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FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: January 15, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 10)]
[Notices]
[Page 1973-1975]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ja02-50]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP;-00756;FRL-6820-1]
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: There will be a 4-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review a set of issues being
considered by the Agency pertaining to methods used to conduct a
preliminary cumulative risk assessment for organophosphorous
pesticides. Seating at the meeting will be on a first-come basis.
Individuals requiring special accommodations at this meeting, including
wheelchair access, should contact Paul Lewis at the address listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least 5 business days prior to
the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
DATES: The meeting will be held on February 5th-8th, 2002 from 8:30
a.m. to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel,
1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. The telephone number
for the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel is (703) 486-1111.
Requests to participate may be submitted by mail, electronically,
or in person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method
as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To ensure
proper receipt by EPA, your request must identify docket control number
[[Page 1974]]
OPP-00756 in the subject line on the first page of your response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lewis, Designated Federal
Official, Office of Science Coordination and Policy, (7201M),
Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-8450; fax
number: (202) 564-8382; e-mail address: lewis.paul@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 of interest to persons who are or may be required to
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), FIFRA and FQPA. Since other entities may also
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. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this
Document and Other Related Documents?
1. Electronically. A meeting agenda and background documents
relevant to this meeting are now available. The EPA's position paper
and questions to the FIFRA SAP, and Panel composition (i.e. SAP members
and consultants) will be available as soon as possible, but no later
than mid January. In addition, the Agency may provide additional
background documents as the material becomes available. You may obtain
electronic copies of these documents, and certain other related
documents that might be available electronically, from the FIFRA SAP
Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap. To access this
document on the Home Page select Federal Register notice announcing
this meeting. You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings
at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
2. In person. The Agency has established an administrative record
for this meeting under docket control number OPP-00756. The
administrative record consists of the documents specifically referenced
in this notice, any public comments received during an applicable
comment period, and other material information, including any
information claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This
administrative record includes the documents that are physically
located in the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in
those documents. In addition, the Agency may provide additional
background documents as the material becomes available. The public
version of the administrative record, which includes printed, paper
versions of any electronic comments that may be 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 (703) 305-5805.
C. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?
You may submit a request to participate in this meeting through the
mail, in person, or electronically. Do not submit any information in
your request that is considered CBI. To ensure proper receipt by EPA,
it is imperative that you identify docket control number OPP-00756 in
the subject line on the first page of your request. Public statements
presented at the meetings should not be repetitive of previously
submitted oral or written statements.
Oral comments: Although requests for oral comments are accepted
until the date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), to the extent
that time permits, interested persons may be permitted by the Chair of
the FIFRA SAP to present oral statements at the meeting. Each
individual or group wishing to make a brief oral presentation to the
SAP is strongly advised to submit their request to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT no later than noon Eastern
Standard Time, Thursday, January 31, 2002 in order to be included on
the meeting agenda. The request should identify the name of the
individual making the presentation, the organization (if any) the
individual will represent, and any requirements for audiovisual
equipment (e.g., overhead projector, 35 mm projector, chalkboard). Oral
statements before the Panel are limited to approximately 5 minutes
unless prior arrangements have been made. In addition, the speaker
should bring to the meeting 30 copies of their comments and
presentation slides for distribution to the Panel at the meeting.
Written comments: Although requests for written comment are
accepted until the date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), the
Agency encourages that written statements be submitted no later than
noon Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, January 31, 2002 to provide Panel
members the time necessary to consider and review the comments. There
is no limit on the extent of written comments for consideration by the
Panel. Persons wishing to submit written comments at the meeting should
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and
submit 30 copies.
1. By mail. You may submit a request to: Public Information and
Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information Resources and Services
Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental
Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
2. In person or by courier. Public Information 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 8:30 a.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 request electronically by e-
mail to: opp-docket@epa.gov. Do not submit any information
electronically that you consider to be CBI. Use WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or
ASCII file format and avoid the use of special characters and any form
of encryption. Be sure to identify by docket control number OPP-00756.
You may also file a request online at many Federal Depository
Libraries.
II. Background
A. Purpose of the Meeting
The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 amended the FIFRA and the
FFDCA. One of the major changes is the requirement that EPA consider
risk posed by pesticides acting by common mechanism of toxicity. For
such groups of pesticides, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) has
treated cumulative risk, under FQPA, as the risk of a common toxic
effect associated with concurrent exposure by all relevant pathways and
routes.
Organophosphorous pesticides were assigned priority for tolerance
reassessment early during the process of FQPA implementation. OPP
considered whether this group of pesticides caused common toxic effects
by a common mechanism of toxicity using EPA's ``guidance for
identifying pesticide chemicals and other substances that have a common
mechanism of toxicity.'' The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was a
focal point given that most
[[Page 1975]]
organophosphorous pesticides cause this response as their critical and
common effect. When acetylcholinesterase is inhibited, acetylcholine
accumulates and cholinergic toxicity results due to continuous
stimulation of cholinergic receptors throughout the central and
peripheral nervous systems which innervate virtually every organ in the
body. Cholinergic effects associated with exposures to OP pesticides
have been found in both humans and animals.
OPP proceeded with the methodology and risk assessment development
in a step by step process. The approach to the risk assessment was
evaluated using a case study of 3 organophosphorous pesticides. That
assessment was reviewed by the SAP (September and December, 1999), who
recommended that OPP proceed with a more comprehensive case study. OPP
developed the hazard, dose-response and exposure assessment for twenty
four OP pesticides and brought it to the SAP for comment in September
and December of 2000. Based on the comments, the hazard and dose-
response assessment was revised and again reviewed by the SAP in
September, 2001.
The exposure assessment of the OP pesticides presented here
incorporates probabilistic approaches in all pathways considered: Food,
drinking water, and residential/non-occupational. The methodology for
conducting a preliminary cumulative risk assessment for the
organophosphorous pesticides presented here is a first time that the
Agency has assessed risk combining multiple sources of exposure for
multiple chemicals acting via a common mechanism of toxicity. The
general methodology and the specific approach have been under
development for 5 years and have been subject to extensive peer review
and public comment.
B. Panel Report
The Panel will prepare a report of its recommendations to the
Agency in approximately 60 days. The report will be posted on the FIFRA
SAP web site or may be obtained by contacting the Public Information
and Records Integrity Branch at the address or telephone number listed
in Unit I. of this document.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection.
Dated: January 8, 2002.
Vanessa Vu,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and Policy
[FR Doc. 02-960 Filed 1-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S