65 FR 173 pgs. 54002-54003 - Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Interim RiskManagementDecision Documents
Type: NOTICEVolume: 65Number: 173Pages: 54002 - 54003
Docket number: [OPP-34234; FRL-6739-6]
FR document: [FR Doc. 00-22823 Filed 9-5-00; 8:45am]
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-34234; FRL-6739-6]
Organophosphate Pesticides; Availability of Interim RiskManagementDecision Documents
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
This notice announces the availability ofthe interim riskmanagement decision documents for three organophosphatepesticides, bensulide, cadusafos, and chlorethoxyfos. Thesedecision documents have been developed as part of the publicparticipation process that EPA and the United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA) are nowusing for involving the public in the reassessment of pesticidetolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), and thereregistration of individual organophosphate pesticides under theFederal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
DATES:
The interim risk management decisiondocuments areavailable in the OPP Docket under docket control OPP-34234,OPP-34132C for bensulide, OPP-34142B for cadusafos,and OPP-34170B for chlorethoxyfos.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Angulo,Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508W), Office ofPesticide Programs,Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,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 is directed to the public in general,nevertheless, a wide range ofstakeholders will be interested in obtaining the interim riskmanagement decision documents forbensulide, cadusafos, and chlorethoxyfos, includingenvironmental, human health, andagricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users;and members of the publicinterested in the use of pesticides on food. Since otherentities also may be interested, theAgency has not attempted to describe all the specific entitiesthat may be affected by this action.If you have any questions regarding the applicability of thisaction to a particular entity, consultthe person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONCONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies ofthis Document and OtherRelated Documents?
1. Electronically . You may obtain electroniccopies of this document, andcertain other related documents that might be availableelectronically, from the EPA InternetHome Page at http://www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select"Laws andRegulations"," Regulations and Proposed Rules, andthen look up the entry forthis document under the FederalRegister -Environmental Documents.You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings athttp://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. In addition, copies of thepesticide interim risk managementdecision documents released to the public may also be accessed athttp: www.epa.gov/REDs.
2. In person . The Agency has established anofficial record for this actionunder docket control OPP-34234, OPP-34132C forbensulide,OPP-34142B for cadusafos, and OPP-34170B forchlorethoxyfos. Theofficial record consists of the documents specifically referencedin this action, and other information related to this action,including any information claimed as Confidential BusinessInformation (CBI). This official record includes the documentsthat are physically located in thedocket, as well as the documents that are referenced in thosedocuments. The public version ofthe official record does not include any information claimed asCBI. The public version of theofficial record, which includes printed, paper versions of anyelectronic comments submittedduring an applicable comment period is available for inspectionin the Public Information andRecords 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. ThePIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
II. Background
What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA has assessed the risks of bensulide and reached anInterim ReregistrationEligibility Decision (IRED) for this organophosphate pesticide.With the risk mitigationmeasures required, bensulide fits into its own risk cup -its individual, aggregate risks are withinacceptable levels. Bensulide also is eligible forreregistration, pending a full reassessment of thecumulative risk from all organophosphate pesticides. Bensulideresidues in food and drinkingwater do not pose risk concerns. With mitigation limitinghomeowners' and children's exposurevia home lawns and other turf, bensulide fits into its own riskcup. With other mitigationmeasures, bensulide's worker and ecological risks also will bebelow levels of concern forreregistration.
EPA has assessed the dietary risks of cadusafos andchlorethoxyfos and prepared foreach of these organophosphate pesticides a "Report on FQPATolerance ReassessmentProgress and Interim Risk Management Decision." Cadusafosand chlorethoxyfos fit intotheir own risk cups and their individual risks are withinacceptable levels. Cadusafos has no U.S.registrations and only one import tolerance on bananas.Cadusafos-treated bananas donot pose risk concerns, and no risk mitigation is necessary atthis time. Chlorethoxyfos wasinitiallyregistered after 1984, therefore it is not subject toreregistration. The use of chlorethoxyfos oncorn does not pose risk concerns and risk mitigation is notnecessary at this time.
The interim risk management decision documents onbensulide, cadusafos, andchlorethoxyfos were made through the organophosphate pilot publicparticipation process,which increases transparency and maximizes stakeholderinvolvement in EPA's development ofrisk assessments and risk management decisions. The pilot publicparticipation process wasdeveloped as part of the EPA-USDA Tolerance ReassessmentAdvisory Committee(TRAC), which was established in April 1998, as a subcommitteeunder the auspices of EPA'sNational Advisory Council for Environmental Policy andTechnology. A goal of the pilot publicparticipation process is to find a more effective way for thepublic to participate at criticaljunctures in the Agency's development of organophosphatepesticide risk assessments and riskmanagement decisions. EPA and USDA began implementing this pilotprocess in August 1998,to increase transparency and opportunities for stakeholderconsultation.
EPA worked extensively with affected parties to reach thedecisions presented in theinterim risk management decision documents, which concludes thepilot public participationprocess for bensulide, cadusafos, and chlorethoxyfos. As part ofthe pilot publicparticipation process, numerous opportunities for public commentwere offered as these interimrisk management decisions were being developed. The bensulide,cadusafos, andchlorethoxyfos interim risk management decision documentstherefore are issued in final, without aformal public comment period. The docket remains open, however,and any commentssubmitted in the future will be placed in the public docket.
The risk assessments for bensulide, cadusafos, andchlorethoxyfos were releasedto the public through notices in the FederalRegister on June 16, 1999, 64 FR 32229(FRL-6087-9) and August 12, 1998, 63 FR 43175(FRL-6024-3) for bensulide; September 9, 1998, 63 FR48213 (FRL-6030-2) and July 7, 1999, 64 FR 36683(FRL-6091-2) for cadusafos; and January 15, 1999, 64FR 2644 (FRL-6056-9) and August 18, 1999 64 FR 44921(FRL-6095-3) for chlorethoxyfos.
EPA's next step under the FQPA is to complete acumulative risk assessment and risk management decisionencompassing all the organophosphatepesticides, which share a common mechanism of toxicity. Theinterim risk management decision documents on bensulide,cadusafos, and chlorethoxyfos cannot be considered final untilthiscumulative assessment is complete. Further risk mitigation maybe required at that time.
To effect risk mitigation as quickly as possible, timeframes for making the changesrequired by the interim risk management decision documents areshorter than those in a usualReregistration Eligibility Decision. The Agency is requiringthat all labels must be amended toinclude the above mitigation and submitted to the Agency within90 days after issuance of theinterim risk management decision documents. When the cumulativerisk assessment for allorganophosphate pesticides has been completed, EPA will issue itsfinal tolerance reassessmentdecision for bensulide, cadusafos, and chlorethoxyfos and mayrequire further risk mitigationmeasures.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pesticides andpests.
Dated: August 23, 2000.
Lois A. Rossi,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division,Office of PesticidePrograms.
[FR Doc. 00-22823 Filed 9-5-00; 8:45am]
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