39898 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 125 / Wednesday, June 28, 2000 / Notices

Dated: June 19, 2000.

Richard D. Schmitt,

Acting Director, Information Resources and

Services Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–16369 Filed 6–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–34230; FRL–6595–3]

Pesticides; Availability of Risk

Assessments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability of risk assessments that

were developed as part of the EPA’s

process for making Reregistration

Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for

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 risk assessments are the human

health and ecological risk assessments

and related documents for oxamyl,

terrazole, and triallate. These risk

assessments are being released to the

public as part of the joint initiative

between EPA and the Department of

Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen

stakeholder involvement and help

ensure decisions made 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.

DATES: The risk assessments and related

documents are available in the OPP

Docket. While there is no formal public

comment period, the Agency will accept

comments on the risk assessment

documents. Comments submitted

within the first 30 days are most likely

to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted by mail, electronically, or in

person. Please follow the detailed

instructions for each method as

provided in Unit II. of the

‘‘SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.’’

To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is

imperative that you identify docket

control number of the chemical of

specific interest 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; and

e-mail 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 risk assessments for

oxamyl, terrazole, and triallate,

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 pesticide risk assessments

released to the public may also be

accessed at http: www.epa.gov/

pesticides.

2. In person. The Agency has

established an official record for this

action under docket control numbers

OPP–34227 for oxamyl, OPP–34229 for

terrazole, and OPP–34226 for triallate.

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.

II. How Can I Respond to this Action?

A. How and to Whom Do I Submit

Comments?

You may submit comments through

the mail, in person, or electronically. To

ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is

imperative that you identify docket

control number for the specific chemical

of interest in the subject line on the first

page of your response.

1. By mail. Submit comments to:

Public Information and Records

Integrity Branch, Information Resources

and Services Division (7502C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania

Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

2. In person or by courier. Deliver

comments to: Public Information and

Records Integrity Branch, Information

Resources and Services Division, Office

of Pesticide Programs, 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. Submit electronic

comments by e-mail to: ‘‘oppdocket@epa.gov,’’ or you can submit a

computer disk as described in this unit.

Do not submit any information

electronically that you consider to be

CBI. Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file, avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption. Comments and data will

also be accepted on standard computer

disks in WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII

file format. All comments in electronic

form must be identified by the docket

control number of the chemical of

specific interest. Electronic comments

may also be filed online at many Federal

Depository Libraries.

B. How Should I Handle CBI

Information 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

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 125 / Wednesday, June 28, 2000 / Notices 39899

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.’’

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

EPA is making available to the public

the risk assessments that have been

developed as part of EPA’s process for

tolerance reassessment and

reregistration. While there is no formal

public comment period, the Agency will

accept comments on the risk assessment

documents. Comments submitted

within the first 30 days are most likely

to be considered. REDs for pesticides

developed under the interim process

will be made available for public

comment.

EPA and USDA have been using a

pilot public participation process for the

assessment of organophosphate

pesticides since August 1998. In

considering how to accomplish the

movement from the current pilot being

used for the organophosphate pesticides

to the public participation process that

will be used in the future for nonorganophosphates, such as oxamyl,

terrazole, and triallate, EPA and USDA

have adopted an interim public

participation process for the nonorganophosphate pesticides scheduled

for tolerance reassessment and

reregistration in 2000. The interim

public participation process ensures

public access to the Agency’s risk

assessments while also allowing EPA to

meet its reregistration commitments.

The interim public participation process

for the non-organophosphate pesticides

scheduled for tolerance reassessment

and reregistration in 2000 and 2001

takes into account that the risk

assessment development work on these

pesticides is substantially complete. The

interim public participation process

involves: A registrant error correction

period; a period for the Agency to

respond to the registrant’s error

comments; the release of the refined risk

assessments and risk characterizations

to the public via the docket and EPA’s

internet website; a significant effort on

stakeholder consultations, such as

meetings and conference calls; and the

issuance of the risk management

document (i.e., RED) after the

consideration of issues and discussions

with stakeholders. USDA plans to hold

meetings and conference calls with the

public (i.e., interested stakeholders such

as growers, USDA Cooperative

Extension Offices, commodity groups,

and other Federal government agencies)

to discuss any identified risks and

solicit input on risk management

strategies. EPA will participate in

USDA’s meetings and conference calls

with the public. This feedback will be

used to complete the risk management

decisions and the RED. EPA plans to

conduct a close-out conference call with

interested stakeholders to describe the

regulatory decisions presented in the

RED. REDs for pesticides developed

under the interim process will be made

available for public comment.

Included in the public version of the

official record is the Agency’s risk

assessments and related documents for

oxamyl, terrazole, and triallate. As

additional comments, reviews, and risk

assessment modifications become

available, these will also be docketed for

the pesticides listed in this notice.

These risk assessments 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.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Chemicals,

Pesticides and pests.

Dated: June 21, 2000.

Lois Rossi,

Director, Special Review and Reregistration

Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–16370 Filed 6–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6725–9]

State Program Requirements;

Application to Administer the National

Pollutant Discharge Elimination

System (NPDES) Program; Maine

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; extension of public

comment period on Application for

Approval of the Maine Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System.

SUMMARY: The State of Maine has

submitted a request for approval of the

Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination

System (MEPDES) Program pursuant to

section 402 of the Clean Water Act. If

EPA approves the MEPDES program, the

State will administer this program,

which regulates the discharges of point

sources to navigable waters, subject to

continuing EPA oversight and

enforcement authority, in place of the

National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) program

now administered by EPA in Maine. On

December 30, 1999 (64 FR 73552) EPA

published a notice requesting comments

on the Maine application by February

29, 2000. Today, EPA is extending the

comment period on the State’s request

until July 28, 2000 solely for the

purposes of taking comment on the

question of whether EPA should

approve the State’s application to

administer its program in the lands or

territories of the Indian Tribes in Maine.

EPA will determine whether to approve

or disapprove the State’s application as

to Indian lands and territories and as to

all other areas in the State of Maine after

considering all comments it receives.

DATES: EPA Region I will take written

comments solely on the question of

whether EPA should approve the State’s

application to operate its program in the

lands or territories of the Indian Tribes

in Maine through July 28, 2000 at its

office in Boston, MA. EPA requests that

copies of such written comments also be

provided to the Maine Department of

Environmental Protection (MEDEP).

ADDRESSES: Written comments must be

submitted to: Stephen Silva, USEPA

Maine State Office, 1 Congress Street—

Suite 1100 (CME), Boston, MA 02114–

2023. EPA requests that a copy of each

comment be submitted to: Dennis

Merrill, MEDEP, Statehouse Station #17,

Augusta, ME 04333–0017.

Copies of documents Maine has

submitted in support of its program

approval request may be reviewed

during normal business hours, Monday

through Friday, excluding holidays, at:

EPA Region I, 11th Floor Library, 1

Congress Street—Suite 1100, Boston,

MA 02114–2023, 617–918–1990 or 1–

888–372–5427; and MEDEP, Ray

Building, Hospital Street, Augusta, ME.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Silva at the address listed

above or by calling (617) 918–1561 or

Dennis Merrill at the address listed

above or by calling (207) 287–7788. The

State’s submissions (which comprise

approximately 128 pages in the

application, 382 pages in the appendix,

and 11 pages in a supplement with an

additional 688 pages of attachments)

may be copied at the MEDEP office in

Augusta, or EPA office in Boston, at a

cost of 15 cents per page. A copy of the

entire initial submission (not including