[Federal Register: August 25, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 52265-52266]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25au04-72]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP- 2004-0158; FRL-7360-7]
Final Product Performance Test Guideline; Methods for Efficacy
Testing of Termite Baits; Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA has established a unified library for test guidelines
issued by the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances
(OPPTS) for use in testing chemical substances to develop data for
submission to EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), or the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). These test
guidelines represent an Agency effort that began in 1991 to harmonize
the test guidelines within OPPTS, as well as to harmonize the OPPTS
test guidelines with those of the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD). The process for developing and amending these
test guidelines includes public participation and the extensive
involvement of the scientific community, including peer review by the
Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
and other expert scientific organizations. With this notice, EPA is
announcing the availability of the final test guideline for Series 810-
Product Performance Test Guidelines, OPPTS 810.3800 Methods for
Efficacy Testing of Termite Baits.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FIFRA information contact:
Communications Services Branch (7506C), Field and External Affairs
Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001;
telephone number: (703) 305-5017; fax number: (703) 305-5558.
For technical information contact: Kevin Sweeney, Registration
Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 305-5063; e-mail address:
sweeney.kevin@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Does This Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general. Although this
action may be of particular interest to those persons who are or may be
required to conduct testing of chemical substances under TSCA, FFDCA,
or FIFRA, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific
entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity,
consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
II. How Can I Get Copies of This Document and Other Related
Information?
A. Docket
EPA has established an official public docket for this action under
docket identification (ID) number OPP-2004-0158. The official public
docket consists of the documents specifically referenced in this
action, any public comments received, and other information related to
this action. Although a part of the official docket, the public docket
does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official
public docket is the collection of materials that is available for
public viewing at the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch
(PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy.,
Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The docket telephone
number is (703) 305-5805.
B. Electronic Access
You may access this Federal Register document electronically
through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' listings at
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.You may also obtain copies of test guidelines from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/guidelin.htm.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in
Unit II.A. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the
appropriate docket ID number.
III. What Action Is EPA Taking?
EPA is announcing the availability of the final test guideline for
Series 810-Product Performance Test Guidelines, OPPTS 810.3800 Methods
for Efficacy Testing of Termite Baits. This guideline addresses test
methods and evaluation criteria for pesticide products used as termite
baits to kill termites. Key elements in the final test guideline are as
follows:
1. This final test guideline describes specific methods for
conducting product performance testing of termite baits which reflect
the Agency's considered recommendations for the minimum steps necessary
to develop reliable data on termite bait product performance.
2. Three tests are described to generate the data set that EPA
considers reliable for evaluation of termite bait efficacy. Testing
termite baits in the laboratory, experimental field plots, and at least
100 termite infested structures in the United States is recommended.
Termite bait control success is evaluated based on review of data from
all three testing methods.
IV. How Were These Test Guidelines Developed?
The draft test guideline was reviewed by EPA's FIFRA SAP in a
public meeting on July 30-31, 2002, which was announced in the Federal
Register on July 5, 2002 (67 FR 44836) (FRL-7186-6) and has been
revised in response to the SAP and the public comments.
V. Are There Any Applicable Voluntary Consensus Standards That EPA
Should Consider?
This notice of availability does not involve a proposed regulatory
action that would require the Agency to consider voluntary consensus
standards pursuant to section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer
and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, section 12(d)
(15 U.S.C. 272 note). Section 12(d) of NTTAA directs EPA to use
voluntary consensus standards in its regulatory activities unless to do
so would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical.
Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., materials
specifications, test methods, sampling procedures, and business
practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus
standards bodies. The NTTAA requires EPA to provide an explanation to
Congress, through Office of Management and Budget (OMB), when the
Agency decides not to use available and applicable voluntary consensus
standards when the NTTAA directs the Agency to do so.
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In the July 5, 2002, Federal Register document announcing EPA's
FIFRA SAP meeting held on July 30-31, 2002, EPA specifically sought
comment on the availability of any applicable voluntary consensus
standards that should be considered during the development of the final
test guideline or any future regulatory action that EPA may take under
TSCA. The Agency did not receive any comments on the availability of
any applicable voluntary consensus standards.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Chemical testing, Test guideline,
Termites, Termite Baits.
Dated: August 12, 2004
Susan B. Hazen,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 04-19442 Filed 8-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S