobac-sodium, to control Palmer amaranth on up to 135,000 acres
of cotton in South Carolina. In accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA is
soliciting public comment before making the decision whether or not to
grant the exemption.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 9, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification
notation ``OPP-180958,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public
Response and Human Resource Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C),
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring comments to: Rm. 1128,
Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
Information submitted in any comment concerning this notice may be
claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information as
``Confidential Business Information.'' 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 Confidential
Business Information must be provided by the submitter for inclusion in
the public record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed
publicly by EPA without prior notice. All written comments filed
pursuant to this notice will be available for public inspection in Rm.
1128, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA,
from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Margarita Collantes,
Registration Division (7505W), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.
Office location and telephone number: 6th Floor, Crystal Station #1,
2800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, (703) 308-8347.
[[Page 4914]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 18 of the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C.
136p), the Administrator may, at her discretion, exempt a State agency
from any registration provision of FIFRA if she determines that
emergency conditions exist which require such exemption. The Applicant
has requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for use
of the herbicide, pyrithiobac-sodium, available as Staple from DuPont
Agricultural Products, to control Palmer amaranth on up to 135,000
acres of cotton in South Carolina. Information in accordance with 40
CFR part 166 was submitted as part of this request.
According to the Applicant, dinitroaniline (dna) herbicides were
used on essentially all of South Carolina's cotton acreage since the
mid 1960's. It was not until 1989, that the presence of a dna-resistant
Palmer amaranth biotype was first suspected in a Lee County cotton
field in South Carolina. Since this time Palmer amaranth has become
recognized as South Carolina's most troublesome weed in cotton. This
phenomenon is due to the intensive selection pressure associated with
yearly applications of dinitroaniline herbicides with essentially no
herbicide rotation. In fields where Palmer amaranth exhibited
resistance to the dna's and where acceptable early-season control was
not achieved with the other soil-applied herbicides, Palmer amaranth
could not be controlled with postemergence treatments. No selective
postemergence over-the-top herbicides are registered for cotton that
will control Palmer amaranth. The applicant estimates a 60 percent
yield reduction resulting in significant economic loss if the request
for use of pyrithiobac-sodium on cotton is not granted.
Under the proposed exemption, a maximum of two ground applications
of Staple would be made at 1.0 fluid ounces of product (0.0625 pounds
active ingredient=1.2 ounces of product) per acre. Not to exceed 2.0
fluid ounces of product (0.1250 pound active ingredient=2.4 ounces of
product) per acre per season for pre and post applications. No
applications would be made within 45 days of harvest.
This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the
application itself. The regulations governing section 18 require that
the Agency publish notice of receipt in the Federal Register and
solicit public comment on an application for a specific exemption
proposing use of a new chemical (i.e., an active ingredient not
contained in any currently registered pesticide) [40 CFR 166.24
(a)(1)].
Pyrithiobac-sodium is a new chemical. Accordingly, interested
persons may submit written views on this subject to the Field
Operations Division at the address above. The Agency will review and
consider all comments received during the comment period in determining
whether to issue the emergency exemption requested by the South
Carolina Department of Fertilizer and Pesticide Control.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticide and pests, Crisis exemptions.
Dated: January 17, 1995.
Stephen L. Johnson,
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 95-1859 Filed 1-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
