18420 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 72 /Wednesday, April 15, 1998 / Notices

U.S. population to cloquintocet-mexyl

would correspond to 0.000014 mg/kg/

day or 0.04% of its RfD. The chronic

MOE against the NOEL in the most

sensitive species is 269,286-fold. EPA

generally has no concern for exposures

below 100% of the RfD because the RfD

represents the level at or below which

daily aggregate dietary exposure over a

lifetime will not pose appreciable risks

to human health. Therefore, it is

concluded that there is a reasonable

certainty that no harm will result from

aggregate exposure to residues of

cloquintocet-mexyl.

2. Infants and children. In assessing

the potential for additional sensitivity of

infants and children to residues of

cloquintocet-mexyl, data from

developmental toxicity studies in the rat

and rabbit and a 2- generation

reproduction study in the rat have been

considered. The developmental toxicity

studies are designed to evaluate adverse

effects on the developing organism

resulting from chemical exposure

during prenatal development to one or

both parents. Reproduction studies

provide information relating to effects

from exposure to a chemical on the

reproductive capability of mating

animals and data on systemic toxicity.

The highest dose level of 400 mg/kg/

day in a developmental toxicity study in

rats resulted in reduced body weight

gain of the dams and signs of retarded

fetal development. No teratogenic

activity due to the test article was

detected. The NOEL for dams and

fetuses was 100 mg/kg/day. Although

mortality was observed in rabbit dams at

the dose level of 300 mg/kg/day, no

teratogenic effects were noted. The

NOEL for both dams and fetuses was 60

mg/kg/day.

Dietary administration of

cloquintocet-mexyl over 2-generations

at levels as high as 10,000 ppm did not

affect mating performance, fertility, or

litter sizes in rats, but a slightly reduced

body weight development of adults and

pups was noted at this level. The target

organ was kidney in adults and pups.

The treatment had no effect on

reproductive organs. The developmental

and reproductive NOEL was 5,000 ppm,

corresponding to a mean daily intake of

350 mg/kg cloquintocet-mexyl.

FFDCA section 408 provides that EPA

may apply an additional safety factor for

infants and children in the case of

threshold effects to account for pre- and

post-natal toxicity and the completeness

of the database. Based on the current

toxicological data requirements, the

database relative to pre- and post-natal

effects for children is complete. Further,

for cloquintocet-mexyl, the NOEL of

3.77 mg/kg/day from the combined

chronic/oncogenicity study in rats,

which was used to calculate the RfD, is

already lower than the NOEL’s of 100

and 60 mg/kg/day for the rat and rabbit

developmental toxicity studies,

respectively. Further, the developmental

and reproductive NOEL of 350 mg/kg/

day from the cloquintocet-mexyl

reproduction study is nearly 100 times

greater than the NOEL for the combined

chronic/oncogenicity rat study. These

data would indicate there is no

additional sensitivity of infants and

children to cloquintocet-mexyl.

Therefore, it is concluded that an

additional uncertainty factor is not

warranted to protect the health of

infants and children from the use of

cloquintocet-mexyl.

Using the conservative exposure

assumptions described above, it is

concluded that the percentage of the

RfD that will utilized by aggregate

exposure to residues of cloquintocetmexyl for its proposed use as a safener

for clodinafop-propargyl on wheat is

0.01% for nursing infants less than 1–

year old, 0.03% for non-nursing infants,

0.08% for children 1-6 years old and

0.06% for children 7-12 years old.

Therefore, based on the completeness

and reliability of the toxicity data and

the conservative nature of the exposure

assessment, it is concluded that there is

a reasonable certainty that no harm will

result to infants and children from

exposure to residues of cloquintocetmexyl.

F. International Tolerances

Cloquintocet-mexyl is used as a

safener for the herbicide, clodinafoppropargyl. There are no Codex

Alimentarius Commission (CODEX)

maximum residue levels (MRLs)

established for residues of cloquintocetmexyl in or on raw

[FR Doc. 98–9395 Filed 4–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–181060; FRL 5782–4]

Carfentrazone ethyl; Receipt of

Application for Emergency Exemption,

Solicitation of Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA has received a specific

exemption request from the California

Environmental Protection Agency,

Department of Pesticide Regulation

(hereafter referred to as the

‘‘Applicant’’) to use the pesticide

carfentrazone ethyl (CAS 128639–02–1)

to treat up to 70,000 acres of rice to

control California arrowhead Sagittaria

montevidensis spp. Calcycina) and

Ricefield bulrush Scirpus mucronatus.

The Applicant proposes the use of a

new (unregistered) chemical. Therefore,

in accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA

is soliciting public comment before

making the decision whether or not to

grant the exemption.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before April 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written

comments, bearing the identification

notation ‘‘OPP–181060,’’ should be

submitted by mail to: Public

Information and Records Integrity

Branch, Information Resources and

Services Division (7502C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring

comments to: Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #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. Follow the

instruction under ‘‘SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION.’’ No Confidential

Business Information (CBI) should be

submitted through e-mail.

Information submitted in any

comment concerning this notice may be

claimed confidential 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.

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 included in the public record by

EPA without prior notice.

The public docket is available for

public inspection in Rm. 119, Crystal

Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Stephen Schaible, Registration

Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

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

DC 20460. Office location, telephone

number, and e-mail: Floor 2, Crystal

Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA, (703–308–9362); e-mail:

schaible.stephen@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to section 18 of the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)

(7 U.S.C. 136p), the Administrator may,

at her discretion, exempt a state agency
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 72 /Wednesday, April 15, 1998 / Notices 18421

from any registration provision of

FIFRA if she determines that emergency

conditions exist which require such

exemption. The Applicant has requested

the Administrator to issue a specific

exemption for the use of carfentrazone

ethyl on rice to control California

arrowhead Sagittaria montevidensis

spp. Calcycina and ricefield bulrush

Scirpus mucronatus. Information in

accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was

submitted as part of this request.

According to the Applicant, these two

weed species cause economic damage

by competing with rice plants for soil,

nutrients and sunlight, and by

interfering with harvesting equipment to

reduce yields. Resistance to the

registered alternative herbicide of

choice, bensulfuron methyl, has

occurred; resistance was first reported

in 1992 and a survey conducted in 1995

estimated that 60% of rice fields have

resistant California arrowhead and 15%

have resistant ricefield bulrush.

Phenoxy herbicides such as MCPA or

2,4-D may be used on bensulfuron

methyl resistant weeds, but are

phytotoxic to rice plants. Additionally,

manufacturers have announced that

they will not supply these products in

the Sacramento Valley, due to persistent

concerns about off-target applications,

drift and damage symptoms on nontarget crops, especially cotton. Propanil

and triclopyr may offer partial control of

these weeds, but neither is labeled for

this use.

Under the proposed exemption, a

maximum of 12 oz. of product (0.3 lbs.

active ingredient (a.i.)) per acre per

season may be used. Two applications

are specified, by air or ground; for early

postseeding applications to flooded

paddies with water-seeded rice, apply 8

ounces (2 lbs. a.i.) per acre, and for

postemergent applications to rice with

weeds exposed, apply 4 oz. of product

(0.1 lbs. a.i.) per acre. A postharvest

interval (PHI) of 7 days is specified, as

is a Restricted Entry Interval (REI) of 12

days. The use of carfentrazone ethyl is

only allowed if the following conditions

are met:

(1) It has been documented that the

listed weeds on this section 18 are not

controlled by bensulfuron methyl in the

field(s) that are to be treated with

carfentrazone ethyl, or where propanil

cannot be used due to buffer zone

restrictions.

(2) Field(s) that are to be treated are

within the propanil buffer zones. This

section 18 emergency exemption is not

for use on wild rice.

This notice does not constitute a

decision by EPA on the application

itself. The regulations governing section

18 require publication of a notice of

receipt of an application for a specific

exemption proposing use of a new

chemical (i.e., an active ingredient not

contained in any currently registered

pesticide) or if an emergency exemption

for a use has been requested in any 3

previous years, and a complete

application for registration of the use

and/or a tolerance petition has not been

submitted to the Agency. Such notice

provides for opportunity for public

comment on the application.

The official record for this notice, as

well as the public version, has been

established for this notice under docket

number [OPP–181060] (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 official record is the paper

record maintained at the address in

‘‘ADDRESSES’’ at the beginning of this

document.

Electronic comments can be sent

directly to EPA at: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 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file

format. All comments and data in

electronic form must be identified by

the docket number [OPP–181060].

Electronic comments on this notice may

be filed online at many Federal

Depository Libraries.

The Agency, accordingly, will review

and consider all comments received

during the comment period in

determining whether to issue the

emergency exemption requested by the

California Environmental Protection

Agency, Department of Pesticide

Regulation.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Pesticides

and pests, Emergency exemptions.

Dated: April 1, 1998.

James Jones,

Director, Registration Division, Office of

Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–10018 Filed 4–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collection(s) being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

April 9, 1998.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork burden

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following information collection(s), as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104–13. An agency

may not conduct or sponsor a collection

of information unless it displays a

currently valid control number. No

person shall be subject to any penalty

for failing to comply with a collection

of information subject to the Paperwork

Reduction Act (PRA) that does not

display a valid control number.

Comments are requested concerning (a)

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Commission, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the Commission’s

burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information collected; and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on the respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted on or before June 15, 1998. If

you anticipate that you will be

submitting comments, but find it

difficult to do so within the period of

time allowed by this notice, you should

advise the contact listed below as soon

as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Judy

Boley, Federal Communications

Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St.,

NW., Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to jboley@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information or copies of the

information collection(s), contact Judy

Boley at 202–418–0214 or via internet at

jboley@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval Number: 3060-0821.

Title: DTV Engineering Analysis for

De Minimis Standard.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other forprofit, not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 20.