02-9055. Sodium Acifluorfen (Blazer); Availability of Revised Risk Assessments

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the availability of the revised risk assessments, which include some new information not available at the time of the preliminary risk assessment, and related documents for the pesticide, sodium acifluorfen. In addition, this notice starts a 45-day public participation period during which the public is encouraged to submit comments on the new information not available previously in the preliminary risk assessments and comments on risk management ideas or proposals for sodium acifluorfen. This action is in response to a joint initiative between EPA and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase transparency in the tolerance reassessment process for all pesticides.

DATES:

Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-2002-0008, must be received by EPA on or before May 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as provided in Unit III. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket control number OPP-2002-0008 in the subject line on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christina Scheltema, Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; e-mail address:[e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public in general, nevertheless, a wide range of stakeholders will be interested in obtaining the revised risk assessments and submitting risk management comments on sodium acifluorfen, including environmental, human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and members of the public interested in the use of pesticides on food. As such, the Agency has not attempted to specifically describe all the entities potentially affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this Document or Other Related Documents?

A. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this document and other related documents from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/​. To access this document, on the Home Page select “Laws and Regulations,” “Regulations and Proposed Rules,” and then look up the entry for this document under the “Federal Register—Environmental Documents.” You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/​fedrgstr/​.

To access information about pesticides and obtain electronic copies of the revised risk assessments and related documents mentioned in this notice, you can also go directly to the Home Page for the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) at http://www.epa.gov/​pesticides/​op/​.

B. In person. The Agency has established an official record for this action under docket control number OPP-2002-0008. The official record consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any public comments received during an applicable comment period, and other information related to this action, including any information claimed as CBI. This official record includes the documents that are physically located in the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in those documents. The public version of the official record does not include any information claimed as CBI. The public version of the official record, which includes printed, paper versions of any electronic comments submitted during an applicable comment period, is available for inspection in Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is [phone].

III. How Can I Respond to this Action?

A. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or electronically.To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket control number OPP-2002-0008 in the subject line on the first page of your response.

1. By mail. Submit comments to: Public Information and Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460.

2. In person or by courier. Deliver comments to: Public Information and Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and Services Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. The PIRIB is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is [phone].

3. Electronically. Submit electronic comments by e-mail to: [e-mail], or you can submit a computer disk as described in this unit. Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. 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 standard computer disks in WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic form must be identified by the docket control number OPP-2002-0008. Electronic comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

B. How Should I Handle CBI Information that I Want to Submit to the Agency?

Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to this document as CBI 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. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes any 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 version of the official record. Information not marked confidential will be included in the public version of the official record without prior notice. If you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

IV. What Action is EPA Taking in this Notice?

EPA is making available for public viewing the revised risk assessments, which include some new information not available at the time of the preliminary risk assessments, and related documents for the pesticide, sodium acifluorfen. These documents have been developed as part of the pilot public participation process that EPA and USDA are now using for involving the public in the reassessment of pesticide tolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), and the reregistration of individual pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The pilot public participation process was developed as part of the EPA-USDA Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC), which was established in April 1998, as a subcommittee under the auspices of EPA's National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. A goal of the pilot public participation process is to find a more effective way for the public to participate at critical junctures in the Agency's development of pesticide risk assessments and risk management decisions. EPA and USDA began implementing this pilot process in August 1998, to increase transparency and opportunities for stakeholder consultation. The documents being released to the public through this notice provide some new information on the human health effects of sodium acifluorfen, and information on the revisions that were made to the sodium acifluorfen preliminary risk assessments, which were released to the public July 26, 2001 (66 FR 3904) (FRL-6789-4), through a notice in the Federal Register.

In addition, this notice starts a 45-day public participation period during which the public is encouraged to submit comments on the new information not available previously during the earlier public comment period for the sodium acifluorfen preliminary risk assessment, and risk management proposals or other comments on risk management for sodium acifluorfen. The Agency is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for interested parties to provide written comments on the new sodium acifluorfen health effects information as well as risk management proposals or ideas on sodium acifluorfen. Such comments and proposals could address ideas about how to manage dietary, occupational, or ecological risks on specific sodium acifluorfen use sites or crops across the United States or in a particular geographic region of the country. To address dietary risk, for example, commenters may choose to discuss the feasibility of lower application rates, increasing the time interval between application and harvest (“preharvest intervals”), modifications in use, or suggest alternative measures to reduce residues contributing to dietary exposure. For occupational risks, commenters may suggest personal protective equipment or technologies to reduce exposure to workers and pesticide handlers. For ecological risks, commenters may suggest ways to reduce environmental exposure, e.g., exposure to birds, fish, mammals, and other non-target organisms. All comments and proposals must be received by EPA on or before May 28, 2002 at the addresses given under the ADDRESSES section. Comments and proposals will become part of the Agency record for the pesticide specified in this notice.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Chemicals
• Pesticides and pests

Dated: April 3, 2002.

 Lois A. Rossi,

Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.