[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48394-48396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23053]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-00620; FRL-6381-5]
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: There will be a 4-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review a set of five
scientific issues being considered by the Agency:
Session I--An assessment of residential exposure to pesticides.
Session II--A review of an aggregate exposure assessment tool.
Session III--Identification of carbamate pesticides that have a common
mechanism of toxicity.
Session IV--Issues pertaining to cumulating hazard for conducting
cumulative risk assessments for pesticides that have a common mechanism
of toxicity.
Session V--A review of American Cyanamid's April 22, 1999 probabilistic
assessment for chlorfenapyr.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 21; Wednesday,
September 22; Thursday, September 23; and Friday, September 24, 1999,
beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending approximately 5:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel,
(703) 486-1111, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, on
September 21, 22, and 23 and at the Days Inn
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Crystal City (703) 920-8600, 2000 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington,
VA, on September 24.
Requests to participate at the meeting and/or to provide comments
for consideration by the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel may be
submitted by mail, electronically, or in person. Please follow the
detailed instructions as provided in Unit III under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, your request must
identify docket control number OPP-00620.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lewis or Laura Morris, Designated
Federal Officials, FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel, (7101C),
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: (703) 305-5369; e-mail address: Lewis.Paul@epa.gov or
Morris.Laura@epa.gov.
Individuals requiring special accommodations at this meeting,
including wheelchair access, should contact Laura Morris at the address
listed above at least 5 business days prior to the meeting so that
appropriate arrangements can be made. Seating will be on a first-come
basis.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Does this Notice Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general. This action may,
however, be of interest to manufacturers of pesticides; farmers
applying pesticides to crops; persons living in the general areas where
pesticides are being used; researchers in industry, government, and
academia studying the effectiveness of pesticides; and individuals and
organizations studying the effects of pesticides on the environment.
Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has not
attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by
this action. Applications of the five sessions are further described
below. If you have any questions regarding the details of a particular
session, consult the persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
II. 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 related documents that might be available
electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/.
To access this document, 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
meeting agenda is currently available, and copies of EPA background
documents for the meeting will be available no later than September 7,
1999. Copies of the Panel's report of their recommendations will be
available approximately 30 working days after the meeting. The meeting
agenda and EPA primary background documents will be available at http:/
/www.epa.gov/pesticides/SAP/.
2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for
this action under docket control number OPP-00620. 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 information claimed as
confidential business information (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 the Public Information and Records
Integrity Branch (PIRIB), 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 PIRIB telephone number is (703)
305-5805.
III. Sessions Overview
Session I will be the review of issues pertaining to the assessment
of residential exposure to pesticides. When estimating aggregate
exposure to a pesticide substance, the Agency includes exposures that
may occur following use of the pesticide in residential or other non-
occupational settings. This session will focus on several key issues
that pertain to improving procedures for estimating exposure to
pesticides from use in residential or other non-occupational settings
and in revising its standard operating procedures for residential
exposure assessments. The issues include: (1) Calculating percent
dislodgeability of available pesticide residues from lawns, indoor
surfaces, and pets; (2) use of choreographed activities as surrogates
for estimating a child's dermal exposure; (3) characterizing hand (or
object)-to-mouth activities; (4) calculating exposure to pesticides
that may result from track-in, drift, bathing or showering; and (5)
calculating exposure from use of pesticides in schools, day-care
centers, and other public places.
Session II provides a review of an aggregate exposure assessment
tool being developed through a cooperative agreement with Hampshire
Research Institute (HRI). The Agency is working collaboratively under
this cooperative agreement with HRI to create a tool that is publicly
available, open software with no hidden logic; uses HRI's micro-
exposure event analysis method; incorporates an object-oriented design
that allows for continuing refinement and improvement; and includes a
design that addresses known future requirements for pesticide analysis,
such as cumulative risk assessment. The purpose of this session is for
Agency scientists to consult with the SAP regarding the current status
and future development options of this tool.
Session III emphasizes the identification of carbamate pesticides
that have a common mechanism of toxicity. The identification of
pesticides and other substances that cause a common toxic effect by a
common mechanism is the first step of the cumulative risk assessment
process (as required by the FQPA). The Agency has developed a framework
for identifying chemicals that have a common mechanism of toxicity
(February 5, 1999, 64 FR 5796) (FRL-6060-7). This session will describe
the results of the Agency's effort to determine whether (1) carbamate
pesticides cause a common toxic effect by a common mechanism and (2) if
any carbamate pesticides share a common mechanism of toxicity with
organophosphorus pesticides.
Session IV addresses issues pertaining to cumulating hazard for
conducting cumulative risk assessments for pesticides that have a
common mechanism of toxicity. The Agency is preparing guidance for
assessing cumulative risk in support of the Food Quality Protection Act
1996. This session will focus on key hazard and dose response issues
involved with cumulating risk from exposure to two or more chemicals
that are toxic by a common mechanism. These issues deal with, for
example: (1) End point selection; (2) application of adjustment and
group uncertainty factors; (3) interspecies dose adjustments; (4)
utilization of dose-response data and selection of a point of
departure; and (5) methods for combining toxicity data. In addition,
science policy issues such as assumptions concerning dose addition and
dose response relationships will be presented. The Agency needs input
from the SAP and the public on the hazard and toxicological issues that
concern cumulative risk assessment.
Session V concerns the review of the American Cyanamid Company's
April 22, 1999 probabilistic assessment (MRID No. 448098-01) for
chlorfenapyr. In December 1994, the Agency received a
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request for registration for the use of the pyrrole insecticide,
chlorfenapyr on cotton. As a part of the registration package, American
Cyanamid Company submitted a probabilistic assessment. The Agency is
seeking SAP input regarding: (1) American Cyanamid's probabilistic
assessment and how it may be improved; (2) the Agency's review of the
assessment; and (3) the utility of using this assessment to
characterize the risk of chlorfenapyr use on cotton to birds in cotton
agroenvironments.
IV. How Can I Request To Participate in this Meeting?
Members of the public wishing to submit comments should contact
either Paul Lewis or Laura Morris at the address or the telephone
number given under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT to confirm that the
meeting date and the agenda have not been modified or changed.
Interested persons are permitted to file written statements before the
meeting. To the extent that time permits, and upon advanced written
request to either Paul Lewis or Laura Morris, interested persons may be
permitted by the Chair of the SAP to present oral statements at the
meeting. The request should identify the name of the individual making
the presentation, the organization (if any) the individual will
represent, and any requirements for audiovisual equipment (e.g.,
overhead projector, 35 mm projector, and chalkboard). There is no limit
on the length of written comments for consideration by the Panel, but
oral statements before the Panel are limited to approximately 5
minutes. The Agency also urges the public to submit written comments in
lieu of oral presentations. Persons wishing to make oral and/or written
statements should notify either Paul Lewis or Laura Morris and submit
40 copies of the summary information. The Agency encourages that
written statements be submitted before the meeting to provide Panel
Members the time necessary to consider and review the comments.
Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data
also will be accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1/6/7/8.0 file
format or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form
must be identified by the docket control number ``OPP-00620.''
Electronic comments may be filed online at many Federal Depository
Libraries.
Information submitted as a comment in response to this notice may
be claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information
as CBI. Information marked CBI will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. An edited copy
of the comment that does not contain the CBI material must be submitted
for inclusion in the public docket. Information not marked confidential
will be included in the public docket. All comments and materials
received will be made part of the public record and will be considered
by the Panel.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection.
Dated: August 31, 1999.
Marcia E. Mulkey,
Director, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-23053 Filed 8-31-99; 2:58 pm]
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