65 FR 169 pgs. 52752-52753 - Pesticides; Harmonization of Treated Seed Policies and Requirements inCanada and the United States; Notice of Availability
Type: NOTICEVolume: 65Number: 169Pages: 52752 - 52753
Docket number: [OPP-00675; FRL-6740-7]
FR document: [FR Doc. 00-22010 Filed 8-29-00; 8:45 am]
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-00675; FRL-6740-7]
Pesticides; Harmonization of Treated Seed Policies and Requirements inCanada and the United States; Notice of Availability
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
This document announces the availability of a discussionpaper that provides information on how pesticide seed treatment products are currentlyregulated in both Canada and the United States and reviews the degree of harmonizationin pesticide regulation in the two countries. The discussion paper on treated seedcontributes to the initiatives of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)Technical Working Group (TWG) on Pesticides. The NAFTA TWG on Pesticides aims todevelop a harmonized approach to the regulation of pesticides in Canada, Mexico, and theUnited States, while maintaining current high levels of protection of public health and theenvironment and supporting the principles of sustainable pest management. Canada hasalso made this harmonization document available for comment through its regulatoryprocesses.
DATES:
Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-00675,must be received on or before October 16, 2000.
ADDRESSES:
Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or inperson. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION . To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it isimperative that you identify docket control number OPP-00675 in the subject line on thefirst page of your response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jean M. Frane,Field and External Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, EnvironmentalProtection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:(703) 305-5944; e-mail address: frane.jean@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, however, be ofinterest to persons who produce seed treatment pesticides, or who use such products, bothin the United States and Canada. Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency hasnot attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you haveany questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the personlisted under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this Document and OtherRelated Documents?
1. Electronically . You may obtain electronic copies of thisdocument, and certain other related documents that might be available electronically, from theEPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To access this document, on the Home Pageselect "Laws and Regulations," "Regulations and ProposedRules," and then look up the entry for this document under the " Federal Register -Environmental Documents." You can also godirectly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
To access information about the NAFTA TWG on Pesticides,go directly to the Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international, and select"NAFTA Technical Woking Group (TWG)." The concurrent CanadianRegulatory Proposal is available on their homepage at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
2. In person . The Agency has established an official record for thisaction under docket control number OPP-00675. The official record consists of thedocuments specifically referenced in this action, any public comments received during anapplicable comment period, and other information related to this action, including any informationclaimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This official record includes the documentsthat are physically located in the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in thosedocuments. The public version of the official record does not include any information claimed asCBI. The public version of the official record, which includes printed, paper versions of anyelectronic comments submitted during an applicable comment period, is available for inspection inthe 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.
C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?
You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or electronically. To ensureproper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket control numberOPP-00675 in the subject line on the first page of your response.
1. By mail . Submit your comments to: Public Information andRecords Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), Officeof Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,Washington, DC 20460.
2. In person or by courier . Deliver your comments to: PublicInformation and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services Division(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 119,Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. The PIRIB is open from 8:30a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is(703) 305-5805.
3. Electronically . You may submit your comments electronically bye-mail to: "opp-docket@epa.gov," or you can submit a computer disk as describedin this unit. Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. Avoid theuse of special characters and any form of encryption. Electronic submissions will be accepted inWordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic form must be identified bydocket control number OPP-00675. Electronic comments may also be filed online at manyFederal Depository Libraries.
D. How Should I Handle CBI that I Want to Submit to the Agency?
Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to be CBI. You mayclaim information that you submit to EPA in response to this document as CBI by marking anypart or all of that information as CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except inaccordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete version ofthe comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does notcontain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version ofthe official record. Information not marked confidential will be included in the public version ofthe official record without prior notice. If you have any questions about CBI or the proceduresfor claiming CBI, please consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support yourviews.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimatethat you provide.
5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
6. Offer alternative ways to improve the document.
7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this notice.
8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket control numberassigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may alsoprovide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.
II. What Action is the Agency Taking?
The Agency is making available a document entitled "DiscussionPaper: Harmonization of Imported Treated Seed in Canada and the United States" prepared jointly by the Agency and Health Canada's Pest Management RegulatoryAgency (PMRA). The purpose of this document is to provide information on how seedtreatment products are currently regulated in both Canada and the United States and toreview the degree of regulatory harmonization of seed treatment pesticides in the twocountries. This discussion regarding treated seed should also contribute toward therealization of the initiatives of the NAFTA TWG on Pesticidesaimed at harmonizing pesticide registration requirements in Canada, the United States,and Mexico.
For the purposes of this document, seed treatments include products which areprimarily intended to provide protection against soil fungi and insect damage. Seeds forpropagation may be treated domestically or imported as treated seed, may be treateddomestically for subsequent export, or may be planted to produce crop that is to beexported.
Both Canada and the United States require registration of seed treatmentproducts used for domestic seed treatment. Both countries allow exemptions for importedpesticide-treated seeds providing the seed is treated with a pesticide registered in the hostcountry for that specific purpose and where certain other conditions are met (e.g.,compliance with coloration and labeling requirements). This discussion paper contains twoAppendices. Appendix I compares the legal frameworks in the United States and Canada.Appendix II is a comparison of the general data requirements for a new seed treatmentproduct in the United States and Canada.
The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency has issued this documentas a Regulatory Proposal with a 45-day comment period.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, intergovernmental relations, pests andpesticides.
Dated: August 23, 2000.
Anne E. Lindsay,
Director, Field and External Affairs Division.
[FR Doc. 00-22010 Filed 8-29-00; 8:45 am]
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