31902 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Notices

Highest Rank in Any Other Ecological

Exposure Compartment x Highest Rank in a

Related Ecotoxicity Effects Compartment

Specially Targeted Priorities

Mixtures

Naturally Occurring Non-Steroidal

Estrogens

Nominations

V. Purpose and Structure of the

Workshop

The first day of the workshop will

provide an overview of the EDSP,

including a discussion of the Agency’s

overall approach to priority setting, how

pesticide active ingredients are being

addressed differently than other

chemicals, the current status of

standardization and validation

activities, and the projected time lines

for chemical selection and testing. The

second and third days of the workshop

will focus on the EDPSD. The Agency

held a workshop in January 1999, to

discuss the basic design of the EDPSD.

The EDPSD is now a functional database

and the Agency seeks comment on the

specific hazard and exposure data

elements included in the database, the

ranking algorithms, and the priority lists

that result from various ranking options.

The workshop will be structured

around discussion of the specific issues

listed in the agenda by invited

participants. A limited amount of time

will be allotted for additional comment

by other meeting attendees. Participants

may also submit written comments

during or after the meeting. Please

submit comments no later than 30 days

following the workshop. Comments

should be sent to the docket address

listed in Unit III. and should reference

the docket control number OPPTS–

42212.

VI. Agenda

Monday, June 5 Overview of the

Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program

10:00 a.m. Welcome

10:15 a.m. Overview of the Endocrine

Disruptor Screening Program

10:45 a.m. Standardization and Validation

Activities

11:00 a.m. Overview of Priority Setting

11:15 a.m. Questions

11:30 a.m. OPP Activities to Prioritize

Pesticide Active Ingredients

12:00 noon Questions on Prioritization of

Active Ingredients

12:15 p.m. Lunch

1:30 p.m. Public Comments on the

Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program,

Standardization/Validation Activities, or the

OPP Actives Approach

3:00 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. Demo of EDPSD version 2

5:00 p.m. End of Demo

Tuesday, June 6 Panel Discussion of the

Priority Setting Database (Exposure and

Effects)

9:00 a.m. Overview of the Current Status of

the EDPSD

9:15 a.m. Completeness of Data Sources

used in Exposure Compartments

10:30 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. Ranking Algorithms Used in

Exposure Compartments

12:00 noon Lunch

1:30 p.m Quality of the Data in Exposure

Compartments

2:30 p.m. Break

2:45 p.m. Completeness of Data Sources

used in Effects Compartments

4:00 p.m. Ranking Algorithms Used in

Effects Compartments

5:00 p.m. End of day

Wednesday, June 7 Panel Discussion of

the Priority Setting Database (Effects,

Combined Exposure and Effects

Compartments, and Weights)

9:00 a.m. Quality of the Data in Effects

Compartments

10:00 a.m. Definition and Ranking

Procedure of the Combined Compartments

10:45 a.m. Break

11:00 a.m. Discussion of Database Default

Weights and Ranked List of HPV/Inerts

12:00 noon Lunch

1:30 p.m. Continue Discussion of Database

Default Weights and Ranked List of HPV/

Inerts

3:00 p.m. Public Comments on EDPSD

4:00 p.m. End of Workshop

The overall objective of the panel

discussions is to address the key issues

that bear upon the ability of the EDPSD

to accomplish its intended purpose of

setting Tier 1 priorities. These issues

include:

Are the exposure and effects data

sources adequate? Are any important

data sources missing?

Are the compartment definitions

clear? Should any compartments be

added? Should any existing

compartments be split or combined?

Does the ranking algorithm for each

compartment make sense, e.g., rank

based on average concentration in

monitoring compartments, rank based

on lowest observed adverse effect level

(LOAEL) in effects compartments?

Certain compartments have a lot of

ties in their rankings. How should you

break ties in rankings in the chemical

selection process, e.g., if you want to

pick the top 10 chemicals from a given

compartment and there are 15 chemicals

tied at rank #6, what do you do?

With respect to the EPA default

scenario: Do the overall category

weightings make sense, i.e., cumulative

weights for exposure vs. effects vs.

combined compartments? Do the

cumulative weights for human health

vs. ecological concerns make sense? Do

the individual compartment weights

make sense? Suggested alternatives?

Is the EDPSD sufficiently transparent

in terms of its operation and

documentation, i.e., is the basis of the

ranking readily understandable to the

user?

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Chemicals,

Endocrine disruptors, Pesticides.

Dated: May 15, 2000.

Stephen L. Johnson,

Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of

Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. 00–12632 Filed 5–16–00; 1:33 pm]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–34225; FRL–6588–7]

Organophosphate Pesticide;

Availability of Preliminary Risk

Assessments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability of documents that were

developed as part of the EPA’s process

for making reregistration eligibility

decisions for the organophosphate

pesticides and for tolerance

reassessments consistent with the

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

(FFDCA), as amended by the Food

Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).

These documents are the preliminary

human health and ecological risk

assessments and related documents for

diazinon. This notice also starts a 60-

day public comment period for the

preliminary risk assessments.

Comments and data are to be limited to

issues directly associated with the

organophosphate pesticide, diazinon,

and its preliminary risk assessments. By

allowing access and opportunity for

comment on the preliminary risk

assessments, EPA is seeking to

strengthen stakeholder involvement and

help ensure our decisions under FQPA

are transparent and based on the best

available information. The tolerance

reassessment process will ensure that

the United States continues to have the

safest and most abundant food supply.

The Agency cautions that these risk

assessments are preliminary

assessments only and that further

refinements of the risk assessments may

be appropriate. These documents reflect

only the work and analysis conducted

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Notices 31903

as of the time they were produced and

it is appropriate that, as new

information becomes available and/or

additional analyses are performed, the

conclusions they contain may change.

DATES: Comments and data on these

assessments, identified by docket

control number OPP–34225, must be

received on or before July 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments and data 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, it is imperative

that you identify the docket control

number OPP–34225 in the subject line

on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karen Angulo, Special Review and

Reregistration Division (7508W), Office

of Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania

Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;

telephone number: (703) 308–8004; email address: angulo.karen@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public

in general, nevertheless, a wide range of

stakeholders will be interested in

obtaining the preliminary risk

assessments for diazinon, including

environmental, human health, and

agricultural advocates; the chemical

industry; pesticide users; and members

of the public interested in the use of

pesticides on food. Since other entities

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. How Can I Get Additional

Information, Including Copies of this

Document and Other Related

Documents?

1. Electronically. You may obtain

electronic copies of this document, and

certain other related documents that

might be available electronically, from

the EPA Internet Home Page at http://

www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select

‘‘Laws and Regulations’’ and then look

up the entry for this document under

the ‘‘Federal Register—Environmental

Documents.’’ You can also go directly to

the Federal Register listings at http://

www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. In addition,

copies of the preliminary risk

assessments for the one

organophosphate pesticide may also be

accessed at http: www.epa.gov/

pesticides/op.

2. In person. The Agency has

established an official record for this

action under docket control number

OPP–34225. The official record consists

of the documents specifically referenced

in this action, and other information

related to this action, including any

information claimed as Confidential

Business Information (CBI). This official

record includes the documents that are

physically located in the docket, as well

as the documents that are referenced in

those documents. The public version of

the official record does not include any

information claimed as CBI. The public

version of the official record, which

includes printed, paper versions of any

electronic comments 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 and to Whom Do I Submit

Comments?

You may submit comments and data

through the mail, in person, or

electronically. To ensure proper receipt

by EPA, it is imperative that you

identify docket control number OPP–

34225 in the subject line on the first

page of your response.

1. By mail. Submit your comments to:

Public Information and Records

Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Information

Resources and Services Division

(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs

(OPP), Environmental Protection

Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,

Washington, DC 20460.

2. In person or by courier. Deliver

your comments to: 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 comments electronically by e-mail

to: ‘‘opp-docket@epa.gov,’’ or you can

submit a computer disk as described

above. Do not submit any information

electronically that you consider to be

CBI. Avoid the use of special characters

and any form of encryption. Electronic

submissions will be accepted in

WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file

format. All comments in electronic form

must be identified by docket control

number OPP–34225. Electronic

comments may also be filed online at

many Federal Depository Libraries.

D. How Should I Handle CBI That I

Want to Submit to the Agency?

Do not submit any information

electronically that you consider to be

CBI. You may claim information that

you submit to EPA in response to this

document as CBI by marking any part or

all of that information as CBI.

Information so marked will not be

disclosed except in accordance with

procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

In addition to one complete version of

the comment that includes any

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

version of the official record.

Information not marked confidential

will be included in the public version

of the official record without prior

notice. If you have any questions about

CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI,

please consult the person listed under

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare

My Comments for EPA?

You may find the following

suggestions helpful for preparing your

comments:

1. Explain your views as clearly as

possible.

2. Describe any assumptions that you

used.

3. Provide copies of any technical

information and/or data you used that

support your views.

4. If you estimate potential burden or

costs, explain how you arrived at the

estimate that you provide.

5. Provide specific examples to

illustrate your concerns.

6. Offer alternative ways to improve

the notice or collection activity.

7. Make sure to submit your

comments by the deadline in this

document.

8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA,

be sure to identify the docket control

number assigned to this action in the

subject line on the first page of your

response. You may also provide the

name, date, and Federal Register

citation.

31904 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Notices

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

EPA is making available preliminary

risk assessments that have been

developed as part of EPA’s process for

making reregistration eligibility

decisions for the organophosphate

pesticides and for tolerance

reassessments consistent with the

FFDCA, as amended by the FQPA. The

Agency’s preliminary human health and

ecological risk assessments for one

organophosphate pesticide are available

in the individual organophosphate

pesticide docket: Diazinon.

Included in the individual

organophosphate pesticide docket is the

Agency’s preliminary risk assessments.

As additional comments, reviews, and

risk assessment modifications become

available, these will also be docketed for

the one organophosphate pesticide

listed in this notice. The Agency

cautions that these risk assessments are

preliminary assessments only and that

further refinements of the risk

assessments will be appropriate for the

one organophosphate pesticide. These

documents reflect only the work and

analysis conducted as of the time they

were produced and it is appropriate

that, as new information becomes

available and/or additional analyses are

performed, the conclusions they contain

may change.

As the preliminary risk assessments

for the remaining organophosphate

pesticides are completed and registrants

are given a 30-day review period to

identify possible computational or other

clear errors in the risk assessments,

these risk assessments and registrant

responses will be placed in the

organophosphate pesticide docket for

diazinon. A notice of availability for

subsequent assessments will appear in

the Federal Register.

The Agency is providing an

opportunity, through this notice, for

interested parties to provide written

comments and data and input to the

Agency on the preliminary risk

assessments for the chemical specified

in this notice. Such comments and data

and input could address, for example,

the availability of additional data to

further refine the risk assessments, such

as percent crop treated information or

submission of residue data from food

processing studies, or could address the

Agency’s risk assessment methodologies

and assumptions as applied to this

specific chemicals. Comments and data

should be limited to issues raised

within the preliminary risk assessments

and associated documents. EPA will

provide other opportunities for public

comment and data on other science

issues associated with the

organophosphate pesticide tolerance

reassessment program. Failure to

comment on any such issues as part of

this opportunity will in no way

prejudice or limit a commenter’s

opportunity to participate fully in later

notice and comment processes. All

comments and data should be submitted

by July 18, 2000 at the address given

under Unit I. Comments and data will

become part of the Agency record for

this organophosphate pesticide.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Chemicals,

Pesticides and pests.

Dated: May 16, 2000.

Jack E. Housenger,

Acting Director, Special Review and

Reregistration Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–12676 Filed 5–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[PF–943; FRL–6558–2]

Notice of Filing a Pesticide Petition to

Establish a Tolerance for Certain

Pesticide Chemicals in or on Food

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

initial filing of a pesticide petition

proposing the establishment of

regulations for residues of certain

pesticide chemicals in or on various

food commodities.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket

control number PF–943, must be

received on or before June 19, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted by mail, electronically, or in

person. Please follow the detailed

instructions for each method as

provided in Unit I.C. of the

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure

proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative

that you identify docket control number

PF–943 in the subject line on the first

page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Joanne I. Miller, Registration

Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200

Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,

DC 20460; telephone number: (703)

305–6224; e-mail address:

miller.joanne@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

You may be affected by this action if

you are an agricultural producer, food

manufacturer or pesticide manufacturer.

Potentially affected categories and

entities may include, but are not limited

to:

Categories NAICS Examples of potentially affected entities

Industry 111 Crop production

112 Animal production

311 Food manufacturing

32532 Pesticide manufacturing

This listing is not intended to be

exhaustive, but rather provides a guide

for readers regarding entities likely to be

affected by this action. Other types of

entities not listed in the table could also

be affected. The North American

Industrial Classification System

(NAICS) codes have been provided to

assist you and others in determining

whether or not this action might apply

to certain entities. If you have 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. You may obtain

electronic copies of this document, and

certain other related documents that

might be available electronically, from

the EPA Internet Home Page at http://

www.epa.gov/. To access this

document, on the Home Page select

‘‘Laws and Regulations’’ and then look

up the entry for this document under

the ‘‘Federal Register—Environmental

Documents.’’ You can also go directly to

the Federal Register listings at http://

www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.

2. In person. The Agency has

established an official record for this

action under docket control number PF–

943. The official record consists of the

documents specifically referenced in

this action, any public comments

received during an applicable comment

period, and other information related to

this action, including any information

claimed as confidential business

information (CBI). This official record

includes the documents that are

physically located in the docket, as well

as the documents that are referenced in

those documents. The public version of

the official record does not include any