41254 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 / Notices

respectively. The information submitted

by the applicants will be kept on file at

EPA’s National Exposure Research

Laboratory, Research Triangle Park,

North Carolina 27711 and will be

available for inspection to the extent

consistent with 40 CFR part 2 (EPA’s

regulations implementing the Freedom

of Information Act).

As a designated reference or

equivalent method, each of these

methods is acceptable for use by states

and other air monitoring agencies under

the requirements of 40 CFR part 58,

Ambient Air Quality Surveillance. For

such purposes, the method must be

used in strict accordance with the

operation or instruction manual

associated with the method, the

specifications and limitations (e.g.,

sample period or measurement range)

specified in the applicable designation

method description (see identification

of the methods above). Use of the

method should also be in general

accordance with the guidance and

recommendations of applicable sections

of the Quality Assurance Handbook for

Air Pollution Measurement Systems,

Volume II (EPA/600/R–94/038b).

Vendor modifications of a designated

reference or equivalent method used for

purposes of part 58 are permitted only

with prior approval of the EPA, as

provided in part 53. Provisions

concerning modification of such

methods by users are specified under

section 2.8 of appendix C to 40 CFR part

58 (Modifications of Methods by Users).

In general, a method designation

applies to any sampler or analyzer

which is identical to the sampler or

analyzer described in the designation

application. In some cases, similar

samplers or analyzers manufactured

prior to the designation may be

upgraded (e.g., by minor modification or

by substitution of a new operation or

instruction manual) so as to be identical

to the designated method and thus

achieve designated status at a modest

cost. The manufacturer should be

consulted to determine the feasibility of

such upgrading.

Part 53 requires that sellers of

designated reference or equivalent

method analyzers or samplers comply

with certain conditions. These

conditions are given in 40 CFR 53.9 and

are summarized below:

(a) A copy of the approved operation

or instruction manual must accompany

the sampler or analyzer when it is

delivered to the ultimate purchaser.

(b) The sampler or analyzer must not

generate any unreasonable hazard to

operators or to the environment.

(c) The sampler or analyzer must

function within the limits of the

applicable performance specifications

given in parts 50 and 53 for at least one

year after delivery when maintained and

operated in accordance with the

operation or instruction manual.

(d) Any sampler or analyzer offered

for sale as part of a reference or

equivalent method must bear a label or

sticker indicating that it has been

designated as part of a reference or

equivalent method in accordance with

part 53 and show its designated method

identification number.

(e) If such an analyzer has two or

more selectable ranges, the label or

sticker must be placed in close

proximity to the range selector and

indicate which range or ranges have

been included in the reference or

equivalent method designation.

(f) An applicant who offers samplers

or analyzers for sale as part of a

reference or equivalent method is

required to maintain a list of ultimate

purchasers of such samplers or

analyzers and to notify them within 30

days if a reference or equivalent method

designation applicable to the method

has been canceled or if adjustment of

the sampler or analyzer is necessary

under 40 CFR 53.11(b) to avoid a

cancellation.

(g) An applicant who modifies a

sampler or analyzer previously

designated as part of a reference or

equivalent method is not permitted to

sell the sampler or analyzer (as

modified) as part of a reference or

equivalent method (although he may

choose to sell it without such

representation), nor to attach a label or

sticker to the sampler or analyzer (as

modified) under the provisions

described above, until he has received

notice under 40 CFR 53.14(c) that the

original designation or a new

designation applies to the method as

modified, or until he has applied for

and received notice under 40 CFR

53.8(b) of a new reference or equivalent

method determination for the sampler

or analyzer as modified.

(h) An applicant who offers PM2.5

samplers for sale as part of a reference

or equivalent method is required to

maintain the manufacturing facility in

which the sampler is manufactured as

an ISO 9001-registered facility.

(i) An applicant who offers PM2.5

samplers for sale as part of a reference

or equivalent method is required to

submit annually a properly completed

Product Manufacturing Checklist, as

specified in part 53.

Aside from occasional breakdowns or

malfunctions, consistent or repeated

noncompliance with any of these

conditions should be reported to:

Director, National Exposure Research

Laboratory, Human Exposure and

Atmospheric Sciences Division (MD–

77), U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, Research Triangle Park, North

Carolina 27711.

Designation of these reference and

equivalent methods is intended to assist

the States in establishing and operating

their air quality surveillance systems

under part 58. Questions concerning the

commercial availability or technical

aspects of any of these methods should

be directed to the appropriate applicant.

Receipt of New Reference Method

Applications

EPA is also hereby announcing that it

has received two new applications for

reference method determinations under

40 CFR part 53. Publication of a notice

of receipt of such applications is

required by § 53.5.

The new applications were received

from BGI Incorporated, 58 Guinan

Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02154,

for reference method determinations for

that Company’s Model PQ–100 PM10

Ambient Particulate Sampler

(application received on May 4, 1998)

and for its Model PQ–200 Ambient Fine

Particle Sampler (application received

on June 1, 1998). If, after appropriate

technical study, the Administrator

determines that either or both of these

methods should be designated as

reference methods, notice thereof will

be published in a subsequent issue of

the Federal Register.

Dated: July 23, 1998

Henry L. Longest II,

Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of

Research and Development.

[FR Doc. 98–20612 Filed 7–31–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–50845; FRL–6021–4]

Receipt of a Notification to Conduct

Small-Scale Field Testing of a

Genetically-Engineered Microbial

Pesticide

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

from American Cyanamid Company of a

notification (241-NMP-A) of intent to

conduct small-scale field testing

involving a microorganism, Autographa

californica Multiple-embedded Nuclear

Polyhedrosis Virus (AcMNPV). This

modified AcMNPV has been geneticallyengineered to: (1) Express an insect-
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 / Notices 41255

specific pesticidal toxin, TxP-I, from the

straw itch mite, Pyemotes tritici, and (2)

prevent expression of the ecdysteroid

UDP-glucosyltransferase gene. American

Cyanamid Company intends to test this

microbial pesticide on cotton and leafy

vegetables to evaluate the control of

Lepidopteran pests. The Agency has

determined that this notification may be

of regional and national significance.

Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR

172.11(a), the Agency is soliciting

public comments on this notification.

DATES: Written comments must be

received on or before September 2,

1998.

ADDRESSES: By mail, submit written

comments 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, deliver comments to: Rm. 119,

Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis

Highway, Arlington, VA.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically to: oppdocket@epamail.epa.gov. Follow the

instructions under Unit II. of this

document. No Confidential Business

Information (CBI) should be submitted

through e-mail.

Information submitted as a comment

concerning this document 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

will be included in the public docket by

EPA without prior notice. The public

docket is available for public inspection

in Rm. 119 at the Virginia address given

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

through Friday, excluding legal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William R. Schneider, PM 90,

Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention

Division (7511C), Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

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

DC 20460. Office location, telephone

number, and e-mail address: 9th Floor,

Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis

Highway, Arlington, VA, (703–308–

8683), e-mail:

schneider.william@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Notice of receipt of this notification

does not imply a decision by the Agency

on this notification.

A Notification (241-NMP-A) was

received from American Cyanamid

Company. The proposed small-scale

field trial involves the introduction of a

baculovirus, Autographa californica

Multiple-embedded Nuclear

Polyhedrosis Virus (AcMNPV) which

has been genetically-engineered to

express an insect-specific pesticidal

toxin, TxP-I, from the straw itch mite,

Pyemotes tritici. In addition, the gene

for ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase

(EGT) has been replaced with the same

gene containing a deletion so that this

enzyme will not be produced in the

infected insect larvae. When insects are

infected with the naturally-occurring

(wild-type) virus, EGT prevents the

insect from molting, and the insect will

continue to eat and grow without

molting. In contrast, an insect infected

with the engineered virus, will not eat

or molt resulting in death 1 to 2 days

earlier than seen for the wild-type virus. American Cyanamid has previously

field tested the same baculovirus with

the same EGT deletion engineered to

express a different insect-specific toxin

from a scorpion in 1995, 1996, and

1997. They have submitted

characterization data for the TxP-I toxin

and an oral toxicity study in mice in

addition to comparative host range

studies in susceptible and lesssusceptible Lepidopteran species. The

purpose of the proposed testing will be

to evaluate the efficacy of the

baculovirus against lepidopteran pests,

including tobacco budworm (Heliothis

virescens), the cotton bollworm

(Helicoverpa zea), the beet armyworm

(Spodoptera exigua), and the cabbage

looper (Trichoplusia ni) on cotton and

leafy vegetables. The total acreage for all

sites will not exceed 10 acres per pest

and, on completion of the test, the crops

will be destroyed. Following the review of this

notification and any comments received

in response to this notice, EPA may

approve the tests, ask for additional

data, require additional modifications to

the test protocols, or require EUP

applications to be submitted. In

accordance with 40 CFR 172.50, under

no circumstances shall the proposed

tests proceed until the submitters have

received notice from EPA of its approval

of such tests.

II. Public Record and Electronic

Submissions

The official record for this action, as

well as the public version, has been

established for this action under docket

control number ‘‘OPP–50845’’

(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

rulemaking record is located at the

Virginia address in ‘‘ADDRESSES’’ at

the beginning of this document.

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. Comment and data will

also be accepted on disks in

Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file

format. All comments and data in

electronic form must be identified by

the docket control number ‘‘OPP–

50845.’’ Electronic comments on this

action may be filed online at many

Federal Depository Libraries.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection.

Dated: July 27, 1998.

Janet L. Andersen,

Director, Biopesticides and Pollution

Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide

Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–20604 Filed 7–31–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6133–5]

Agency Information Collection

Activities; OMB Responses

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This document announces the

Office of Management and Budget’s

(OMB) responses to Agency clearance

requests, in compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et. Seq.). An agency may not

conduct or sponsor, and a person is not

required to respond to, a collection of

information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB control number.

The OMB control numbers for EPA’s

regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9

and 48 CFR Chapter 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: