E9-22424. Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, EPA gives notice of a public meeting of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) on October 14-15, 2009. A draft agenda is under development that will include reports from and discussions about current issues from the following PPDC work groups: Work Group on 21st Century Toxicology/New Integrated Testing Strategies; Work Group on Web-Distributed Labeling; and Work Group on Comparative Safety Statements for Pesticide Product Labeling. Discussion topics will also cover NPDES permit issues regarding pesticides; and current Endangered Species Act issues. Several PPDC work group meetings are scheduled in September and October 2009, and are open to the public. These include the PPDC PRIA Process Improvements Work Group meeting on October 1, 2009, and meetings of each of the above-mentioned three PPDC work groups on October 13, 2009, and other listed dates. A webcast covering NPDES issues in preparation for the PPDC meeting is being scheduled for October 7, 2009. Information about all of these meetings can be found on EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/​pesticides/​ppdc.

DATES:

The PPDC meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Thursday, October 15, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held in the Conference Center on the lobby level at EPA's location at 1 Potomac Yard South, 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. This location is approximately one mile from the Crystal City Metro Station.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Margie Fehrenbach, Office of Pesticide Programs (7501P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of particular interest to persons who work in agricultural settings or persons who are concerned about implementation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); and the amendments to both of these major pesticide laws by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996; and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to: Agricultural workers and farmers; pesticide industry and trade associations; environmental, consumer, and farmworker groups; pesticide users and growers; pest consultants; State, local and Tribal governments; academia; public health organizations; food processors; and the public. If you have questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0703. Although a part of the official docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Drive Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is [phone].

2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the “Federal Register” listings at http://www.epa.gov/​fedrgstr.

A draft agenda is being developed and will be posted by September 25, 2009, on EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/​pesticides/​ppdc.

II. Background

EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is entrusted with the responsibility to help ensure the safety of the American food supply, the education and protection from unreasonable risk of those who apply or are exposed to pesticides occupationally or through use of products, and general protection of the environment and special ecosystems from potential risks posed by pesticides.

The Charter for the EPA's PPDC was established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463, in September 1995, and has been renewed every 2 years since that time. PPDC's Charter was renewed November 2, 2007, for another 2-year period. The purpose of PPDC is to provide advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on issues associated with pesticide regulatory development and reform initiatives, evolving public policy and program implementation issues, and science issues associated with evaluating and reducing risks from use of pesticides. It is determined that PPDC is in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the Agency by law. The following sectors are represented on the PPDC: Pesticide industry and trade associations; environmental/public interest, consumer, and animal rights groups; farm worker organizations; pesticide user, grower, and commodity groups; Federal and State/local/Tribal governments; the general public; academia; and public health organizations.

Copies of the PPDC Charter are filed with appropriate committees of Congress and the Library of Congress and are available upon request.

III. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?

PPDC meetings are open to the public and seating is available on a first-come basis. Persons interested in attending do not need to register in advance of the meeting. Comments may be made during the public comment session of each meeting or in writing to the address listed under For Further Information Contact.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Agricultural workers
• Agriculture
• Chemicals
• Endangered Species
• Foods
• Pesticide labels
• Pesticides and pests
• Public health

Dated: September 11, 2009.

Steve Bradbury,

Acting Director, Office of Pesticide Programs.