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Soil Fumigant Pesticides; Notice of Public Meetings

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.



[Federal Register: May 2, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 84)]
[Notices]
[Page 24289-24290]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02my07-52]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0343; FRL-8127-4]

Soil Fumigant Pesticides; Notice of Public Meetings

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is planning to hold
two stakeholder meetings to obtain public input on risk management
options for the soil fumigant pesticides chloropicrin, dazomet, metam
sodium, metam potassium, and methyl bromide. Reregistration for 1,3-
dichloropropene (1,3-D or Telone) was completed in 1998, but it is
included in the review for comparative purposes. The public meetings
will be held in the states of Washington and Florida in late May and
early June 2007. The purpose of the meetings is for the Agency to
obtain first-hand comments on possible human health risk mitigation
options from stakeholders who are most affected by soil fumigant use,
including growers, professional fumigant applicators, farm workers,
neighbors and community members, local officials, and others. EPA also
plans to participate in a stakeholder meeting focusing on risk
mitigation options for the soil fumigants metam sodium and metam
potassium, held by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation in
late May 2007. California and EPA have been working together on soil
fumigant issues during the last several years, and use similar
approaches to reduce exposure. Stakeholders' comments at these meetings
will help inform EPA's decision later this year on the reregistration
eligibility of several soil fumigant pesticides. Through the
reregistration program, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet
current health and safety standards.

DATES: The meeting in Richland, Washington will be held on May 22, 2007
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting in Ft. Myers, Florida will be held on
June 6, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT, preferably at least 10
days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to
process your request. Spanish language translation will be available at
both meetings.

ADDRESSES: The Washington meeting will be held at the Federal Building,
825 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, Washington 99352. The Florida meeting will
be held at the Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe Street, Ft. Myers,
Florida 33901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Washington meeting information
contact. Veronique LaCapra, Special Review and Reregistration Division
(7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone
number: (703) 605-1525; fax number: (703) 308-8090; e-mail address: 
lacapra.veronique@epa.gov.
    For Florida meeting information contact. Nathan Mottl, Special
Review and Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-0208; fax
number: (703) 308-7070; e-mail address: mottl.nathan@epa.gov.
    For general information contact. John Leahy, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-6703; fax
number: (703) 308-8090; e-mail address: leahy.john@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

[[Page 24290]]

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 Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under
docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0343. 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 Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Building), 2777 S.
Crystal Drive 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 telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.

II. Background

    EPA is currently reviewing six soil fumigant pesticides. Four of
the six are in review for reregistration, including chloropicrin,
dazomet, metam sodium, metam potassium, and methyl bromide. A fifth
chemical, iodomethane, is being reviewed for registration and is a
possible alternative to methyl bromide. Reregistration for 1,3-
dichloropropene (1,3-D or Telone) was completed in 1998, but is
included in the review for comparative purposes.
    EPA is reviewing the soil fumigant pesticides using the 6-Phase
Public Participation Process described in the Agency's May 14, 2004
Federal Register notice (69 FR 26819)(FRL-7357-9). During Phase 5, the
Agency is issuing for public comment revised risk assessments, benefits
assessments, and a paper outlining risk management options for the soil
fumigants. To obtain additional, first-hand input from stakeholders,
EPA is holding meetings during the Phase 5 public comment period in
areas of high soil fumigant use.
    EPA will begin each public meeting with a brief overview of
predicted risks and benefits of soil fumigant use, as well as possible
measures that the Agency expects will reduce risks. After providing
guidelines for making comments, the Agency will take comments from the
public during the remainder of the day. EPA plans to transcribe the
meetings so that comments received can be placed in the docket where
they will be available to other members of the public.
    EPA also plans to participate in a stakeholder meeting held by the
California Department of Pesticide Regulation on May 30, 2007, focusing
on California's risk management proposals for soil fumigants that
produce MITC, specifically metam sodium and metam potassium. California
and EPA have been working together on soil fumigant issues during the
last several years. Because the mitigation proposals for these
chemicals include similar approaches to reduce exposures, EPA will also
consider public comments provided by stakeholders during this meeting.
Please visit the California Department of Pesticide Regulation website
for more information: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/.
    After considering all information and comments received during
Phase 5 through the public meetings and the docket, EPA plans to
develop risk management decisions for the soil fumigant pesticides
later in 2007.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: April 24, 2007.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E7-8277 Filed 5-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S

 
 

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