Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2023 / Notices 65999 

antimicrobial resistance that 

compromises the effectiveness of 

medically important antibacterial and 

antifungal drugs. Since other entities 

may also be interested, the Agency has 

not attempted to describe all the specific 

entities that may be interested in 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. 

E. What should I consider as I prepare 

my comments for EPA? 

1. Submitting CBI 

Do not submit CBI information to EPA 

through https://www.regulations.gov or 

email. If you wish to include CBI in 

your comment, please follow the 

applicable instructions at https://

www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epadockets#rules and clearly mark the part 

or all of the information that you claim 

to be CBI. In addition to one complete 

version of the comment that includes 

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 

docket. Information so marked will not 

be disclosed except in accordance with 

procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. 

2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments 

When preparing and submitting your 

comments, see the commenting tips and 

instructions at https://www.epa.gov/ 

dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. 

II. Request for Comments 

EPA is seeking comment on the 

document entitled ‘‘Soliciting Feedback 

from Stakeholders on the Structure of a 

Proposed Framework to Assess the Risk 

to the Effectiveness of Human and 

Animal Drugs Posed by Certain 

Antibacterial or Antifungal Pesticides’’ 

(also referred to as the concept 

document), a copy of which is available 

in the docket. EPA is also requesting 

public comments on potential solutions, 

research, or mitigation approaches to 

reduce the spread of AMR, and is 

specifically seeking public comment on 

the following questions for the proposed 

framework: 

• Is the concept for the proposed 

framework (see Figure 1 in the concept 

document) appropriately defined and 

clear to stakeholders? 

• Are there specific types of 

pesticides that should be evaluated 

under the framework, either by class or 

function? 

• What factors that should be 

considered in determining if a proposed 

pesticide use constitutes a potential risk 

to human or animal health due to AMR? 

• How to determine which human 

and animal antimicrobial drugs should 

be considered ‘medically important’ and 

how should this term be defined? 

• What mitigation strategies are 

currently available to address the risk of 

AMR developing because of pesticide 

use? 

Comment is also requested on the list 

of research gaps that could help inform 

risk assessment and mitigation 

addressed in this framework, including 

agricultural methods or other processes 

that could minimize the potential for 

these pesticides to select for resistant 

organisms and strategies to prevent 

infection or colonization related to 

pathogen exposure, including: 

• How do organisms that might have 

developed resistance by exposure to 

these pesticides come into contact with 

and cause illness in humans or animals 

(e.g., through direct contact, inhalation, 

ingestion, healthcare-associated 

transmission), and which human or 

animal populations are most affected 

(e.g., agricultural workers, persons 

handling compost, persons with 

immunocompromising conditions, 

persons living near treated fields, 

animals for food production, companion 

animals)? 

• What are effective strategies to 

reduce the potential for these pesticides 

to select for antimicrobial-resistant 

bacteria and fungi? For example, which 

agricultural practices are effective in 

reducing the potential for these 

pesticides to select for AMR, including 

strategies to reduce the need for 

pesticide use and practices that reduce 

the likelihood that pesticide use will 

result in resistance emergence (e.g., crop 

rotations, specific pesticide 

formulations)? 

• By which mechanisms do human or 

animal pathogenic bacteria and fungi 

spread through populations after 

becoming resistant through selection by 

these pesticides? 

• What are the best approaches to 

determine the potential for pesticides to 

select for antimicrobial-resistant 

pathogens, and do chemical criteria 

exist that could help determine whether 

pesticides are more or less likely to pose 

health risks to humans or animals? 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. 

Dated: September 21, 2023. 

Michal Freedhoff, 

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 

Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2023–20929 Filed 9–25–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–11421–01–OA] 

Establishment of Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 

Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 

Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice; establishment of the 

Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities and Minority Serving 

Institutions Advisory Council. 

SUMMARY: As required by the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the 

United States Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is giving notice that it is 

establishing the Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities and Minority 

Serving Institutions Advisory Council. 

The purpose of this committee is to 

provide advice and recommendations to 

the EPA Administrator on critical policy 

and technical issues to advance equity 

in economic and social opportunities for 

all Americans and strengthen the 

capacity of HBCUs and MSIs to provide 

the highest-quality education, 

participate in and benefit from federal 

programs, and support key 

Administration policies. The EPA has 

determined that this federal advisory 

committee is necessary and in the 

public interest to provide critical advice 

and recommendations to assist the EPA 

in increasing outreach to 

underrepresented and underserved 

communities by developing a stronger 

partnership with HBCUs and MSIs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Pradnya Bhandari, Designated Federal 

Officer, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania 

Avenue NW (Mail code 1448K), 

Washington, DC 20460, at 202–564– 

0381 or by email to bhandari.pradnya@

epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities and Minority Serving 

Institutions Advisory Council will be 

established for a two-year period. 

Copies of the committee charter will be 

filed with the appropriate congressional 

committees and the Library of Congress. 

Kathryn Jakob, 

Director, Office of Public Engagement. 

[FR Doc. 2023–20878 Filed 9–25–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 


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