[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8932-8933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4971]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-180993; FRL 5349-9]
Bifenthrin; Receipt of Applications for Emergency Exemptions,
Solicitation of Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA has received specific exemption requests from the
California Environmental Protection Agency and the Arizona Department
of Agriculture (hereafter referred to as the ``Applicants'') to use the
pesticide bifenthrin [CAS 82657-04-3 (cis isomer) and CAS 83322-02-5
(trans isomer)] to treat up to 113,000 and 28,000 acres, respectively,
of cucurbits (cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and squash) to control the
sweet potato whitefly. In accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA is
soliciting public comment before making the decision whether or not to
grant the exemptions.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 21, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification
notation ``OPP-180993,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public
Response and Program Resources 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-180993]. 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 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: Andrea Beard, 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) 308-8791; e-mail:
beard.andrea@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 Applicants have
requested the Administrator to issue specific exemptions for the use of
bifenthrin on cucurbits to control the sweet potato whitefly.
Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of
this request.
The sweet potato whitefly (SPWF) is a relatively new pest on
cucurbits. The SPWF has caused severe economic damage to several other
commodities nationwide including cotton, lettuce, squash, beans,
peanuts, and ornamentals. SPWF causes damage through feeding
activities, and also indirectly through the production of a honeydew,
which encourages growth of sooty mold and other fungi. This pest also
causes a physiological disorder resulting in irregular ripening of
fruit, believed to be caused by transmission of a geminivirus. The
Applicants claim that adequate control of the SPWF is not being
achieved with the currently registered compounds. The Applicants claim
that significant economic losses are expected in California and Arizona
cucurbit production if the SPWF is not adequately controlled, and are
therefore requesting this use of bifenthrin.
The Applicants propose to apply bifenthrin at a maximum rate of 0.1
lb. active ingredient (a.i.) (6.4 oz. of product) per acre with up to
three applications allowed, and a maximum of 0.3 lb. a.i. per acre per
season, on a total of 113,000 acres of cucurbits in California, and
28,000 acres of cucurbits in Arizona. It is possible to produce two
cucurbit crops per calendar year on a given acre, and therefore, the
acreage could potentially receive 6 applications, (maximum of 0.6 lb.
a.i. per acre) per calendar year. Therefore, use under these exemptions
could potentially amount to a maximum total of 60,000 lbs. of active
ingredient in California and 8,400 lbs. of active ingredient in
Arizona.
This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the
applications themselves. This is the sixth year that this use has been
requested under section 18. 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 pesticide if an emergency exemption has
been requested or granted for that use in any 3 previous years, and a
complete application for registration of that use and/or a petition for
tolerance for residues in or on the commodity has not been submitted to
the Agency [40 CFR 166.24(a)(6)].
A record has been established for this notice under docket number
[OPP-180993] (including comments and data
[[Page 8933]]
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 will review and consider all comments received during the
comment period in determining whether to issue the emergency exemptions
requested by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the
Arizona Department of Agriculture.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Crisis exemptions.
Dated: February 23, 1996.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-4971 Filed 3-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
