00-8264. Ethoxylated Propoxylated (C12

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY:

This document makes a technical correction to the exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of a range of polymers, α-alkyl (C₁₂-C₁₅)-ω-hydroxypoly (oxypropylene)poly(oxyethylene) copolymers (where the poly(oxypropylene) content is 3-60 moles and the poly(oxyethylene) content is 5-80 moles, when used as an inert ingredient (surfactant) in or on growing crops, when applied to raw agricultural commodities after harvest, or to animals.

DATES:

This technical correction is effective April 12, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

By mail: Kathryn Boyle, Registration Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-305-6304; and e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. Potentially affected categories and entities may include, but are not limited to:

Categories	NAICS	Examples of potentially affected entities
Industry	111	Crop production
	112	Animal production
	311	Food manufacturing
	32532	Pesticide manufacturing

This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in the table could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining whether or not this action might apply to certain entities. 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 Additional Information, Including Copies of This Document and 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/​.

2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for this action under docket control number OPP-300973A. The official record consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, and other information related to this action, including any 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 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 [phone].

II. What Action is EPA Taking?

In the Federal Register of May 26, 1999 (64 FR 28480) (FRL-6081-3), EPA issued a notice pursuant to section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a, as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) (Public Law 104-170) announcing the filing of a pesticide tolerance petition (PP 8E4950) by Omnichem S.A, Industrial Research Park, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium. This notice included a summary of the petition prepared by the petitioner, including a statement of the number average molecular weight of the range of polymers. There were no comments received in response to the notice of filing.

In the Federal Register of February 28, 2000 (65 FR 10401) (FRL-6491-3), EPA issued a rule establishing an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of a range of polymers α-alkyl (C₁₂-C₁₅)-ω-hydroxypoly (oxypropylene)poly (oxyethylene)copolymers (where the poly(oxypropylene) content is 3-60 moles and the poly(oxyethylene) content is 5-80 moles in or on growing crops, when applied to raw agricultural commodities after harvest, or to animals when used as an inert ingredient (surfactant). The number average molecular weight, which is routinely included in the tolerance exemption expression, was inadvertently omitted from the tolerance exemption expression in § 180.1001(c) and (e). This rule corrects the tolerance exemption to include the molecular weight as a limitation.

III. Why is this Technical Correction Issued as a Final Rule?

Section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), provides that, when an agency for good cause finds that notice and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest, the agency may issue a rule without providing notice and an opportunity for public comment. EPA has determined that there is good cause for making today's rule final without prior proposal and opportunity for comment, because EPA is amending the tolerance exemption expression that was previously issued to include the number average molecular weight. The preamble to the previously published Final Rule discussed how the number average molecular weeight was one of the criteria for identifying low risk polymers. Thus, notice and public procedure are unnecessary. EPA finds that this constitutes good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).

IV. Do Any of the Regulatory Assessment Requirements Apply to this Action?

No. This final rule implements a technical amendment to the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect a technical correction to a previously issued Final Rule, and it does not otherwise impose or amend any requirements. As such, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that a technical correction is not a “significant regulatory action” subject to review by OMB under Executive Order 12866, entitled Regulatory Planning and Review (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993). Nor does this rule contain any information collection requirements that require review and approval by OMB pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Because this action is not economically significant as defined by section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, this action is not subject to Executive Order 13045, entitled Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997). This action will not result in environmental justice related issues and does not, therefore, require special consideration under Executive Order 12898, entitled Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). Since the Agency has made a “good cause” finding that this action is not subject to notice-and-comment requirements under the Administration Procedure Act or any other statute (see Unit IV), this action is not subject to provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), or to sections 202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Public Law 104-4). In addition, this action does not significantly or uniquely affect small governments or impose a significant intergovernmental mandate, as described in sections 203 and 204 of UMRA. Nor does this action significantly or uniquely affect the communities of tribal governments as specified by Executive Order 13084, entitled Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments (63 FR 27655, May 10, 1998). This rule will not have substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government, as specified in Executive Order 13132, entitled Federalism (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999). This action does not involve any technical standards that require the Agency's consideration of voluntary consensus standards pursuant to section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, section 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note). In issuing this rule, EPA has taken the necessary steps to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity, minimize potential litigation, and provide a clear legal standard for affected conduct, as required by section 3 of Executive Order 12988, entitled Civil Justice Reform (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996). EPA has complied with Executive Order 12630, entitled Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights (53 FR 8859, March 15, 1988), by examining the takings implications of this rule in accordance with the “Attorney General's Supplemental Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of Unanticipated Takings” issued under the Executive Order.

For information about the applicability of the regulatory assessment requirements to the final rule that was issued on February 28, 2000 (65 FR 10401) (FRL-6491-3), please refer to the discussion in Unit XII of that document.

V. Will EPA Submit this Final Rule to Congress and the Comptroller General?

Yes. The Congressional Review Act (CRA), 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. Section 808 allows the issuing agency to make a rule effective sooner than otherwise provided by the CRA if the agency makes a good cause finding that notice and public procedure is impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest. This determination must be supported by a brief statement. (5 U.S.C. 808(2)). EPA has made such a good cause finding for this final rule, and established an effective date of April 12, 2000. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 808(2), this determination is supported by the brief statement in Unit III. of this document. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. This is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180

• Environmental protection
• Administrative practice and procedure
• Agricultural commodities
• Pesticides and pests
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Dated: March 22, 2000.

James Jones,

Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

Therefore, 40 CFR part 180 is corrected as follows:

PART 180—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 180 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a, 371.

2. In § 180.1001, the table in paragraph (c) is corrected by revising the entry beginning with “α-alkyl (C ₁₂-C₁₅)” and the table to paragraph (e) is corrected by revising the entry beginning with “α-alkyl (C₁₂-C₁₅)-ω-hydroxypoly (oxypropylene)poly (oxyethylene)copolymers” to read as follows:

§ 180.1001

Exemptions from the requirements of a tolerance.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

Inert ingredients	Limits	Uses
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
α-alkyl (C12-C15)-ω-hydroxypoly  (oxypropylene)poly  (oxyethylene)copolymers (where the poly(oxypropylene) content is 3-60 moles and the poly(oxyethylene) content is 5-80 moles), the resulting ethoxylated propoxylated (C12-C15) alcohols having a minimum molecular weight (in amu) of 1,500, CAS Reg. No. 68551-13-3	Not to exceed 20% of pesticide formulations	Surfactant
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

(e)* * *

Inert ingredients	Limits	Uses
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
α-alkyl (C12-C15)-ω-hydroxypoly (oxypropylene)poly (oxyethylene)copolymers (where the poly(oxypropylene) content is 3-60 moles and the poly(oxyethylene) content is 5-80 moles), the resulting ethoxylated propoxylated (C12-C15) alcohols having a minimum molecular weight (in amu) of 1,500, CAS Reg. No. 68551-13-3	Not to exceed 20% of pesticide formulations	Surfactant
*         *         *         *         *         *         *