[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55983-55984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27587]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181028; FRL 5570-8]
Carboxin; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption,
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
California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Pesticide
Regulation (hereafter referred to as the ``Applicant'') to use the
pesticide Pro-Gro (an unregistered end-use product containing 30
percent carboxin, 50 percent thiram and 20 percent inert ingredients)
to treat onion seed to control onion smut. Thiram is registered on
onions, with an existing tolerance of 0.5 ppm for dry bulb onions. The
specific exemption request addresses residues of carboxin resulting
from the application of the end-use product. An emergency exemption for
this use has been requested for the previous 3 years, and a complete
application for registration of this use and a tolerance petition has
not been submitted to the Agency. Therefore, 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 November 14, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification
notation ``OPP-181028,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public
Response and Program 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.
1132, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
Comments and data may also be submitted electronically by sending
electronic mail (e-mail) to: opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov. Electronic
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of 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-181028]. No Confidential Business Information
(CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Electronic comments on this
notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
Additional information on electronic submissions can be found below in
this document.
Information submitted in any comment concerning this notice 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 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.
1132, Crystal Mall No. 2, 1921
[[Page 55984]]
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Stephen Schaible,
Registration Division (7505W), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Office location and telephone number: Floor 6, Crystal Station #1, 2800
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, (703) 308-8337; e-mail:
schaible.stephen@epamail.epa.gov.
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 the use
of carboxin on onion seed to control onion smut. Information in
accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of this request.
The loss of Arasan 50 Red, the fungicide historically used to
control onion smut, has resulted in an urgent, non-routine situation
for growers in northern onion growing states. Onion smut, caused by the
fungus Urocystis magica, is a serious and widespread disease of
seedling onions in northern onion producing states. In the past, onion
smut was controlled with thiram 50 percent wettable powder (Arasan 50
Red) seed treatments. However, the DuPont Comany ceased manufacture of
this product in 1985, and growers have since exhausted existing stocks
of Arasan 50 Red. According to the Applicant, there are no other
registered pesticides or alternative practices available that will
control this disease. There are other thiram products registered for
use as onion seed treatments, but the maximum label rates are too low
to control onion smut.
Under the proposed exemption, a maximum of 2.5 lbs. of product
(0.75 lbs. of carboxin) per 100 lbs. of onion seed (2 oz. product/5
lbs. seed) will be applied to seed before packaging or as part of the
pellet program. A maximum of one application will be applied directly
to seed. A maximum of 52,300 lbs. of onion seed may be treated under
this exemption.
This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the
application itself. The regulations governing section 18 require
publication of a notice of receipt of an application for a specific
exemption proposing use of an emergency exemption which has been
requested in any 3 previous years, and a complete application for
registration of the use and/or a tolerance petition has not been
submitted to the Agency. Such notice provides for opportunity for
public comment on the application.
A record has been established for this notice under docket number
[OPP-181028] (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 Friday, excluding legal holidays. The public
record is located in Room 1132 of the Public Response and Program
Resource 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:
opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov
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 notice, 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
record which will also include all comments submitted directly in
writing. The official record is the paper record maintained at the
address in ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document.
Accordingly, interested persons may submit written views on this
subject to the Field Operations Division at the address above.
The Agency, accordingly, will review and consider all comments
received during the comment period in determining whether to issue the
emergency exemption requested by the California Environmental
Protection Agency, Department of Pesticide Regulation.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, pesticides and pests, emergency
exemptions.
Dated: October 15, 1996.
Stephen L. Johnson,
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-27587 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
