Jump to main content.

Newsroom  |  Alerts  |  News Links  |  News Archive  |  Email News 

News Archive: November 2002

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.

This information is provided for reference. Over time, links to news items may become unavailable, in these cases the item will remain listed, but no link will be provided. Also, please be aware that the information in any particular article may be outdated or superseded by additional information.

November 22
 Final Rule: Test Procedures for Analysis of Pollutants -- Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Methods
In this final regulation, EPA ratifies approval of several test procedures for measuring the toxicity of effluents and receiving waters in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) data gathering and compliance monitoring. The procedures are commonly referred to as whole effluent toxicity (WET) test methods. Some WET test methods have been revised to improve performance and increase confidence in the reliability of the results. Methods manuals have been updated.

November 20
 EPA Requests Comments on Proposed Reorganization of "Minimal Risk" Tolerance Exemptions
EPA proposes to reorganize certain existing tolerance exemptions. All of these chemical substances were reviewed as part of the tolerance reassessment process required under the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. As a result of that review, certain chemical substances are now classified as "minimal risk," and are being shifted to the section of 40 CFR part 180 that holds minimal-risk chemical substances. The Agency is merely moving certain tolerance exemptions from one section of the CFR to another section. No tolerance exemptions are lost as a result of this action. Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0280, must be received on or before January 21, 2003.

Comments Requested on Online Access to Environmental Compliance Records of Regulated Facilities
EPA is releasing an innovative pilot information tool that gives the public and industry direct access to the current environmental compliance record of more than 800,000 regulated facilities nationwide. EPA is seeking public comment on Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), which was developed in partnership with the Environmental Council of the States, a national association representing state and territorial environmental commissioners. Comments must be submitted no later than January 21, 2003.

Pesticide Registration Requests, Actions, and Tolerance Updates

November 19
Report on Plant-Incorporated Protectant for Bt Corn Root Worm Released
In August 2002, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) held a public meeting to discuss Corn Root Worm Plant-Incorporated Protectant Insect Resistance Management and Non-Target Insect Issues. This Plant-Incorporated Protectant (PIP) product could potentially replace organophosphates, carbamates, and other conventional chemical pesticides used to control a significant insect pest.

November 18
 Emergency Funds Available To Protect Great Lakes from Large, Invasive Fish
Three United States federal agencies, the International Joint Commission, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission have joined to defend against an invasive species threat to the Great Lakes region by providing emergency funds to help prevent the spread of Asian carp. These fish are extremely prolific, rapidly advancing their way up the Mississippi River toward the Great Lakes via the canal and threatening the biological integrity of the Great Lakes.

November 14
 Acid Rain Program 2001 Progress Report
As established by Congress, the Acid Rain Program requires major reductions in electric-generating facilities' emissions of sulfur dioxides (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These pollutants are the key components of acid rain; they also form fine particles and gases that damage human health and impair visibility and can damage sensitive forests, contribute to coastal eutrophication, and speed the weathering of buildings, monuments, and other structures.

Work Plan for Registration of Conventional Pesticides
EPA is providing the new-chemical fiscal year 2003 (FY2003) work plan for the Office of Pesticide Programs in keeping with efforts to improve transparency and flexibility in the registration program. This work plan represents the current list and schedules for these important actions; however, the Agency has included room for flexibility in this work plan to ensure a quick response should an emerging public health or environmental issue arise.

November 13
Comments Requested on Applications To Register New Herbicide Active Ingredients
EPA announces receipt of applications to register pesticide products containing new active ingredients not included in any previously registered products. The proposed active ingredients are pyraflufen-ethyl and flufenpyr-ethyl; both are herbicides. Written comments, identified by the docket ID number OPP-2002-0279, must be received on or before December 13, 2002.

Pesticide Registration Requests, Actions, and Tolerance Updates

Top of Page

November 7
EPA Seeks Comments on Plant-Incorporated Protectant Experimental Use Permit
Syngenta Seeds has applied for an experimental use permit (EUP) for field testing of the plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis VIP3A insect control protein as expressed in cotton plants. The proposed states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The proposed total acreage for this plant-incorporated protectant EUP will be 904.5. The Agency has determined that the application may be of regional and national significance and is soliciting comments. Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0301, must be received on or before December 9, 2002.

November 6
Endosulfan Reregistration Eligibility Decision Documents Available for Comment
EPA announces availability of the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) document for the pesticide active ingredient endosulfan. The RED represents EPA's formal regulatory assessment of the health and environmental database of endosulfan and presents the Agency's determination regarding which pesticidal uses are eligible for reregistration. Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0262, must be received on or before January 6, 2003.

November 5
Company Sentenced for Improper Pesticide Disposal
EPA announced today that a Silver Spring, Maryland, company and its owner were sentenced for discharging pesticides into Rock Creek causing a fish kill in May 2000. The U.S. District Court judge imposed a fine of $15,000 and ordered the company to pay restitution of $5,000 each to Montgomery County and the State of Maryland for their response costs. The court also ordered the company to comply with an August 2002 consent order with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and imposed further penalties on the owner and the applicator.

November 4
EPA's Reorganized Pesticide Web Site Available for Comment
The current Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Web site will soon have a new look. For the past 10 months, a workgroup has been reorganizing the pesticide-related Web content from the OPP site, the EPA regional Web sites, and other EPA Web sites into a new "Pesticides Web Site." The workgroup is interested in receiving any comments on this new structure.

Pesticide Registration Requests, Actions, and Tolerance Updates

Top of Page

 

To subscribe to the Ag Center News listserve:

  • Send an e-mail message to: "agcenter@epa.gov"
  • In the subject line of the message write: "Subscribe" 
  • In the body of the message write your e-mail address.

If you encounter difficulties subscribing to this list server or if you would like to be taken off the Ag Center News list server at any time, please send an e-mail to the Ag Center at: agcenter@epa.gov.

 

 

This page is sponsored by EPA's Ag Center. Ag Center logo

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.