[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44920-44921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21429]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-34194; FRL-6099-5]
Ethoprop, Fenamiphos, Phorate, and Terbufos, Revised
Organophosphate Pesticide Risk Assessments; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA will hold a public meeting to present to interested
stakeholders the revised risk assessments for four organophosphate
pesticides: Ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos. This public
meeting, called a ``Technical Briefing,'' will provide an opportunity
for stakeholders to learn about the data, information, and
methodologies that the Agency used in revising its risk assessments for
the four organophosphates mentioned in this notice. In addition,
representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will
provide ideas on possible risk management for ethoprop, fenamiphos,
phorate, and terbufos.
DATES: The technical briefing will be held on Thursday, September 2,
1999.
ADDRESSES: The technical briefing will be held at the Ramada Plaza-Old
Town, 901 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA, (703) 683-6000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Angulo, Special Review and
Registration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: (703) 308-8004; e-mail address: angulo.karen@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does This Action Apply to Me?
This action applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency
has not attempted to specifically describe all the entities potentially
affected by this action. The Agency believes that a wide range of
stakeholders will be interested in technical briefings on
organophosphates, 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. If
you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a
particular entity, consult the person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT'' section.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of This
Document or Other Related Documents?
1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this
document and certain other available documents from the EPA Internet
Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select ``Laws and
Regulations'' 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/.
A brief summary of the ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos
revised risk assessments are now available at: http://www.epa.gov/
pesticides/op/status.htm/, as well as in paper as part of the public
version of the official record as described in Unit I.B.2. of this
document. To access information about the revised risk assessments,
which are scheduled for release on the day of the technical briefing,
for the four organophosphates mentioned in this notice, go directly to
the Home Page for the Office of Pesticide Programs at http://
www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/.
2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for
this action under docket control number OPP-34194. However, a docket
control number was established for each of the chemicals in this
document by previous Federal Register documents. A sequential alphabet
designation is added to the docket control number each time a new
Federal Register document in this subject category is published. Use
the table in this unit to determine the docket control number you need.
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Chemical name Docket control number
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Ethoprop 34144B
Fenamiphos 34134A
Phorate 34137A
Terbufos 34139B
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The official record consists of the documents specifically referenced
in this action, any public comments received during the applicable
comment period, and other information related to this action, including
information claimed as Confidential Business Information (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 the 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 legal holidays. The Public Information and Records Integrity
Branch telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
II. What Action Has EPA Taken?
This document announces the Agency's intention to hold a technical
briefing for the organophosphate pesticides ethoprop, fenamiphos,
phorate, and terbufos. The Agency is presenting the revised risk
assessments for the chemicals listed in this notice to interested
stakeholders. Technical briefings are designed to provide stakeholders
with an opportunity to become even more informed about an
organophosphate's risk assessment. EPA will describe in detail the
revised risk assessments, including: The major points (e.g.,
contributors to risk estimates); how public comment on the preliminary
risk assessments affected the revised risk assessments; and the
pesticide use information/data that was used in developing the revised
risk assessments. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to ask
clarifying questions. In addition, representatives of the USDA will
provide ideas on possible risk management for ethoprop, fenamiphos,
phorate, and terbufos.
Technical briefings are part of the pilot public participation
process that
[[Page 44921]]
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 organophosphate 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 organophosphate risk assessment and risk
management decisions. EPA and USDA began implementing this pilot
process in August 1998 in response to Vice President Gore's directive
to increase transparency and opportunities for stakeholder
consultation.
On the day of the technical briefing, the Agency will also release
for public viewing the ethoprop, fenamiphos, phorate, and terbufos
revised risk assessments and related documents to the Public
Information and Records Integrity Branch and the OPP Internet web site
that are described in Unit I.B.1. of this document. In addition, the
Agency will issue a Federal Register notice to provide an opportunity
for a 60-day public participation period during which the public may
submit recommendations and proposals for transition.
III. Technical Briefing Schedule
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Ethoprop
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon Fenamiphos
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Terbufos
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phorate
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides and pests.
Dated: August 12, 1999.
Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-21429 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
