20630 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 1998 / Notices

Dated: April 18, 1998.

Janet L. Andersen,

Director, Biopesticides and Pollution

Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–11138 Filed 4–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–181062; FRL 5787–1]

Glyphosate; 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 Washington

Department of Agriculture (hereafter

referred to as the ‘‘Applicant’’) to use

the pesticide glyphosate [N-

(Phosphonomethyl)glycine] (CAS 1071–

83–6), formulated as Roundup Ultra and

Ultra RT (both are 41% active

ingredient) to treat up to 19,685 acres of

dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas to

control Canada Thistle. The growing

areas in Washington to be treated are

Adams, Benton, Columbia, Franklin,

Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat,

Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille,

Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, and

Whitman counties. Most application

will occur in Whitman county followed

by Spokane county. This is the fourth

year this use has been requested, and it

has been allowed under section 18 for

the past 3 years. Since this request

proposes a use which has been

requested or granted in any three

previous years, and a complete

application for registration and petition

for tolerance has not yet been submitted

to the Agency, EPA is soliciting public

comment before making the decision

whether or not to grant the exemption,

in accordance with 40 CFR 166.24(a)(6).

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 12, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written

comments, bearing the identification

notation ‘‘OPP–181062,’’ 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, D.C. 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 or 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, except legal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Jackie Mosby-Gwaltney,

Registration Division (7505C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. Office location,

telephone number and e-mail: Rm. 274,

CM#2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA, (703–305–6792); e-mail:

gwaltney.jackie@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

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 glyphosate on

dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas to

control Canada thistle. Information in

accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was

submitted as part of this request.

According to the Applicant, Canada

thistle is a severe threat to Eastern

Washington croplands due to a

combination of weather and

environmental conditions that

encouraged its excessive spread and

growth. There had been an increase in

Canada thistles in the fall of 1997

because of irregular growing conditions

which resulted in poor timing of

glyphosate applications. The long wet

spring of 1997 delayed seeding and

applications to kill Canada thistles until

late in the season. This period was

followed by a long period of dry heat

(drought) which made chemical

applications less effective, and a large

crop of Canada thistles went to seed.

The warm weather conditions in 1997

encouraged early thistle growth. The

weather and environmental conditions

in 1997 threaten a severe outbreak of the

weed in 1998. This occurrence would

greatly and negatively impact dry pea,

lentil, and chickpea yields and would

have a residual effect on wheat yields in

subsequent years.

The use of glyphosate has been

allowed under section 18 for the past 3

years, and the Applicant states that

alternative controls are not adequate to

prevent significant economic losses due

to damage and contamination problems

from Canada thistles. Under the

proposed exemption, glyphosate would

be applied at a rate of two – three quarts

of formulated product per acre, which is

2–3 lbs., active ingredient (a.i.) per acre.

The maximum number of applications

allowed is one, and the total number of

acres to be treated is 19,685. At the

maximum rate and maximum acreage,

14,764 gallons of formulation could

potentially be used.

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 a use which has

been requested or granted in any three

previous years, and a complete

application for registration and or

tolerance petition has not been

submitted to the Agency [40 CFR 166.24

(a)(6)]. 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-181062] (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
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 1998 / Notices 20631

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–181062].

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

Washington Department of Agriculture.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Pesticides

and pests, Emergency exemptions.

Dated: April 17, 1998

James Jones,

Director, Registration Division, Office of

Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–11137 Filed 4–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6004–2]

Proposed Administrative Settlement

Under Section 122(h) of the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act; In Re: Queen Street Dump Site,

BOSCAWEN, NH

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed

administrative settlement and request

for public comment.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to

enter into a settlement agreement to

address certain claims under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA), 42

U.S.C. 9601 et seq. Notification is being

published to inform the public of the

proposed settlement and of the

opportunity to comment. The settlement

is intended to resolve certain liabilities

under CERCLA of the Town of

Boscawen, New Hampshire for costs

incurred, and to be incurred, by EPA in

response activities at the Queen Street

Dump Site (the ‘‘Site’’) in Boscawen,

New Hampshire.

DATES: Comments must be provided on

or before May 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to Ms. MaryAnne Gavin,

Regional Hearing Clerk, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Region I, JFK Federal Building,

Mailcode RCH, Boston, Massachusetts

02203, and should refer to: In the Matter

of the Queen Street Dump Site, Town of

Boscawen, New Hampshire, U.S. EPA

Docket Number CERCLA I–98–1018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steve Novick, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Office of Site

Remediation and Restoration, J.F.K.

Federal Building, Mailcode HBR,

Boston, Massachusetts 02203, (617)

573–9671.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

accordance with the Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation

and Liability Act of 1980, as amended

(CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.,

notification is hereby given of a

proposed settlement agreement under

section 122(h) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C.

9622(h), concerning the Queen Street

Dump Site in Boscawen, New

Hampshire. The settlement has been

approved by EPA Region I, subject to

review by the public pursuant to this

document. The Town of Boscawen, NH

has executed a signature page

committing it to participate in the

settlement. Under the proposed

settlement, the Town will conduct

certain time-critical removal activities at

the Queen Street site, and permanently

close a related site called the Corn Hill

Landfill. The value of these activities is

currently estimated at a total of

$1,987,000. EPA also intends to conduct

certain time-critical work at the Queen

Street site, in accordance with an Action

Memorandum issued on March 13,

1998. EPA’s work is currently valued at

approximately $550,000. In addition,

EPA’s past costs for this site are

estimated at $37,000. The settlement

provides the Town with a covenant not

to sue for all past costs, and for future

costs not to exceed $550,000.

EPA is entering into the covenant not

to sue portion of the agreement under

the authority of CERCLA section 122(h),

42 U.S.C. 9622(h), which provides EPA

with authority to consider, compromise,

and settle a claim under section 107 of

CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9607, for costs

incurred by the United States if the

claim has not been referred to the U.S.

Department of Justice for further action.

Written approval of this settlement by

the U.S. Department of Justice is

required, pursuant to section 122(h)(1)

of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9622(h)(1). EPA

will receive written comments relating

to this settlement for thirty (30) days

from the date of publication of this

document.

A copy of the proposed administrative

settlement may be obtained in person or

by mail from Steve Novick, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Office of Site Remediation and

Restoration, Mailcode HBR, Boston,

Massachusetts 02203, (617) 573–9671.

The Agency’s response to any

comments received will be available for

public inspection with the Regional

Hearing Clerk, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Region I, JFK

Federal Building, Mailcode RCH,

Boston, Massachusetts (U.S. EPA Docket

No. CERCLA I–98–1018).

Dated: March 24, 1998.

Harley F. Laing,

Director of the Office of Site Remediation

and Restoration.

[FR Doc. 98–11141 Filed 4–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collections being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

April 20, 1998

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commissions, 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, as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Public Law 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: Persons wishing to comment on

this information collection should

submit comments June 26, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Judy

Boley, Federal Communications

Commissions, Room 234, 1919 M St.,

NW., Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to jboley@fcc.gov.