97-14300. Evaluating Ecological Risk; Open Meeting

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29727-29728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14300]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00481; FRL-5720-1]


Evaluating Ecological Risk; Open Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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SUMMARY: EPA is holding a 1-day open meeting to discuss EPA's current 
initiative to incorporate probabilistic approaches into its ecological 
risk assessments under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). EPA wishes to use this open meeting to 
encourage broad-based discussion of the use of probabilistic methods to 
assess the ecological risks of pesticides and to provide a background 
for subsequent detailed technical discussions of probabilistic 
assessment methods. A 2-day technical working session of terrestrial 
and aquatic assessment workgroups will follow the open meeting.

DATES: The open meeting will be held on June 23, 1997, from 9 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required as space is limited to 180 
people. Participation by a broad range of stakeholders is desired. 
Registration forms may be obtained by calling Trudy Aust, Golder 
Associates Inc. at [phone] and must be returned no later than 
June 6, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. The telephone number 
for the hotel is: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Dana Spatz, Office of 
Pesticide Programs (7507C), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., 
SW., Washington, DC 20460. Office location, telephone number, and e-
mail address: Rm. 1011G, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].


[[Page 29728]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In May 1996, EPA's Office of Pesticide 
Programs (OPP) presented two ecological risk assessment case studies to 
the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) for comment on the 
methodologies used. While generally affirming and recognizing the 
utility of the current assessment process and methods, the SAP offered 
a number of suggestions for improving the OPP ecological risk 
assessment process. Foremost among the suggestions was that OPP move 
beyond the present single point deterministic process of risk 
assessment and develop the tools and methodologies necessary to do a 
probabilistic assessment that addresses the magnitude of the expected 
impact as well as the uncertainty and variation involved in the 
provided estimates.
    As a result, the Environmental Fate and Effects Division (EFED) 
within the OPP has begun a series of efforts to identify, develop, and 
validate probabilistic assessment tools and methodologies which could 
be used for evaluating terrestrial and aquatic effects of pesticides. 
EFED has requested the cooperation of the American Crop Protection 
Association (ACPA) in this technical effort, and together EPA and ACPA 
have organized aquatic and terrestrial workgroups, each comprised of 
experts drawn from government agencies, academia, contract 
laboratories, environmental advocacy groups, and industry.
    OPP is setting up an open docket which will include supporting 
material for this exploration of probabilistic ecological risk 
assessment methods. A final agenda for the meeting on June 23, and 
background papers regarding the topics to be discussed will be 
available for public review after June 13 at the following address: 
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 1128, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, Telephone: [phone].
    Any person who wishes to file a written statement can do so before 
or after the meeting. These statements will become part of the 
permanent file and will be provided to the workgroup members for their 
information.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: May 20, 1997.

Joseph J. Merenda, Jr.,
Director, Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-14300 Filed 5-28-97; 1:23 pm]
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