Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 1998 / Notices 30747

(4) EPA will analyze the final State

proposal to assure it is in concert with

the evaluation criteria and any

clarifications requested from the preproposal, and meet any necessary

administrative requirements before

making an award. The Congressional Review Act, 5

U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small

Business Regulatory Enforcement

Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides

that before a rule may take effect, the

agency promulgating the rule must

submit a rule report, which includes a

copy of the rule, to each House of the

Congress and to the Comptroller General

of the United States. EPA will submit a

report containing this rule and other

required information to the U.S. Senate,

the U.S. House of Representatives, and

the Comptroller General of the United

States prior to publication of the rule in

the Federal Register. This rule is not a

‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C.

804(2).

Dated: May 26, 1998.

Elaine Stanley,

Director, Office of Compliance.

[FR Doc. 98–15004 Filed 6–4–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–00538; FRL–5792–8]

Announcement of a Workshop to

Develop a Protocol for Testing the

Efficacy of Disinfectants Used to

Inactivate Hepatitis B Virus

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a public

workshop to be held July 23 and 24,

1998, in the Washington DC area. The

purpose of this workshop is to allow all

interested parties to have input in

developing a new and usable protocol,

using a surrogate test species such as

‘‘Duck’’, for testing the efficacy of

disinfectants used to inactivate

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). The Agency is

requesting that interested parties send

in any protocols and other information

that they would want to be included in

the deliberations of the workshop. A

package of pertinent information,

including the workshop agenda, will be

sent to the participants before the

workshop. The workshop will be

structured to allow the participants to

discuss all issues that are germane to the

development of a workable test

protocol.

DATES: Protocols, other information, and

comments, identified by the docket

number [OPP–00538], should be

received on or before July 6, 1998 to be

given full consideration.

ADDRESSES: Submit protocols and other

information identified by the docket

control number OPP–00538 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 directly to the OPP Docket

Office, which is located in Rm. 119 of

Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis

Highway, Arlington, VA.

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).

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 disclosed publicly by EPA

without prior notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Ibrahim Barsoum, Antimicrobials

Division (7510W), Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

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

DC 20460. Office location and telephone

number: 6W23, Crystal Station #1, 2800

Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA, (703) 308–

6417, fax: 703–308–6466, e-mail:

barsoum.ibrahim@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

EPA has the authority through FIFRA

to register antimicrobial pesticides. For

public health pesticides, OPP reviews

the submitted data for efficacy as well

as safety. Guidelines have been

developed for methods and performance

standards which are used to test the

efficacy of the various types of

antimicrobial products that need to be

registered.

II. Hepatitis Virus B Testing

The Agency has approved

registrations for products that have

Hepatitis Virus B claims based on a

method using chimpanzees as the test

subject. The continued use of the

chimpanzee test is in doubt because the

test is very expensive, which means that

only one animal can be economically

used for each test. An OPP Scientific

Advisory Panel Meeting in September

1997 recommended that EPA look at

alternative test systems, such as tests

using Duck Hepatitis Virus B, in order

to produce a new method to replace the

chimpanzee test. EPA has decided to

conduct a workshop in order to develop

a new protocol for HBV efficacy testing.

The workshop is being planned to

include all parties interested in this

issue. The group’s goal will be to

provide information that will aid EPA’s

development of a workable protocol.

The Agency will be responsible for

developing the actual protocol suitable

for testing and validation.

III. Workshop Process

The two-day workshop will

concentrate on producing an effective

protocol that will replace the

chimpanzee test. EPA anticipates that

individuals from academia, industry,

health care facilities, other federal

agencies and public health advocacy

groups will attend the workshop. The

Agency is requesting that all interested

parties submit any information that

would be relevant for developing a new

protocol. Submissions could include

protocols developed by the submitters

and those found in the open literature.

EPA requests that submitters not claim

the materials as confidential because the

Agency would like to disseminate the

materials to the public. Any confidential

information sent into the Agency for the

workshop would be used internally by

EPA scientists in identifying

appropriate topics to be discussed, but

would not be included in the

information that would be provided to

the participants. Any other pertinent

information that interested parties feel

would be helpful to the Agency in

setting the workshop agenda, especially

scientific issues that need to be

discussed and names of individuals

who should specifically be invited to

attend, should be sent to the Agency as

indicated under ADDRESSES or Unit V.

The goal of the workshop will be for

EPA to develop a draft protocol for

validation.

IV. Workshop Follow up

Once EPA produces a protocol, it will

be disseminated to the public, including

the regulated community, and to testing

laboratories for immediate use. If an

applicant submits data using the new

protocol, and EPA decides to register

the product based on the results of the

study along with the other required

information, the registration will be

time limited. This approach allows

products to be registered and used

during the time it takes for the AOAC

validation. However, the registration

will automatically expire, if the test

protocol does not pass the validation

process. EPA anticipates allowing a two

year registration that may be renewed if
30748 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 1998 / Notices

more time is needed to complete the

validation process.

V. Public Record and Electronic

Submissions

A record has been established for this

action under docket number ‘‘OPP–

00538’’ (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 Rm. 119 of the

Public Information and Records

Integrity Branch, Information Resources

and Services Division, Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, Crystal Mall #2,

1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA.

Protocols and other information 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 or encryption.

Comments 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–00538.’’ No

CBI should be submitted through e-mail.

Electronic comments on this document

may be filed online at many Federal

Depository Libraries.

The official record for this action, 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 record which will also include

all comments submitted in writing. The

official record is the paper record

maintained at the address in

ADDRESSES at the beginning of this

document.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection,

Antimicrobials, Efficacy testing,

Hepatitis Virus B (HBV), Pesticides.

Dated: June 1, 1998.

Frank T. Sanders,

Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of

Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–15011 Filed 6–4–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6108–4]

Science Advisory Board; Notification

of Public Teleconference Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, Public Law

92–463, notice is hereby given that the

Science Advisory Board’s (SAB)

Executive Committee, will conduct a

public teleconference meeting on

Wednesday, June 24, 1998, between the

hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, Eastern

Time. The meeting will be coordinated

through a conference call connection in

Room 3709 of the Mall at the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.

The public is welcome to attend the

meeting physically or through a

telephonic link. Additional instructions

about how to participate in the

conference call can be obtained by

calling Ms. Priscilla Tillery-Gadson at

(202) 260–4126 by June 22, 1998.

In this meeting the Executive

Committee plans to review drafts from

several of its Committees. These

anticipated drafts include:

(1) Environmental Engineering

Committee Review of the ORD

Pollution Prevention Research Plan

(2) Environmental Engineering

Committee Review of the Agency’s

Surface Impoundments Survey

(3) Environmental Engineering

Committee Review of the Agency’s

Quality Management Program

(4) Research Strategies Advisory

Committee’s Commentary on the

ORD Budget Presentation and

Process

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any

member of the public wishing further

information concerning the meeting or

wishing to submit comments should

contact Dr. Donald G. Barnes,

Designated Federal Officer for the

Executive Committee, Science Advisory

Board (1400), U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Washington DC

20460; telephone (202) 260–4126; FAX

(202) 260–9232; and via the INTERNET

at: barnes.don@epa.gov. Copies of the

relevant documents are available from

the same source. Draft documents will

also be available on the SAB Website

(http:///www.epa.gov/sab) at least one

week prior to the meeting.

Dated: May 29, 1998.

Donald G. Barnes,

Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.

[FR Doc. 98–15009 Filed 6–4–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–30441A; FRL–5793–3]

Church and Dwight Inc.; Approval of a

Pesticide Product Registration

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces

Agency approval of an application to

register the pesticide product Armicarb

100, involving a changed use pattern of

the active ingredient pursuant to the

provisions of section 3(c)(5) of the

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and

Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Denise Greenway, Biopesticides

and Pollution Prevention Division

(7511W), Office of Pesticide Programs,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.

Office location and telephone number:

Rm. CS5-W57, Westfield Building North

Tower, 2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington,

VA 22202, (703) 308–8263; e-mail:

greenway.denise@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability: Electronic

copies of this document and the Fact

Sheet are available from the EPA home

page at the Federal RegisterEnvironmental Documents entry for this

document under ‘‘Laws and

Regulations’’ (http://www.epa.gov/

fedrgstr/).

EPA issued a notice, published in the

Federal Register of September 30, 1997

(62 FR 51105)(FRL–5747–2), which

announced that Church and Dwight Co.,

Inc., 469 N. Harrison St., Princeton, NJ

08543, had submitted an application to

register the pesticide product Armicarb

100, a fungicide (EPA File Symbol

10772-U), containing the active

ingredient potassium bicarbonate at 85

percent, an active ingredient which

involves a changed use pattern.

The application was approved on

April 28, 1998, as Armicarb 100, to add

to the active ingredient’s presently

registered use, a new use to control

powdery mildew and other diseases on

ornamentals and other food/feed crop

plants (EPA Registration Number

10772–4). This application is submitted

as a changed use pattern because of the

large increase in use sites over the only

other end-use product ‘‘Kaligreen,’’