[Federal Register: October 26, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 61816-61818]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc05-85]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2004-0370; FRL-7737-7]
Endothall Reregistration Eligibility Decision; Notice of
Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Reregistration
Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide endothall. The Agency's
risk assessments and other related documents also are available in the
endothall Docket. Endothall is used as an aquatic herbicide to control
submerged aquatic vegetation and algae in lakes, ponds, and irrigation
canals and is used as a desiccant on cotton, hops, potatoes, and seed
production for alfalfa and clover. Endothall is also used as a biocide
to control mollusks in cooling towers/systems. Endothall is applied as
either a dipotassium salt or an N, N-dimethylalkylamine salt. The
endothall acid is not directly applied to use sites; it is formed as a
break-down product resulting from application of the salt forms. The
amine salt is the only form applied terrestrially, while both the
dipotassium and amine salt are applied to aquatic use sites. EPA has
reviewed endothall through the public participation process that the
Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide
reregistration and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these
programs, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and
safety standards.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental
[[Page 61817]]
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8068; fax number: (703) 308-8005; e-
mail address: overstreet.anne@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution,
or use of pesticides. Since others may also be interested, 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.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket identification (ID) number OPP-2005-0370. 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,
1801 S. Bell St., 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.
2. 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/.
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. Once in the system, select ``search,''
then key in the appropriate docket ID number.
Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA
Dockets. Information claimed as CBI and other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute, which is not included in the
official public docket, will not be available for public viewing in
EPA's electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted
material will not be placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will
be available only in printed, paper form in the official public docket.
To the extent feasible, publicly available docket materials will be
made available in EPA's electronic public docket. When a document is
selected from the index list in EPA Dockets, the system will identify
whether the document is available for viewing in EPA's electronic
public docket. 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 I.B.1.
EPA intends to work towards providing electronic access to all of the
publicly available docket materials through EPA's electronic public
docket.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
Under section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating existing pesticides to
ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. EPA
has completed a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the
pesticide, endothall under section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Endothall is a
dicarboxylic acid used as an aquatic herbicide to control submerged
aquatic vegetation and algae in lakes, ponds, and irrigation canals and
is used as a desiccant on cotton, hops, potatoes, and seed production
for alfalfa and clover. Endothall is also used as a biocide to control
mollusks in cooling towers/systems. Endothall is applied as either a
dipotassium salt or an N, N-dimethylalkylamine salt. The endothall acid
is not directly applied to use sites, it is formed as a break-down
product resulting from application of the salt forms. The amine salt is
the only form applied terrestrially, while both the dipotassium and
anime salt are applied to aquatic use sites. EPA has determined that
the data base to support reregistration is substantially complete and
that products containing endothall are eligible for reregistration,
provided the risks are mitigated in the manner described in the RED.
Upon submission of any required product-specific data under section
4(g)(2)(B) and any necessary changes to the registration and labeling
(either to address concerns identified in the RED or as a result of
product-specific data), EPA will make a final reregistration decision
under section 4(g)(2)(C) for products containing endothall.
EPA must review tolerances and tolerance exemptions that were in
effect when the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in
August 1996, to ensure that these existing pesticide residue limits for
food and feed commodities meet the safety standard established by the
new law. Tolerances are considered reassessed once the safety finding
has been made or a revocation occurs. EPA has reviewed and made the
requisite safety finding for the endothall tolerances included in this
notice.
EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all
pesticides undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. The
Agency's Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Reregistration; Public
Participation Process, published in the Federal Register on May 14,
2004 (69 FR 26819) (FRL-7357-9), explains that in conducting these
programs, EPA is tailoring its public participation process to be
commensurate with the level of risk, extent of use, complexity of
issues, and degree of public concern associated with each pesticide.
Due to its uses, risks, and other factors, endothall was reviewed
through the modified 4-Phase process. Through this process, EPA worked
extensively with stakeholders and the public to reach the regulatory
decisions for endothall.
The reregistration program is being conducted under
Congressionally mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes the need both
to make timely decisions and to involve the public. The Agency is not
holding a comment period for the endothall RED because all issues
related to this pesticide were resolved through consultations with
stakeholders.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA as amended directs that, after submission
of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in
product-specific data on individual end-use products and either
reregistering products or taking other ``appropriate regulatory
action.''
Section 408(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(FFDCA), 21
[[Page 61818]]
U.S.C. 346a(q), requires EPA to review tolerances and exemptions for
pesticide residues in effect as of August 2, 1996, to determine whether
the tolerance or exemption meets the requirements of section 408(b)(2)
or (c)(2) of FFDCA. This review is to be completed by August 3, 2006.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.
Dated: September 26. 2005.
Debra Edwards,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 05-21366 Filed 10-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S