        DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
        50 CFR Part 679
        [Docket No. 121018563-2563-01]
        RIN 0648-XC311
        Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

          AGENCY:
          National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

          ACTION:
          Proposed rule; request for comments.

          SUMMARY:
          NMFS proposes 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2013 and 2014 fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

          DATES:
          Comments must be received by January 7, 2013.

          ADDRESSES:
          You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2012-0210, by any of the following methods:
          • Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. To submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the “submit a comment” icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2012-0210 in the keyword search. Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting list and click on the “Submit a Comment” icon on that line.
          • Mail: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
          • Fax: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Fax comments to 907-586-7557.
          • Hand delivery to the Federal Building: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Deliver comments to 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.

            Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and considered by NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible.
          Do not submit confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

          Electronic copies of the Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and the Supplemental IRFA prepared for this action may be obtained from http://www.regulations.gov or from the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2011 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated November 2011, is available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc. The draft 2012 SAFE report for the BSAI will be available from the same sources in November 2012.

          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
          Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

        SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
        Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared the FMP and NMFS approved it under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). General regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600.

        The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consulting with the Council, to specify annually the total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species category, the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS to publish proposed harvest specifications in the Federal Register and solicit public comments on proposed annual TACs and apportionments thereof, PSC allowances, prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by § 679.21, seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel TAC, American Fisheries Act allocations, Amendment 80 allocations, and Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts established by § 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The proposed harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 12 of this action satisfy these requirements.

        Under § 679.20(c)(3), NMFS will publish the final harvest specifications for 2013 and 2014 after (1) considering comments received within the comment period (see DATES), (2) consulting with the Council at its December 2012 meeting, and (3) considering new information presented in the Final EIS (see ADDRESSES) and the final 2012 SAFE reports prepared for the 2013 and 2014 groundfish fisheries.
        Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications
        The BSAI Groundfish Plan Team (Plan Team) and SSC reviewed models supporting a separate Aleutian Islands Pacific cod stock assessment. This Aleutian Islands stock assessment model is still in development. In the event that the SSC approves a stock assessment model as appropriate for setting Aleutian Islands management benchmarks, then it will be used to set a separate overfishing level (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), and TAC for Pacific cod in the Aleutian Island Pacific cod stock. This could happen as soon as the next stock assessment cycle for the 2014 and 2015 OFL, ABC, and TAC. If the Council recommends separate OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for the Bering Sea subarea and Aleutian Islands subarea and takes no further management actions for sector allocations, then NMFS will interpret that the current Pacific cod sector allocations required by Amendments 80 and 85 to the FMP will continue to apply at the BSAI-wide level. This result could impact the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for Pacific cod in Table 1 for 2014.
        The Plan Team also is reviewing the stock structure of the BSAI groundfish and may recommend allocating current OFLs or ABCs by subareas or reporting areas.
        Proposed ABC and TAC Harvest Specifications

        At the October 2012 Council meeting, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed the most recent biological and harvest information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council's Plan Team compiled and presented this information, which was initially compiled by the Plan Team and presented in the final 2011 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2011 (see ADDRESSES). The amounts proposed for the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications are based on the 2011 SAFE report and are subject to change in the final harvest specifications to be published by NMFS following the Council's December 2012 meeting. In November 2012, the Plan Team updated the 2011 SAFE report to include new information collected during 2012, such as NMFS stock surveys, revised stock assessments, and catch data. At its December 2012 meeting, the Council will consider information contained in the final 2012 SAFE report, recommendations from the November 2012 Plan Team meeting, public testimony from the December 2012 SSC and AP meetings, and relevant written comments in making its recommendations for the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications.
        In previous years, some of the largest changes from the proposed to the final harvest specifications have been based on the most recent NMFS stock surveys, which provide updated estimates of stock biomass and spatial distribution, and changes to the models used in the stock assessments. These changes are recommended by the Plan Team in November 2012 and are included in the 2012 final SAFE report. The 2012 final SAFE report includes the most recent information, such as 2012 catch. The final harvest specification amounts for these stocks are not expected to vary greatly from the proposed specification amounts published here.
        If the final 2012 SAFE report indicates that the stock biomass trend is increasing for a species, then the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications may reflect that increase from the proposed harvest specifications. Conversely, if the final 2012 SAFE report indicates that the stock biomass trend is decreasing for a species, then the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications may reflect a decrease from the proposed harvest specifications. In addition to changes driven by biomass trends, there may be changes in TACs due to the sum of ABCs exceeding 2 million mt. Since the FMP requires TACs to be set to an OY between 1.4 and 2 million mt, the Council may be required to recommend TACs that are lower than the ABCs recommended by the Plan Team if setting TACs equal to ABC would cause TAC to exceed an OY of 2 million mt. Generally, ABCs greatly exceed 2 million mt in years with a large pollock biomass. NMFS anticipates that, both for 2013 and 2014, the sum of the ABCs for pollock will exceed 2 million mt. NMFS also anticipates that decreases in the biomass of Atka mackerel and Greenland turbot will lead to smaller TACs in 2013 and 2014 than in 2012. NMFS expects that the total TAC for the BSAI for both 2013 and 2014 will equal 2 million mt.
        The proposed ABCs and TACs are based on the best available biological and socioeconomic data, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies a series of six tiers to define OFLs and ABCs based on the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier one represents the highest level of information quality available while tier six represents the lowest.

        In October 2012, the SSC adopted the proposed 2013 and 2014 OFLs and ABCs recommended by the Plan Team for all groundfish species. The Council adopted the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations and the AP's TAC recommendations. These amounts are unchanged from the final 2013 harvest specifications published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2012 (77 FR 10669). For 2013 and 2014, the Council recommended and NMFS proposes the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs listed in Table 1. The proposed ABCs reflect harvest amounts that are less than the specified overfishing amounts. The sum of the proposed 2013 and 2014 ABCs for all assessed groundfish is 2,639,792 mt, which is higher than the final 2012 ABC total of 2,511,778 mt (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012).
        Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
        The Council recommended proposed TACs for 2013 and 2014 that are equal to proposed ABCs for sablefish, Greenland turbot, Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. The Council recommended proposed TACs for 2013 and 2014 that are less than the proposed ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole, Kamchatka flounder, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, “other flatfish,” Alaska plaice, northern rockfish, “other rockfish,” squids, sharks, skates, sculpins, and octopuses.
        Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(1) requires the Aleutian Islands (AI) pollock TAC to be set at 19,000 mt when the AI pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt. The Bogoslof pollock TAC is set to accommodate incidental catch amounts. With the exceptions of sablefish, Greenland turbot, Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish, TACs are set below ABCs. TACs are set so that the sum of the overall TAC does not exceed the BSAI OY.

        The proposed groundfish OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are subject to change pending the completion of the final 2012 SAFE report and the Council's recommendations for final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications during its December 2012 meeting. These proposed amounts are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2011 SAFE report, and adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations. Pursuant to section 3.2.3.4.1 of the FMP, the Council could recommend adjusting the TACs if “warranted on the basis of bycatch considerations, management uncertainty, or socioeconomic considerations, or if required in order to cause the sum of the TACs to fall within the OY range.” Table 1 lists the proposed 2013 and 2014 OFL, ABC, TAC, initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ amounts for groundfish for the BSAI. The proposed apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed below.
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        Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and AI Pacific Ocean Perch
        Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires the placement of 15 percent of the TAC for each target species category, except for pollock, hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, in a non-specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish be allocated to the fixed gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7 percent of Bering Sea Greenland turbot, and arrowtooth flounder be allocated to the respective CDQ reserves. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that 10.7 percent of the TACs for Atka mackerel, AI Pacific ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod be allocated to the CDQ reserves. Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also require the allocation of 10 percent of the BSAI pollock TACs to the pollock CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is allocated as an ICA (see § 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not further apportion the CDQ reserves by gear. Sections 679.30 and 679.31 set forth regulations governing the management of the CDQ reserves.
        Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS proposes a pollock ICA of 3 percent of the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the pollock incidentally retained and discarded catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 1999 through 2012. During this 14-year period, the pollock incidental catch ranged from a low of 2.3 percent in 2012 to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a 14-year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS proposes a pollock ICA of 1,600 mt for the AI subarea after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2003 through 2012. During this 10-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of 10 percent in 2003, with a 10-year average of 7 percent.

        Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS proposes ICAs of 5,000 mt of flathead sole, 10,000 mt of rock sole, 2,000 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of Western Aleutian District Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of Central Aleutian District Pacific ocean perch, 200 mt of Eastern Aleutian District Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt for Western Aleutian District Atka mackerel, 75 mt for Central Aleutian District Atka mackerel, and 1,000 mt of Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea Atka mackerel after subtraction of the 10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICAs are based on NMFS' examination of the average incidental retained and discarded catch in other target fisheries from 2003 through 2012.
        The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be apportioned to a target species that contributed to the non-specified reserve, provided that such apportionments do not result in overfishing (see § 679.20(b)(1)(i)).
        Allocations of Pollock TAC Under the American Fisheries Act (AFA)

        Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the pollock TAC apportioned to the Bering Sea subarea, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and 3 percent for the ICA, be allocated as a DFA as follows: 50 percent to the inshore sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor sector, and 10 percent to the mothership sector. In the Bering Sea subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20 to June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10 to November 1) (§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B)). The AI directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining in the AI subarea after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and 1,600 mt for the ICA (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI subarea, 40 percent of the ABC is allocated to the A season and the remainder of the directed pollock fishery is allocated to the B season. Table 2 lists these proposed 2013 and 2014 amounts.
        Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific requirements regarding Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations. First, 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the catcher/processor sector will be available for harvest by AFA catcher vessels with catcher/processor sector endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative contract that provides for the distribution of harvest among AFA catcher/processors and AFA catcher vessels in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA catcher/processors not listed in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the catcher/processor sector. Table 2 lists the proposed 2013 and 2014 allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 13 through 16 list the AFA catcher/processor and catcher vessel harvesting sideboard limits. In past years, the proposed harvest specifications included text and tables describing pollock allocations to the Bering Sea subarea inshore pollock cooperatives and open access sector. These allocations are based on the submission of AFA inshore cooperative applications due to NMFS on December 1 of each calendar year. Because AFA inshore cooperative applications for 2013 have not been submitted to NMFS, thereby preventing NMFS from calculating 2013 allocations, NMFS has not included inshore cooperative text and tables in these proposed harvest specifications. NMFS will post 2013 AFA inshore cooperative allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when they become available in December 2012.
        Table 2 also lists proposed seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest of pollock within the SCA, as defined at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to 28 percent of the DFA until noon, April 1, as provided in § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The remaining 12 percent of the 40 percent annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside the SCA before noon, April 1, or inside the SCA after noon, April 1. The A season pollock SCA harvest limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's allocated percentage of the DFA. Table 2 lists these proposed 2013 and 2014 amounts by sector.
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        Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs

        Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and non-trawl gear (Table 3). The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and in § 679.91. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be allocated to jig gear. The amount of this allocation is determined annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council recommended and NMFS proposes a 0.5 percent allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea to jig gear in 2013 and 2014. This percentage is applied after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(3) limits the annual TAC for Area 542 to no more than 47 percent of the Area 542 ABC. Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retention of Atka mackerel in Area 543, and the proposed amount is set to account for discards in other fisheries.
        Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC (including the CDQ reserve) into two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20 to June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June 10 to November 1 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
        Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and (ii) require the Amendment 80 cooperatives and CDQ groups to limit harvest to 10 percent of their Central Aleutian District Atka mackerel allocation equally divided between the A and B seasons within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock and Tag Island, as described on Table 12 to part 679. Vessels not fishing under the authority of an Amendment 80 cooperative quota or CDQ allocation are prohibited from conducting directed fishing for Atka mackerel inside Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District.

        Two Amendment 80 cooperatives have formed for the 2013 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of a cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required. NMFS will post 2013 Amendment 80 cooperative allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov prior to the start of the fishing year on January 1, 2013, based on the harvest specifications effective on that date.

        Table 3 lists these 2013 and 2014 Atka mackerel season and area allowances, as well as the sector allocations. The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 cooperatives and Amendment 80 limited access allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when they become available in December 2013.
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        Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC
        Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) allocate the Pacific cod TAC in the BSAI, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ program, as follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear, 2.0 percent to hook-and-line and pot catcher vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA), 0.2 percent to hook-and-line catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA, 48.7 percent to hook-and-line catcher/processors, 8.4 percent to pot catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA, 1.5 percent to pot catcher/processors, 2.3 percent to AFA trawl catcher/processors, 13.4 percent to non-AFA trawl catcher/processors, and 22.1 percent to trawl catcher vessels. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2013 and 2014, the Regional Administrator proposes an ICA of 500 mt, based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.

        The allocation of the ITAC for Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. Two Amendment 80 cooperatives have formed for the 2013 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of a cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required. NMFS will post 2013 Amendment 80 cooperative allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov prior to the start of the fishing year on January 1, 2013, based on the harvest specifications effective on that date.

        The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 cooperatives and Amendment 80 limited access allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when they become available in December 2013.
        The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to disperse the Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see §§ 679.20(a)(7) and 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod allowance will become available at the beginning of the next seasonal allowance.
        The CDQ and non-CDQ season allowances by gear based on the proposed 2013 and 2014 Pacific cod TACs are listed in Table 4 based on the sector allocation percentages of Pacific cod set forth at §§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A); and the seasonal allowances of Pacific cod set forth at § 679.23(e)(5).
        Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retaining Pacific cod in Area 543 and § 679.7(a)(23) prohibits directed fishing for Pacific cod with hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear in the AI subarea November 1 through December 31.

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        Sablefish Gear Allocation
        Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require that for the Bering Sea and AI subareas, a portion of the TACs be allocated to trawl gear and another portion to hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for the Bering Sea subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations for the AI subarea are 25 percent for trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires apportioning 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish from the nonspecified reserves to the CDQ reserve. Additionally, § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish from the nonspecified reserves, established under § 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ reserve. The Council recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be established biennially. The harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear and pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fisheries will be limited to the 2013 fishing year to ensure those fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries would reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The sablefish IFQ fisheries would remain closed at the beginning of each fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 5 lists the proposed 2013 and 2014 gear allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts.

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        Allocation of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
        Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs between the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtraction of 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve and an ICA for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl gear. The allocation of the ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector is established in Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and in § 679.91.

        Two Amendment 80 cooperatives have formed for the 2013 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of a cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required. NMFS will post 2013 Amendment 80 cooperative allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov prior to the start of the fishing year on January 1, 2013, based on the harvest specifications effective on that date.

        The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 cooperatives and Amendment 80 limited access allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when they become available in December 2013.
        Table 6 lists the proposed 2013 and 2014 allocations and seasonal apportionments of the AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs.

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        Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring

        Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(2), the 2013 and 2014 BSAI halibut mortality limits are 3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl fisheries. Sections 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and (e)(4)(i)(A) allocate 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
        Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes the apportionment of the non-trawl halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances among six fishery categories. Table 9 lists the fishery bycatch allowances for the trawl fisheries, and Table 10 lists the fishery bycatch allowances for the non-trawl fisheries.
        Pursuant to section 3.6 of the BSAI FMP, the Council recommends, and NMFS agrees, that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years after consultation with the Council, NMFS exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for the following reasons: (1) The pot gear fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig gear fleet to be negligible because of the small size of the fishery and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality because the IFQ program requires legal-size halibut to be retained by vessels using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is holding unused halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). In 2012, total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was 30,430 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality of 5 mt.
        The 2012 jig gear fishery harvested about 108 mt of groundfish. Most vessels in the jig gear fleet are less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and thus are exempt from observer coverage requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, as mentioned above, NMFS estimates a negligible amount of halibut bycatch mortality because of the selective nature of jig gear and the low mortality rate of halibut caught with jig gear and released.

        Section 679.21(f)(2), annually allocates portions of either 47,591 or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC among the AFA sectors depending upon past catch performance and upon whether or not Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements are formed. If an AFA sector participates in an approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), NMFS will allocate a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2013, the Chinook salmon PSC limit is 60,000, and the AFA sector Chinook salmon allocations are seasonally allocated with 70 percent of the allocation for the A season pollock fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation for the B season pollock fishery as stated in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for these PSC limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing management measures for Amendment 91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010). NMFS publishes the approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements, allocations and reports at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm.

        Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700 fish as the 2013 and 2014 Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i) allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, as the AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program and allocates the remaining 647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.

        Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2013 and 2014 non-Chinook salmon PSC limit in the Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent, or 4,494, non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.

        PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance and spawning biomass. Due to the lack of new information as of October 2012 regarding Zone 1 red king crab and BSAI herring PSC limits and apportionments, the Council recommended and NMFS proposes using the crab and herring 2013 and 2014 PSC limits and apportionments based on the 2011 survey data for the proposed 2013 and 2014 limits and apportionments. The Council will reconsider these amounts in December 2012. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1), 10.7 percent of each PSC limit specified for crab is allocated as a PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
        Based on 2011 survey data, the red king crab mature female abundance is estimated at 27.6 million red king crabs, and the effective spawning biomass is estimated at 43.1 million lb (19,550 mt). Based on the criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(i), the proposed 2013 and 2014 PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals. This limit derives from the mature female abundance estimate of more than 8.4 million red king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate of more than 55 million lbs (24,948 mt).
        Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2) establishes criteria under which NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS to up to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance. NMFS proposes the Council's recommendation that the red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance within the RKCSS (Table 8). Based on 2011 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) abundance is estimated at 670 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2013 and 2014 C. bairdi crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and 2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These limits derive from the C. bairdi crab abundance estimate being in excess of 400 million animals for both the Zone 1 and Zone 2 allocations. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for snow crab (C. opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133 percent of the Bering Sea abundance index minus 150,000 crabs. Based on the 2011 survey estimate of 6.337 billion animals, the calculated limit is 7,029,520 animals.
        Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1 percent of the annual eastern Bering Sea herring biomass. The best estimate of 2013 and 2014 herring biomass is 209,419 mt. This amount was derived using 2011 survey data and an age-structured biomass projection model developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Therefore, the herring PSC limit proposed for 2013 and 2014 is 2,094 mt for all trawl gear as presented in Tables 7 and 8.

        Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A) requires PSQ reserves to be subtracted from the total trawl PSC limits. The amount of the 2013 PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are specified in Table 35 to part 679. The resulting allocation of PSC to CDQ PSQ, the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access sector are listed in Table 7. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and § 679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC assigned to the Amendment 80 sector is then further allocated to Amendment 80 cooperatives as PSC cooperative quota as presented in Table 11. Two Amendment 80 cooperatives have formed for the 2013 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of a cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required. NMFS will post 2013 Amendment 80 cooperative allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov prior to the start of the fishing year on January 1, 2013, based on the harvest specifications effective on that date.

        The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 cooperatives and Amendment 80 limited access allocations on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when they become available in December 2013.
        Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consulting with the Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts for the BSAI trawl limited access and Amendment 80 limited access sectors in order to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors considered are (1) Seasonal distribution of prohibited species, (2) seasonal distribution of target groundfish species, (3) PSC bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass, (4) expected variations in bycatch rates throughout the year, (5) expected start of fishing effort, and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments on industry sectors.
        NMFS proposes the Council's recommendation of the seasonal PSC apportionments in Table 9 to maximize harvest among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of PSC based on the above criteria.

          EP06DE12.007

          EP06DE12.008

        Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMRs)
        To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, DMRs, and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. The DMRs are based on the best information available, including information contained in the annual SAFE report.

        NMFS proposes the halibut DMRs developed and recommended by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the Council for the 2013 and 2014 BSAI groundfish fisheries for use in monitoring the 2013 and 2014 halibut bycatch allowances (see Tables 7, 9, 10, and 11). The IPHC developed these DMRs for the 2013 to 2015 BSAI fisheries using the 10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries. The IPHC will analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a fishery DMR shows large variation from the mean. A discussion of the DMRs and their justification is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 12 lists the 2013 and 2014 DMRs.
        BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

          EP06DE12.009

        Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits
        Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA catcher/processors to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. The basis for these proposed sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Table 13 lists the proposed 2013 and 2014 catcher/processor sideboard limits.
        All harvests of groundfish sideboard species by listed AFA catcher/processors, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Table 13. However, groundfish sideboard species that are delivered to listed AFA catcher/processors by catcher vessels will not be deducted from the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits for the listed AFA catcher/processors.

          EP06DE12.010

        Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 and 41 to part 679 establish a formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for listed AFA catcher/processors. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007).
        PSC species listed in Table 14 that are caught by listed AFA catcher/processors participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the proposed 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA catcher/processors. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA catcher/processors once a proposed 2013 or 2014 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 14 is reached.
        Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA catcher/processors while fishing for pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/”other species” fishery categories, according to regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).

          EP06DE12.011

        AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits
        Pursuant to § 679.64(b), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of AFA catcher vessels to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes formulas for setting AFA catcher vessel groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Tables 15 and 16 list the proposed 2013 and 2014 AFA catcher vessel sideboard limits.
        All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels, whether as targeted catch or as incidental catch, will be deducted from the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits listed in Table 15.

          EP06DE12.012

        Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Table 16 that are caught by AFA catcher vessels participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits for the AFA catcher vessels. Sections 679.21(d)(8) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for AFA catcher vessels once a proposed 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 16 is reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA catcher vessels while fishing for pollock in the Bering Sea subarea will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/“other species” fishery categories under regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).

          EP06DE12.013

        BILLING CODE 3510-22-C
        Classification
        NMFS has determined that the proposed harvest specifications are consistent with the FMP and preliminarily determined that the proposed harvest specifications are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
        This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
        NMFS prepared an EIS for this action (see ADDRESSES) and made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the EIS. Copies of the EIS and ROD for this action are available from NMFS. The EIS analyzes the environmental consequences of the proposed groundfish harvest specifications and its alternatives on resources in the action area. The EIS found no significant environmental consequences from the proposed action or its alternatives.
        NMFS prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) as required by section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act analyzing the methodology for establishing the relevant TACs. The IRFA evaluates the impacts on small entities of alternative harvest strategies for the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska. As set forth in the methodology, TACs are set to a level that fall within the range of ABCs recommended by the SSC; the sum of the TACs must achieve OY specified in the FMP. While the specific numbers that the methodology may produce vary from year to year, the methodology itself remains constant.

        A description of the proposed action, why it is being considered, and the legal basis for this proposed action are contained in the preamble above. A copy of the analysis is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA follows. The action under consideration is a harvest strategy to govern the catch of groundfish in the BSAI. The preferred alternative is the existing harvest strategy in which TACs fall within the range of ABCs recommended by the SSC. This action is taken in accordance with the FMP prepared by the Council pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
        The directly regulated small entities include approximately 216 small catcher vessels, six small catcher/processors, and six CDQ groups. The entities directly regulated by this action are those that harvest groundfish in the exclusive economic zone of the BSAI and in parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters. These include entities operating catcher vessels and catcher/processors within the action area, and entities receiving direct allocations of groundfish. Catcher vessels and catcher/processors were considered to be small entities if they had annual gross receipts of $4 million per year or less from all economic activities, including the revenue of their affiliated operations (see Table 2 of the IRFA).

        The preferred alternative (Alternative 2) was compared to four other alternatives. These included Alternative 1, which would have set TACs to generate fishing rates equal to the maximum permissible ABC (if the full TAC were harvested), unless the sum of TACs exceeded the BSAI OY, in which case TACs would have been limited to the OY. Alternative 3 would have set TACs to produce fishing rates equal to the most recent five-year average fishing rates. Alternative 4 would have set TACs equal to the lower limit of the BSAI OY range. Alternative 5, the “no action” alternative, would have set TACs equal to zero.
        The TACs associated with the preferred harvest strategy are those adopted by the Council in October 2012, as per Alternative 2. OFLs and ABCs for the species were based on recommendations prepared by the Council's BSAI Plan Team in September 2012, and reviewed and modified by the Council's SSC in October 2012. The Council based its TAC recommendations on those of its AP, which were consistent with the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations.
        Alternative 1 selects harvest rates that will allow fishermen to harvest stocks at the level of ABCs, unless total harvests were constrained by the upper bound of the BSAI OY of two million mt. As shown in Table 1 of the preamble, the sum of ABCs in 2013 and 2014 would be about 2,639,792 mt, which falls above the upper bound of the OY range. The sum of TACs is equal to the sum of ABCs. In this instance, Alternative 1 is consistent with the preferred alternative 2, meets the objectives of that action, and has small entity impacts that are equivalent to the preferred alternative.
        Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5 years of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or for the most recent 5 years of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 through 6). This alternative is inconsistent with the objectives of this action, (the Council's preferred harvest strategy) because it does not take account of the most recent biological information for this fishery.
        Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all species to reduce TACs from the upper end of the OY range in the BSAI, to its lower end of 1.4 million mt. Overall, this would reduce 2013 TACs by about 30 percent, which would lead to significant reductions in harvests of species harvested by small entities. While reductions of this size would be associated with offsetting price increases, the size of these increases is very uncertain. There are close substitutes for BSAI groundfish species available from the GOA. While production declines in the BSAI would undoubtedly be associated with significant price increases in the BSAI, these increases would still be constrained by production of substitutes, and are very unlikely to offset revenue declines from smaller production. Thus, this alternative action would have a detrimental impact on small entities.
        Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, would have a significant adverse impact on small entities and would be contrary to obligations to achieve OY on a continuing basis, as mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
        In 2011, there were 216 individual catcher vessels with gross revenues less than or equal to $4 million. Many of these vessels are members of AFA inshore pollock cooperatives, GOA rockfish cooperatives, or crab rationalization cooperatives, and, since under the RFA it is the aggregate gross receipts of all participating members of the cooperative that must meet the “under $4 million” threshold, they are considered to be large entities within the meaning of the RFA. After accounting for membership in these cooperatives, NMFS estimates that there are an estimated 112 small catcher vessel entities remaining in the BSAI groundfish sector. These 112 vessels had average gross revenues of about $1.3 million, and median gross revenues of about $1.2 million. The 25th percentile of gross revenues was about $556,000, and the 75th percentile was about $1.97 million.
        In 2011, 12 catcher/processors grossed less than $4 million. In 2011, six vessels in this group were affiliated through membership in three cooperatives (the Amendment 80 “Alaska Seafood Cooperative,” the Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative, or the crab rationalization Intercooperative Exchange). After taking account of these affiliations, NMFS estimates that there are six small catcher/processor entities. These six entities had mean gross revenues of about $2.0 million and median gross revenues of about $1.8 million, in 2011.
        The proposed harvest specifications extend the current 2013 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs, to 2013 and 2014. As noted in the IRFA, the Council may modify these OFLs, ABCs, and TACs in December 2012, when it reviews the November meeting report from its groundfish Plan Team, and the December Council meeting reports of its SSC and AP. Because most 2013 TACs in the proposed 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications are unchanged from the 2012 and 2013 harvest specification TACs, NMFS does not expect adverse impacts on small entities. Also, NMFS does not expect any changes made by the Council in December to be large enough to have an impact on small entities.
        This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any Federal rules.

        Adverse impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities conducted under these harvest specifications are discussed in the EIS (see ADDRESSES), and in the 2012 SIR (http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/analyses/specs/2012-13supplementaryinfoJan2012.pdf).

          Authority:
          16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-31; Pub. L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub. L. 109-479.

          Dated: December 3, 2012.
          Alan D. Risenhoover,
          Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, performing the functions and duties of the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

      [FR Doc. 2012-29508 Filed 12-5-12; 8:45 am]
      BILLING CODE 3510-22-P


        ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
        40 CFR Part 180
        [EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0001; FRL-9346-1]
        Receipt of Several Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or on Various Commodities

          AGENCY:
          Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

          ACTION:
          Notice of filing of petitions and request for comment.

          SUMMARY:
          This document announces the Agency's receipt of several initial filings of pesticide petitions requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

          DATES:
          Comments must be received on or before June 1, 2012.

          ADDRESSES:
          Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number and the pesticide petition number (PP) of interest as shown in the body of this document, by one of the following methods:
          • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
          • Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
          • Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only accepted during the Docket Facility's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

            Instructions: Direct your comments to the docket ID number and the pesticide petition number of interest as shown in the body of this document. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.

            Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index available at http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
          A contact person, with telephone number and email address, is listed at the end of each pesticide petition summary. You may also reach each contact person by mail at Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P) or Registration Division (7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.

        SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
        I. General Information
        A. Does this action apply to me?
        You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to:
        • Crop production (NAICS code 111).
        • Animal production (NAICS code 112).
        • Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311).
        • Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532).
        This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining whether this action might apply to certain entities. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed at the end of the pesticide petition summary of interest.
        B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
        1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

        2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments, remember to:

        i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
        ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
        iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes.
        iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used.
        v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced.
        vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and suggest alternatives.
        vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats.
        viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.
        3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, including minority and/or low-income populations, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticides discussed in this document, compared to the general population.
        II. What action is the agency taking?
        EPA is announcing its receipt of several pesticide petitions filed under section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a, requesting the establishment or modification of regulations in 40 CFR part 174 or part 180 for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various food commodities. The Agency is taking public comment on the requests before responding to the petitioners. EPA is not proposing any particular action at this time. EPA has determined that the pesticide petitions described in this document contain the data or information prescribed in FFDCA section 408(d)(2); however, EPA has not fully evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether the data support granting of the pesticide petitions. After considering the public comments, EPA intends to evaluate whether and what action may be warranted. Additional data may be needed before EPA can make a final determination on these pesticide petitions.

        Pursuant to 40 CFR 180.7(f), a summary of each of the petitions that are the subject of this document, prepared by the petitioner, is included in a docket EPA has created for each rulemaking. The docket for each of the petitions is available online at http://www.regulations.gov.

        As specified in FFDCA section 408(d)(3), (21 U.S.C. 346a(d)(3)), EPA is publishing notice of the petition so that the public has an opportunity to comment on this request for the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticides in or on food commodities. Further information on the petition may be obtained through the petition summary referenced in this unit.
        New Tolerances
        1. PP 1E7853. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0395). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the fungicide fludioxonil, 4-(2, 2-difluoro-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile, in or on acerola at 5.0 parts per million (ppm); atemoya at 20 ppm; biriba at 20 ppm; cherimoya at 20 ppm; custard apple at 20 ppm; feijoa at 5.0 ppm; guava at 5.0 ppm; ilama at 20 ppm; jaboticaba at 5.0 ppm; passionfruit at 5.0 ppm; soursop at 20 ppm; starfruit at 5.0 ppm; sugar apple at 20 ppm; wax jambu at 5.0 ppm; ginseng at 3.0 ppm; onion, bulb subgroup 3-07A at 0.2 ppm; onion, green subgroup 3-07B at 7.0 ppm; caneberry subgroup 13-07A at 5.0 ppm; bushberry subgroup 13-07B at 2.0 ppm; fruit, small fruit vine climbing, except fuzzy kiwifruit, subgroup 13-07F at 1.0 ppm; berry, low growing, subgroup 13-07G, except cranberry at 2.0 ppm; vegetable, fruiting, group 8-10, except tomato at 0.7 ppm; fruit, citrus, group 10-10 at 10 ppm; fruit, pome, group 11-10 at 5.0 ppm; leafy green subgroup 4A at 30 ppm; pineapple at 8.0 ppm; dragon fruit at 1.0 ppm; and vegetable, tuberous and corm, subgroup 1C at 6.0 ppm. Syngenta, has developed and validated analytical methodology for enforcement purposes. This method (Syngenta Crop Protection Method AG-597B) has passed an Agency petition method validation for several commodities, and is currently the enforcement method for fludioxonil. Contact: Laura Nollen, (703) 305-7390, email address: nollen.laura@epa.gov.

        2. PP 1E7972. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0164). E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, P.O. Box 80402, Wilmington, DE 19880, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the fungicide proquinazid, in or on grapes at 0.5 ppm and raisins at 1.0 ppm. The proposed enforcement analytical methodology for proquinazid in plant-based matrices is the DFG-S19 multi-residue method which uses gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) or GC with mass spectromatic detection (GC/MSD). The analytical method AMR 4089-96 (Analytical method for the determination of proquinazid (DPX-KQ926) and metabolite (IN-MM671) in grapes using GC/MSD successfully determines residues in grapes and processed grape commodities. Contact: Rose Mary Kearns, (703) 305-5611, email address: kearns.rosemary@epa.gov.

        3. PP 2E7979. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0132). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the herbicide glyphosate N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine in or on the raw agricultural commodity teff, forage and teff, hay at 100 ppm; and oilseed crops, group 20 at 40 ppm. Adequate enforcement methods are available for analysis of residues of glyphosate and its metabolite, AMPA, in or on plant and livestock commodities. These methods include: Gas-Liquid Chromatography ((GLC)—Method I in PAM II); HPLC with fluorometric detection; and GC/MS method for glyphosate in crops has also been validated by EPA's Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL). Contact: Andrew Ertman, (703) 308-9367, email address: ertman.andrew@epa.gov.

        4. PP 2E7991. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0203). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the plant growth regulator 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and its conjugates, in or on rambutan at 3 ppm; avocado, mamey sapote and mango at 0.05 ppm; and fruit, pome, group 11-10 at 0.15 ppm. The nature of the residues of NAA is adequately understood and an acceptable analytical method is available for enforcement purposes. Contact: Laura Nollen, (703) 305-7390, email address: nollen.laura@epa.gov.

        5. PP 2E7982. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0139). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540 in cooperation with Valent U.S.A. Corporation, 1600 Riviera Avenue, Suite 200, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the herbicide flumioxazin, 2-[7-fluoro-3,4-dihydro-3-oxo-4-(2-propynyl)-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione, in or on artichoke at 0.02 ppm; cabbage and Chinese cabbage (tight-headed varieties only) at 0.02 ppm; olives, and olive oil at 0.02 ppm; pomegranate at 0.02 ppm; cactus fruit at 0.1 ppm, and cactus pads at 0.05 ppm. Practical analytical methods for detecting and measuring levels of flumioxazin have been developed and validated in/on all appropriate agricultural commodities and respective processing fractions. The level of quantitation (LOQ) of flumioxazin in the methods is 0.02 ppm which will allow monitoring of food with residues at the levels proposed for the tolerances. Contact: Andrew Ertman, (703) 308-9367, email address: ertman.andrew@epa.gov.

        6. PP 0F7791. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0743). Nichino America, Inc., 4550 New Linden Hill Rd., Suite 501, Wilmington, DE 19808, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the insecticide tolfenpyrad (4-chloro-3-ethyl-1-methyl-N-[4-(p-tolyloxy) benzyl] pyrazole-5-carboxamide, in or on head lettuce at 5 ppm; leaf lettuce at 30 ppm; leaf petioles, subgroup 4B at 12.5 ppm; spinach at 24 ppm; Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A at 3.6 ppm; Brassica, leafy, subgroup 5B at 44 ppm; vegetable, fruiting group 8 at 0.6 ppm; potatoes at 0.04 ppm; nut, tree group 14 (including pistachio) at 0.04 ppm; almond, hulls at 5.0 ppm; fruit, pome, group 11 at 0.6 ppm; apple, wet pomace at 5.0 ppm; vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 at 0.8 ppm; fruit, stone, group 12 at 3.0 ppm; pomegranates at 3.0 ppm; persimmons at 3.0 ppm; citrus, group 10 at 1.0 ppm; citrus, pulp, dried at 2.0 ppm; citrus, oil at 16.0 ppm; grapes at 2.0 ppm; raisins at 5 ppm; cotton, seed at 0.6 ppm; cotton, gin byproducts at 9.0 ppm; tea at 20 ppm; milk at 0.03 ppm; cattle, meat at 0.2 ppm; cattle, meat byproducts at 0.2 ppm; cattle, fat at 0.01 ppm; cattle, kidney at 0.3 ppm; cattle, liver at 0.7 ppm; sheep, meat at 0.02 ppm; sheep, meat byproducts at 0.02 ppm; sheep, fat at 0.01 ppm; sheep, kidney at 0.3 ppm; sheep, liver at 0.7 ppm; goat, meat at 0.02 ppm; goat, meat byproducts at 0.02 ppm; goat, fat at 0.01 ppm; goat, kidney at 0.3 ppm; goat, liver at 0.7 ppm; horse, meat at 0.02 ppm; horse, fat at 0.01 ppm; horse, kidney at 0.3 ppm; horse, liver at 0.7 ppm; and horse, meat byproducts at 0.02 ppm. Residues of tolfenpyrad are quantified using HPLC-MS/MS detection. This method has been successfully validated at an independent facility and therefore is suitable for use as the enforcement method for the determination of residues of tolfenpyrad in crops. Contact: Driss Benmhend, (703) 308-9525, email address: benmhend.driss@epa.gov.

        7. PP 1F7935. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0044). United Phosphorus, Inc., 630 Freedom Business Center, King of Prussia, PA 19406, requests to establish a tolerance in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the fungicide mancozeb, in or on walnuts at 0.75 ppm of carbon disulfide equivalents. Residues of mancozeb are determined by decomposing the residue with a strong acid to release carbon disulfide (CS2). The CS2 can be measured by GC or by absorbance of a colored copper dithiocarbamate complex formed by sweeping the CS2 through a trap and into a reaction tube containing a solution of copper acetate and an amine. Adequate methodology for enforcement is available in the Pesticide Analytical Manual (PAM), Volume II, Methods II and III. Contact: Lisa Jones, (703) 308-9424, email address: jones.lisa@epa.gov.

        8. PP 1F7902. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0556). Nichino America, Inc., 4550 New Linden Hill Road, Suite 501, Wilmington, DE 19808, requests to establish tolerances in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the insecticide fenpyroximate and its Z- isomer, in or on corn, field, grain at 0.02 ppm; corn, field, forage/silage at 2.0 ppm; corn, field, stover at 7.0 ppm; corn, field, aspirated fractions at 2.0 ppm; corn, pop, grain at 0.02 ppm; corn, pop, forage/silage at 2.0 ppm; corn, pop, stover at 7.0 ppm; and corn, pop, aspirated fractions at 2.0 ppm. An enforcement method has been developed which involves extraction of fenpyroximate from crops with ethyl acetate in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulfate, dilution with methanol, and then analysis by HPLC-MS/MS detection. Contact: Driss Benmhend, (703) 308-9525, email address: benmhend.driss@epa.gov.

        Amended Tolerances
        1. PP 1E7853. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0395). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests to amend the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.516 by revising the tolerances for residues of the fungicide fludioxonil, 4-(2, 2-difluoro-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile, from 0.45 ppm to 5.0 ppm for the following commodities: Avocado; sapote, black; canistel; sapote, mamey; mango; papaya; sapodilla; and star apple. The petition additionally requests to amend the tolerances for the following commodities from 1.0 ppm to 20 ppm: Longan; lychee; pulasan; rambutan; and Spanish lime. The petition also requests to amend the tolerance in or on tomato from 0.50 ppm to 3.0 ppm. In addition, upon approval of the aforementioned tolerances, it is proposed that 40 CFR 180.516 be amended to remove the established tolerances for the residues of fludioxonil, 4-(2, 2-difluoro-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile, in or on the raw agricultural commodities onion, bulb at 0.2 ppm; onion, green at 7.0 ppm; caneberry subgroup 13A at 5.0 ppm; bushberry subgroup 13B at 2.0 ppm; Juneberry at 2.0 ppm; lingonberry at 2.0 ppm; salal at 2.0 ppm; grape at 1.0 ppm; strawberry at 2.0 ppm; vegetable, fruiting, group 8 at 0.01 ppm; tomatillo at 0.50 ppm; fruit, citrus, group 10 at 10 ppm; fruit, pome, group 11 at 5.0 ppm; leafy greens subgroup 4A, except spinach at 30 ppm; and vegetable, tuberous and corm, subgroup 1D at 3.5 ppm. Syngenta has developed and validated analytical methodology for enforcement purposes. This method (Syngenta Crop Protection Method AG-597B) has passed an Agency petition method validation for several commodities, and is currently the enforcement method for fludioxonil. Contact: Laura Nollen, (703) 305-7390, email address: nollen.laura@epa.gov.

        2. PP 2E7979. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0132). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests to amend the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.364 for residues of the herbicide glyphosate N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, as follows: Vegetable, root and tuber, group 1, except sugar beet from 0.2 ppm to 6.0 ppm; and convert: Vegetable, bulb, group 3 at 0.2 ppm to vegetable, bulb, group 3-07 at 0.2 ppm; okra at 0.5 ppm and vegetable, fruiting, group 8 at 0.1 ppm to vegetable, fruiting, group 8-10 at 0.1 ppm; fruit, citrus, group 10 at 0.5 ppm to fruit, citrus, group 10-10 at 0.5 ppm; fruit, pome, group 11 at 0.2 ppm to fruit, pome, group 11-10 at 0.2 ppm; cranberry, grape, Juneberry, kiwifruit, lingonberry, salal, strawberry, and berry group 13 at 0.2 ppm to berry and small fruit, group 13-07 at 0.2 ppm. In addition, upon approval of the new tolerance for “Oilseed Crops, Group 20 at 40 ppm” under “New Tolerances”, delete tolerances for borage, seed, crambe, seed, jojoba, seed, lesquerella, seed, meadowfoam, seed, mustard, seed and sesame, seed all at 0.1 ppm; flax, seed at 4.0 ppm; flax, meal at 8.0 ppm; canola, seed and rapeseed, seed at 20 ppm; cotton, undelinted seed at 40 ppm and safflower, seed and Sunflower, seed at 85 ppm; which will be included under the “Oilseed Crops, Group 20 at 40 ppm”. Adequate enforcement methods are available for analysis of residues of glyphosate and its metabolite, AMPA, in or on plant and livestock commodities. These methods include: GLC—Method I in PAM II; HPLC with fluorometric detection; and GC/MS method for glyphosate in crops has also been validated by EPA's Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL). Contact: Andrew Ertman, (703) 308-9367, email address: ertman.andrew@epa.gov.

        3. PP 2E7991. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0203). Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4), 500 College Road East, Suite 201 W, Princeton, NJ 08540, requests upon approval of the aforementioned tolerances under “New Tolerance”, to amend the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.155 for residues of the plant growth regulator, 1-naphthalene- acetic acid (NAA) and its conjugates, by removing the tolerance for fruit, pome, group 11 at 0.15 ppm, as it will be superseded by the tolerance on fruit, pome, group 11-10 at 0.15 ppm. Contact: Laura Nollen, (703) 305-7390, email address: nollen.laura@epa.gov.

        New Tolerance Exemptions
        1. PP 1E7900. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0131). ISK Biosciences Corporation, 7470 Auburn Road, Suite A, Concord, OH 44077, requests to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of calcium gluconate (CAS No. 299-28-5) under 40 CFR 180.920 when used as a pesticide inert ingredient as a sequestrant, binder and filler in pesticide formulations applied pre-harvest to all raw agricultural. The petitioner believes no analytical method is needed based on the fact that this information is not required for the establishment of a tolerance exemption. Contact: Roger Chesser, (703) 347-8516, email address: chesser.roger@epa.gov.

        2. PP 1E7933. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0207). Ecolab, Inc., 370 N. Wabasha Street, St. Paul, MN 55102, requests to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of aluminum sulfate (CAS No. 10043-01-3) under 40 CFR 180.940(a) for use as an inert ingredient as a defoamer in antimicrobial pesticide formulations applied to food-contact surfaces in public eating places, dairy-processing equipment, and food-processing equipment and utensils at 50 ppm. The petitioner believes no analytical method is needed because it is not required for the establishment of a tolerance exemption for inert ingredients. Contact: Janet Whitehurst, (703) 305-6129, email address: whitehurst.janet@epa.gov.

        3. PP 1E7949. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0106). DowAgroSciences, LLC., 9330 Zionsville Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268, requests to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of N-Alkyl (C8-C18) dimethylamidopropyl-amines (NADMAPA) where the alkyl group is linear and may be saturated and/or unsaturated under 40 CFR 180.920 when used as a pesticide inert ingredient in pesticide formulations with limits of up to 20% of a herbicide formulation. NADMAPA is a group of highly related materials that are all derived from the reaction of dimethylamidopropyl-amine (DMAPA) with linear C8-C18 fatty acids. The following materials are proposed as being covered by the NADMAPA descriptor: Amides, coco, N-[3-(dimethylamino) propyl] (CAS No. 68140-01-2); Amides, C8-C18 and C18-unsatd., N-[3-(dimethylamino) propyl] (CAS No. 146987-98-6); N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-C12-C18(even numbered)-alkylamide (CAS No. 1147459-12-8); dodecanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino) propyl] (CAS No. 3179-80-4); tetradecanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS No. 45267-19-4); hexadecanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS No. 39669-97-1); octadecanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS No. 7651-02-7); 9-octadecenamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-, (9Z)- (CAS No. 109-28-4); decanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS No. 22890-11-5); and octanamide, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS No. 22890-10-4). This petition is based on coconut fatty acid, dimethylamidopropylamide (Coco APDMA; CAS 68140-01-2; Amides, coco, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]) as the representative test material for NADMAPA materials. Coco APDMA is a blend and the chain length of the R group varies based on the natural origin of the coconut oil. The dominant components of the R chain are C12 and C14 at 52.47 and 15.72%, respectively, but the chain length ranges from C8 to C18. The petitioner believes no analytical method is needed because it is not required for the establishment of a tolerance exemption for inert ingredients. Contact: William Cutchin, (703) 305-7990, email address: cutchin.william@epa.gov.

        4. PP 1F7941. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0134). Becker Underwood, Inc., 801 Dayton Avenue, Ames, IA 50010, requests to establish an exemption from the requirement of tolerances for residues of the seed applied biochemical pesticide, methyl jasmonate (CAS No. 1211-29-6), cyclopentaneacetic acid, 3-oxo-2-(2-pentenyl)-, methyl ester, in or on canola, seed; rapeseed, seed; mustard, seed; safflower, seed; sunflower, seed; and camelina, seed. An analytical method for residues of methyl jasmonate is not necessary as this petition requests an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance without numerical limitations. Contact: Chris Pfeifer, (703) 308-0031, email address: pfeifer.chris@epa.gov.

        5. PP 2F7974. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0250). Actagro, LLC, PO Box 309, Biola, CA 93606, requests to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the biochemical pesticide, Organic Acids Derived from Leonardite, when used as a plant growth regulator applied to all growing crops. The petition proposes to establish exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance without numerical limitation and an analytical method is generally not required for establishment of a tolerance exemption. Contact: Menyon Adams, (703) 347-8496, email address: adams.menyon@epa.gov.

        Amended Tolerance Exemption

          PP 1E7946. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0031). Lyondell Chemical Company, 1221 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010, requests to expand the exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for uses of the residues of 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (CAS No. 2163-42-0) in 40 CFR 180.940(a), to include uses in food contact surface sanitizing solutions in addition to existing uses on raw agricultural commodities and animals. The petitioner believes no analytical method is needed because it is not required for the establishment of a tolerance exemption for inert ingredients. Contact: David Lieu, (703) 305-0079, email address: lieu.david@epa.gov.

          List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
          Environmental protection, Agricultural commodities, Feed additives, Food additives, Pesticides and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

          Dated: April 23, 2012.
          Daniel J. Rosenblatt,
          Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

      [FR Doc. 2012-10321 Filed 5-1-12; 8:45 am]
      BILLING CODE 6560-50-P