Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 1997 / Notices 8735

postharvest by means of a chlorine

generator pad (40 CFR 180.1054). The

Agency has determined previously (as

stated in the proposal for exemption

from the requirement of a tolerance for

calcium hypochlorite chlorine gas in the

Federal Register of January 11, 1991 (56

FR 1153; FRL–3686–5), that there is no

reasonable expectation that residues of

these compounds will remain in eggs,

meat, milk or poultry in accordance

with 40 CFR 180.3. The residues which

do remain are not of toxicological

significance.

A. Residue Chemistry

Residues of sodium chlorite are not

expected in livestock because it

converts to chlorine dioxide in the

drinking water and is consumed by

biological activity. Because sodium

chlorite is highly reactive with minerals,

bacteria and other contaminants, the

reaction is complete within a few

minutes consuming most, if not all of

the sodium chlorite.

Because there are many active Federal

pesticide registrations for sodium

chlorite and chlorine dioxide as well as

existing tolerance exemptions for both

compounds, the Agency has determined

that the residue chemistry for these

compounds is understood.

Adequate analytical methodology is

available through spectrophotometric

analysis to determine the amounts of

sodium chlorite in livestock drinking

water.

B. Toxicological Profile

The acute and chronic toxicity of

sodium chlorite and chlorine dioxide

have been tested extensively. Adverse

effects are not expected when used in

the proposed manner.

C. Aggregate Exposure

There are no established U.S.

tolerances for sodium chlorite or

chlorine dioxide; however, there are

several tolerance exemptions for theses

compounds. The addition to aggregate

exposure or sodium chlorite or chlorine

dioxide as described in this petition is

minimal.

The estimated non-occupational

exposure to sodium chlorite and

chlorine dioxide has been evaluated

based on its proposed use pattern. The

potential for non-occupational exposure

under the proposed use to the general

population is unlikely. Sodium chlorite

and its hydrolysis product, chlorine

dioxide, is proposed to be used only on

poultry and livestock farms and is not

to be used in or around the home.

There is no maximum contaminant

level for residues of sodium chlorite in

drinking water; however, there is a

proposed maximum residual

disinfectant level (MRDL) for chlorine

dioxide of 0.8 milligrams per liter (mg/

L) and a MRDL goal of 0.3 mg/L. The

MRDL was part of a proposed EPA

rulemaking on disinfectants on drinking

water on July 29, 1994; however, this

rule is not yet finalized.

D. Cumulative Effects

Sodium chlorate is chemically similar

to sodium chlorite, and sodium chlorate

is exempt from the requirements of a

tolerance when used as a defoliant,

desiccant, or fungicide on various RACs

(40 CFR 180.1020). Chlorine gas is

exempted from the requirement of a

tolerance when used preharvest or

postharvest in solution on all RACs (40

CFR 180.1095). Calcium hypochlorite is

exempted from the requirement of a

tolerance when used preharvest or

postharvest on all RACs and in or on

grapes when used as a fumigant

postharvest by means of a chlorine

generator pad (40 CFR 180.1054). The

agency has determined previously that

there is no reasonable expectation that

residues of these compounds will

remain in eggs, meat, or poultry in

accordance with 40 CFR 180.3. The

residues which do remain are not of

toxicological significance.

E. Safety Determination

Because sodium chlorite and chlorine

dioxide are not expected to accumulate

in poultry or livestock tissues and their

food byproducts, exposure to the U.S.

population and the subgroup infants

and children does not pose a significant

risk. In addition, chlorine dioxide (the

byproduct from the reaction during the

proposed use of sodium chlorite) is

already present in many municipal

drinking water systems, therefore, the

exposure to any chlorine dioxide that

may be present in animal food products

as a result of the proposed use is not

expected to cause any additional risk to

the general population and the subgroup

of infants and children.

F. International Tolerances

The petitioner understands that there

are no current established Maximum

Residue Levels for sodium chlorite or

chlorine dioxide.

II. Public Record

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the this notice of

filing. Comments must bear a notation

indicating the docket control number,

PF–706.

A record has been established for this

notice under docket control number PF–

706 including comments and data

submitted electronically as described

below). A public version of this record,

including printed, paper versions of

electronic comments, which does not

include any information claimed as CBI,

is available for inspection from 8:30

a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

excluding legal holidays. The public

record is located in Room 1132 of the

Public Response and Program resources

Branch, Field Operations Division

(7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs,

Environmental Protection Agency,

Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis

highway, Arlington, VA.

Electronic comments can be sent

directly to EPA at:

opp-Docket@epamail.epa.gov

Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption.

The official record for this

rulemaking, as well as the public

version, as described above will be kept

in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will

transfer all comments received

electronically into printed, paper form

as they are received and will place the

paper copies in the official rulemaking

record which will also include all

comments submitted directly in writing.

The official rulemaking record is the

paper record maintained at the Virginia

address in ‘‘ADDRESSES’’ at the

beginning of this document.

List of Subjects

Environmental Protection,

Administrative practice and procedure,

Agricultural commodities, Pesticides

and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

Dated: February 13, 1997.

Peter Caulkins,

Acting Director, Registration Division, Office

Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–4626 Filed 2–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

[PF–711; FRL–5589–1]

Good Bugs Inc.; Pesticide Tolerance

Petition Filing

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of filing.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

initial filing of a pesticide petition

proposing the establishment of a

regulation for an exemption from the

requirement of a tolerance for residues

of the microbial pesticide Pseudomonas

fluorescens PRA-25 in or on peas,

snapbeans, sweet corn, and supersweet
8736 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 1997 / Notices

corn. The summary of the petition

published in this notice was proposed

by the petitioner Good Bugs Inc.

DATES: Comments, identified by the

docket number [PF-711], must be

received on or before, March 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written

comments to: Public Response and

Program Resources Branch, Field

Operations Division (7506C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St. SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring

comments to Rm. 1132, CM #2, 1921

Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically by sending

electronic mail (e-mail) to: oppdocket@epamail.epa.gov. 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 disks in WordPerfect 5.1

file format or ASCII file format. All

comments and data in electronic form

must be identified by docket number

[PF-711]. Electronic comments on this

notice may be filed online at many

Federal Depository Libraries. Additional

information on electronic submissions

can be found in Unit II. of this

document.

Information submitted as a comment

concerning this document may be

claimed confidential by marking any

part or all of that information as

‘‘Confidential Business Information’’

(CBI). CBI should not be submitted

through e-mail. Information marked as

CBI will not be disclosed except in

accordance with procedures set forth in

40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment

that does not contain CBI must be

submitted for inclusion in the public

record. Information not marked

confidential may be disclosed publicly

by EPA without prior notice. All written

comments will be available for public

inspection in Rm. 1132 at the address

given above, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Teung F. Chin, Regulatory Action

Leader, Biopesticides and Pollution

Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington,

DC 20460. Office location, telephone

number, and e-mail address: 5th floor

CS #1, 2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington,

VA, 703–308–1259, e-mail:

chin.teung@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has

received a pesticide petition (PP

7G4803) from Good Bugs, Inc., P.O. Box

939, New Glarus, WI 53574, proposing

pursuant to section 408(d) of the Federal

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C.

346a(d), to amend 40 CFR part 180 by

establishing an exemption from the

requirement of a tolerance for residues

of the microbial pesticide, Pseudomonas

fluorescens PRA-25 in or on the raw

agricultural commodities peas, snap

beans, sweet corn and supersweet corn.

Pursuant to section 408(d)(2)(A)(i) of

the FFDCA, as amended, Good Bugs,

Inc. has submitted the following

summary of information, data and

arguments in support of their pesticide

petition. This summary was prepared by

Good Bugs, Inc. and EPA has not fully

evaluated the merits of the petition. The

summary may have been edited by EPA

if the terminology used was unclear, the

summary contained extraneous

material, or the summary was not clear

that it reflected the conclusion of the

petitioner and not necessarily EPA.

I. Petition Summary

A. Proposed Use Practices

Seed treatment with Pseudomonas

fluorescens PRA-25 will be at the rate of

2 oz. per 100 lbs. of seed for snap beans,

3 oz. per 100 lbs of seed for peas and

snap beans and 4.5 oz. per 100 lbs. of

seed for supersweet corn. Application is

one time only, prior to planting. In

Wisconsin, 5 acres of peas will be

treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998 and

200 acres in 1999, 5 acres of snap beans

will be treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998,

and 200 acres in 1999; 5 acres of sweet

corn will be treated in 1997, 50 in 1998,

and 200 in 1999; 5 acres of supersweet

corn will be treated in 1997, 50 acres in

1998, and 200 acres in 1999. In

Minnesota, 5 acres of peas will be

treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998, and

200 acres in 1999; 5 acres of snap beans

will be treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998,

and 200 acres in 1999; 5 acres of sweet

corn will be treated in 1997, 50 acres in

1998, and 200 acres in 1999; 5 acres of

supersweet corn will be treated in 1997,

50 acres in 1998, and 200 acres in 1999.

In Illinois, 5 acres of peas will be treated

in 1997, 50 acres in 1998, and 200 acres

in 1999; 5 acres of sweet corn will be

treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998, and

200 acres in 1999; 5 acres of supersweet

corn will be treated in 1997, 50 acres in

1998, and 200 acres in 1999. In

Washington, 5 acres of peas will be

treated in 1997, 50 acres in 1998, and

200 acres in 1999. The product is to be

applied to the seeds in the planter box

immediately before planting.

B. Product Identity/Chemistry

1. Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25

was originally isolated from the

rhizosphere of a pea plant in Wisconsin.

Strain PRA-25 is a gram negative, rod

shaped, aerobic, non spore forming

bacterium. A fluorescent pigment

(pyroverdin) is produced on King’s

Medium B. The strain was identified as

a member of the Pseudomonas

fluorescens/putida group using gas

chromatography fatty acid (GC-FAME)

analysis. GC-FAME and Biolog analysis

was used to identify strain PRA-25 as

Pseudomonas fluorescens

(Trevisan)Migula Biotype B (=biovar II).

Biovar II includes Pseudomonas

marginalis pathogens as well as

saprophytes (Bergey’s Manual), so a

potato rot assay was conducted. The

known soft-rot pathogen Erwinia

carotovora was included as a check

treatment. Strain PRA-25 did not rot

potatoes. Good Bugs, Inc. concludes that

Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25 is a

saprophytic member of Pseudomonas

fluorescens biovar II.

2. Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25

will be used as a seed treatment and

does not grow systemically in the plant.

Good Bugs does not anticipate residues

at the time of harvest. Good Bugs, Inc.,

therefore, believes a method to

determine residues is not necessary.

3. An analytical method for detecting

and measuring the levels of

Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25 is not

needed because the use as a seed

treatment will not leave residues on the

harvested crop. Pseudomonas

fluorescens is a common contaminant of

raw and refrigerated milk, meat, fish,

and cheese. All biovars of Pseudomonas

fluorescens appear to be readily isolated

from foodstuff.

C. Mammalian Toxicological Profile

Good Bugs, Inc. states that the Acute

Oral Limit Toxicity Testing of

Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25

showed no evidence of toxicity or

pathogenicity in rats dosed once by oral

gavage with strain PRA-25. Normal

weight gains were observed in all test

animals during the observation period.

No lesions were observed in any test

animal.

Waivers for genotoxicity, reproductive

and developmental toxicity, subchronic

toxicity and chronic toxicity are

requested. This testing is not generally

required for microbial pesticides and

Good Bugs, Inc. believes that the lack of

toxicity along with the lack of exposure

does not warrant such testing.

D. Aggregate Exposure

1. Dietary exposure. Pseudomonas

fluorescens is a ubiquitous bacterium

that is commonly associated with soil,

water, plant roots and leaves, meat, fish,

and dairy products. Good Bugs, Inc.

believes that no additional exposure to
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 1997 / Notices 8737

food or drinking water is anticipated by

using Pseudomonas fluorescens PRA-25

as a seed treatment.

2. Non-dietary exposure such as lawn

care, topical insect repellents, etc. is not

anticipated since this microbial

pesticide does not have these uses.

3. Occupational exposure will be

mitigated through the use of proper

personal protective equipment.

E. Cumulative Exposure

Biological control agents of this type

generally work by out competing

disease organisms, thus, not having a

toxic mode of action that can be shared.

Other exposure can occur since other

strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens are

registered as microbial pesticides. Good

Bugs, Inc. believes that human exposure

from use of Pseudomonas fluorescens

PRA-25 as a seed treatment is expected

to be negligible.

F. Safety Determination

Good Bugs, Inc. believes that the

safety of the U.S. population and that of

infants and children will not be

adversely affected by the use of

Pseudomonas cepacia PRA-25 as a

vegetable seed treatment. Strain PRA-25

is a naturally occurring strain originally

isolated from the rhizosphere of a pea.

G. Existing Tolerances

1. Tolerance exemptions have been

granted for other strains of

Pseudomonas fluorescens.

2. International tolerance exemptions

have been granted for other strains of

Pseudomonas fluorescens.

II. Public Record

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the notice of filing.

Comments must bear a notation

indicating the document control

number, [PF-711].

A record has been established for this

notice under docket number [PF-711]

including comments and data submitted

electronically as described below). A

public version of this record, including

printed, paper versions of electronic

comments, which does not include any

information claimed as CBI, is available

for inspection from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal

holidays. The public record is located in

Room 1132 of the Public Response and

Program Resources Branch, Field

Operations Division (7506C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, Crystal Mall #2,

1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA.

Electronic comments can be sent

directly to EPA at:

opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov

Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption.

The official record for this

rulemaking, as well as the public

version, as described above will be kept

in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will

transfer all comments received

electronically into printed, paper form

as they are received and will place the

paper copies in the official rulemaking

record which will also include all

comments submitted directly in writing.

The official rulemaking record is the

paper record maintained at the address

in ‘‘ADDRESSES’’ at the beginning of

this document.

List of subjects

Environmental protection,

Administrative practice and procedure,

Agricultural commodities, Pesticides

and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

Dated: February 11, 1997.

Janet L. Andersen,

Director, Biopesticides and Pollution

Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–4630 Filed 2–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

[PF–701; FRL–5585–2]

Rhone-Poulenc Ag Company;

Pesticide Tolerance Petition Filing

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of filing.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

filing of a pesticide petition proposing

the establishment of a tolerance for

residues of isoxaflutole in or on field

corn. This notice contains a summary of

the petition prepared by the petitioner,

Rhone-Poulenc Ag Company.

DATES: Comments, identified by the

docket control number [PF–701], must

be received on or before, March 28,

1997.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written

comments to Public Response and

Program Resources Branch, Field

Operations Division (7506C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St. SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring

comments to Rm. 1132, CM#2, 1921

Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA

22202.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically by sending

electronic mail (e-mail) to: oppdocket@epamail.epa.gov. 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 disks in WordPerfect in 5.1

file format or ASCII file format. All

comments and data in electronic form

must be identified by the docket number

[PF–701]. Electronic comments on this

notice may be filed online at many

Federal Depository Libraries. Additional

information on electronic submissions

can be found in Unit II of this

document.

Information submitted as a comments

concerning this document may be

claimed confidential by marking any

part or all of that information as

‘‘Confidential Business Information’’

(CBI). CBI should not be submitted

through e-mail. Information marked as

CBI will not be disclosed except in

accordance with procedures set forth in

40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment

that does not contain CBI must be

submitted for inclusion in the public

record. Information not marked

confidential may be disclosed publicly

by EPA without prior notice. All written

comments will be available for public

inspection in Rm. 1132 at the address

given above, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joanne Miller, Product Manager (PM)

23, Registration Division (7505C), Office

of Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC. Office location,

telephone number and e-mail address:

Rm. 237, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson

Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, 703–

305–6224, e-mail:

miller.joanne@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has

received a pesticide petition (PP

6F4664) from Rhone-Poulenc Ag

Company, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W.

Alexander Drive, Research Triangle

Park, NC 27709, proposing pursuant to

section 408(d) of the Federal Food, Drug

and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C.

346a(d), to amend 40 CFR part 180 by

establishing a tolerance for the

combined residues of the herbicide

isoxaflutole [5-cyclopropyl-4-(2-

methylsulfonyl-4-trifluoromethyl

benzoyl) isoxazole] and its metabolites

1-(2-methylsulfonyl-4-

trifluoromethylphenyl)-2-cyano-3-

cyclopropylpropan-1,3-dione and 2-

methylsulphonyl-4-trifluoromethyl

benzoic acid, calculated as the parent

compound, in or on the raw agricultural

commodity field corn at 0.20 parts per

million (ppm), field corn, fodder, at 0.50

ppm, field corn, forage at 1.0 ppm; and