2015-18615. Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces EPA's receipt of an application (88877-EUP-E) from the University of Kentucky's Department of Entomology requesting an experimental use permit (EUP) for Wolbachia pipientis, w AlbB Strain. EPA has determined that the permit may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, because of the potential significance, EPA is seeking comments on this application.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before August 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0374, by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
• Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
• Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at http://www.epa.gov/​dockets/​contacts.html. Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert McNally, Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; main telephone number: [phone]; email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

This action is directed to the public in general. Although this action may be of particular interest to those persons who conduct or sponsor research on pesticides, EPA has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action.

B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?

1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes 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 docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/​dockets/​comments.html.

3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, including minority and/or low income populations, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, EPA seeks information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticide discussed in this document, compared to the general population.

II. What action is EPA taking?

Under section 5 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136c, EPA can allow manufacturers to field test pesticides under development. Manufacturers are required to obtain an EUP before testing new pesticides or new uses of pesticides if they conduct experimental field tests on 10 acres or more of land or one acre or more of water.

Pursuant to 40 CFR 172.11(a), EPA has determined that the following EUP application may be of regional and national significance, and therefore is seeking public comment on the EUP application:

Submitter: University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology, S-225 Agricultural Science Center North, Lexington, KY 40546-0091, (88877-EUP-E).

Pesticide Chemical: Wolbachia pipientis, w AlbB Strain.

Summary of Request: The University of Kentucky's Department of Entomology has proposed to field test a new strain of Wolbachia pipientis (w AlbB Strain) to determine its pesticidal value for suppression and elimination of Aedes aegypti, a mosquito that vectors some human diseases, e.g., dengue and chikungunya. For 6 months between autumn 2015 and December 31, 2016, approximately 100,000 Aedes aegypti WB1 strain male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia pipientis, w AlbB Strain will be released weekly at four sites in Fresno County, California, with a total target area of 3.4 square kilometers (840 acres) for control. The released male mosquitoes are expected to mate with indigenous female mosquitoes, causing conditional sterility and resulting in population decline and potential elimination. Adult and egg collection data from the treated area will be compared to data from the control site to evaluate the effect of the pesticide on the mosquito population.

Following the review of the application and any comments and data received in response to this solicitation, EPA will decide whether to issue or deny the EUP request, and if issued, the conditions under which it is to be conducted. Any issuance of an EUP will be announced in the Federal Register.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

Dated: July 20, 2015.

R. McNally,

Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.