[Federal Register: February 27, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 39)]
[Notices]
[Page 10436-10438]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe08-45]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0129; FRL-8353-7]
Sulfometuron Methyl Risk Assessments; Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's risk
assessments, and related documents for the pesticide sulfometuron
methyl, and opens a public comment period on these documents (Phase 3
of 4-Phase Process). The public is encouraged to suggest risk
management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is
developing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for sulfometuron
methyl through a modified, 4-Phase public participation process that
the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide
reregistration decisions. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that
all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 28, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0129, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2008-
[[Page 10437]]
0129. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in
the docket without change and may be made available on-line at http://
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided,
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to
be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-mail. The
regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means
EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment
directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your e-mail
address will be automatically captured and included as part of the
comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the
Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index
available in regulations.gov. To access the electronic docket, go to
http://www.regulations.gov, select ``Advanced Search,'' then ``Docket
Search.'' Insert the docket ID number where indicated and select the
``Submit'' button. Follow the instructions on the regulations.gov
website to view the docket index or access available documents.
Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly
available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. 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 OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.),
2777 S. Crystal Dr., 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 (703)
305-5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rusty Wasem, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-6979; fax
number: (703) 308-7070; e-mail address: wasem.russell@epa.gov.
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
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution,
or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or
CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments,
remember to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and
substitute language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information
and/or data that you used.
v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you
arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be
reproduced.
vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and
suggest alternatives.
vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of
profanity or personal threats.
viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is releasing for public comment its human health and
environmental fate and effects risk assessments and related documents
for sulfometuron methyl and soliciting public comment on risk
management ideas or proposals. Sulfometuron methyl is a non-selective
sulfonylurea herbicide primarily used for weed control in forestry, and
vegetative management in rights of ways, roadways, and railroads. There
are no food uses for sulfometuron methyl. EPA developed the risk
assessments and risk characterization for sulfometuron methyl through a
modified version of its public process for making pesticide
reregistration eligibility decisions. Through these programs, EPA is
ensuring that pesticides meet current standards under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
Sulfometuron methyl controls a variety of broad leaf weeds and
grasses by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme acetolactate synthase
(ALS), which inhibits the production of amino acids required for
growth. Sulfometuron methyl is formulated as a water dispersible
granule (WDG) and applied using a variety of methods including
helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, ground spray (boom and backpack), and
spot treatment.
EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for
interested parties to provide comments and input on the Agency's risk
assessments for sulfometuron methyl. Such comments and input could
address the availability of additional data to further refine the risk
assessments, or could address the Agency's risk assessment
methodologies and assumptions as applied to this specific pesticide.
Through this notice, EPA also is providing an opportunity for
interested
[[Page 10438]]
parties to provide risk management proposals or otherwise comment on
risk management for sulfometuron methyl. Risks of concern associated
with the use of sulfometuron methyl are: indirect effects on freshwater
fish and invertebrates, estuarine/marine fish and invertebrates, and
acute and chronic exposure to aquatic and terrestrial plants. In
targeting these risks of concern, the Agency solicits information on
effective and practical risk reduction measures.
EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income, in the development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help
address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks
information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a
result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may
have atypical, unusually high exposure to sulfometuron methyl, compared
to the general population.
EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all
pesticides undergoing reregistration. The Agency's Pesticide Tolerance
Reassessment and Reregistration; Public Participation Process,
published in the Federal Register on May 14, 2004 (69 FR 26819) (FRL-
7357-9), explains that in conducting these programs, the Agency is
tailoring its public participation process to be commensurate with the
level of risk, extent of use, complexity of the issues, and degree of
public concern associated with each pesticide. For sulfometuron methyl,
a modified, 4-Phase process with one comment period seems appropriate
in view of its limited risk and few complex issues. However, if as a
result of comments received during this comment period EPA finds that
additional issues warranting further discussion are raised, the Agency
may lengthen the process and include a second comment period, as
needed.
All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES,
and must be received by EPA on or before the closing date. Comments
will become part of the Agency Docket for sulfometuron methyl. Comments
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.''
EPA is not required to consider these late comments.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA, as amended, directs that, after
submission of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in
product-specific data on individual end-use products and either
reregistering products or taking other ``appropriate regulatory
action.''
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.
Dated: February 21, 2008.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-3699 Filed 2-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S