. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/165
11 June 1999
(99-2346)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Environmental Protection Agency
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable).
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Tolerances for Pesticide Emergency
Exemptions (9 pages)
5. Description of content:  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing
procedures and criteria under which EPA would establish tolerances for residues of pesticide
chemicals resulting from emergency uses of pesticide chemicals authorized by EPA under
section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).  This
regulation is required by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which was
amended by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996.  FQPA established a new
safety standard with special protections for infants and children and extends this new
protection to the emergency use of pesticide chemicals.  Specifically, FQPA requires EPA toestablish time-limited tolerances, or an exemption from the requirement for a time-limited
tolerance, for any pesticide uses authorized by EPA under section 18 of FIFRA that may
result in residues in or on food (including animal feed).  EPA actions under section 18 of
FIFRA are taken in response to a petition submitted by a Federal or state agency.  These
proposed procedures and criteria will ensure that the Agency is able to address more quicklyany tolerance related issues in conjunction with any decision made on the petition.  EPA
believes that the procedures proposed in this document will be protective of public health,
while continuing to ensure availability of pesticides in emergency situations.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety  [   ] animal health [ X ] plant protection
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease  [  ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
7. An international standa rd, guideline or recommendati on does not exist [ X ].
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  64 FR 29823,
3 June 1999;  40 CFR Part 176 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/165
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  The date of adoption and entry into force will be
announced when the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
11. Final date for comments:   2 August 1999
Agency or authority designated to handle comme nts:  [  ] National notification authority,
[  ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of
other body:   Environmental Protection Agency
Detailed instruction on where and how to send commen ts is in the body of the full text – which
will be sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
USDA/FAS/FSTD
Attn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 10271400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720 2239
Fax::  (202) 690 0677
E-mail address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov