FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORK PESTICIDE PROJECT

Return to FAN's Pesticide homepage

Return to Chlorfenapyr Index Page

Chlorfenapyr. October 2, 1996. Request for Emergency Exemption for PIRATE. Federal Register.

http://www.epa.gov/docs/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1996/October/Day-02/pr-875DIR/pr-875.html

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-181022; FRL 5390-5]

Pirate; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption, Solicitation of Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA has received a specific exemption request from the California

[[Page 51452]]

Department of Pesticide Regulation (hereafter referred to as the ``Applicant'') to use the pesticide Pirate to treat up to 10,000 acres of cotton in Kern County to control spider mites. The Applicant proposes the use of a new (unregistered) chemical. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 166.24, EPA is soliciting public comment before making the decision whether or not to grant the exemption.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification notation ``OPP-181022,'' should be submitted by mail to: Public Response and Program Resource Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring comments to: Rm. 1132, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. Comments and data may also be submitted electronically by sending electronic mail (e-mail) to: opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov. Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1 file format or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by the docket number [OPP-181022]. No Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Electronic comments on this notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. Additional information on electronic submissions can be found below in this document.
Information submitted in any comment concerning this notice may be claimed confidential by marking any part or all of that information as (CBI). Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that does not contain CBI must be provided by the submitter for inclusion in the public record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed publicly by EPA without prior notice. All written comments filed pursuant to this notice will be available for public inspection in Rm. 1132, Crystal Mall No. 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Margarita Collantes, Registration Division (7505W), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. Office location and telephone number: Floor 6, Crystal Station #1, 2800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, (703) 308-8347; e-mail: collantes.margarita@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136p), the Administrator may, at her discretion, exempt a state agency from any registration provision of FIFRA if she determines that emergency conditions exist which require such exemption. The Applicant has requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for the use of Pirate on cotton to control spider mites. Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of this request. According to the Applicant, spider mites are currently causing widespread damage to cotton throughout California, particularly in the southern San Joaquin County. In 1995, and again in 1996, California experienced unusually heavy rainfall with very wet spring weather. The wet spring weather contributed to an increase in outlying weeds and plants that serve as host for large lygus and aphid populations. As host plants dry out, these pests migrate to adjacent cotton fields. Broad spectrum insecticides are used to control large lygus and aphid populations.
Use of these insecticides destroy populations of mite predators, primarily thrips and big-eyed bugs, that normally maintain mite populations below the economic thresholds. Without the benefit of mite predators, additional acracides must be used to control the exploding mite populations. Furthermore, insecticides which previously provided a degree of control failed to regulate the exceptionally high mite populations which lead to development of resistance to currently labeled materials. There are no products with an alternative mode of action for controlling mites. By using Alert the high probability of resistance occurring with the remaining miticides will be reduced. The use of Pirate to control the beet armyworm and tobacco budworm on cotton have been issued to most of the states within the southern cotton belt region this year. In an effort to mitigate risk to Federally-listed threatened and endangered species from potentially harmful exposure to Pirate, specific directions, restrictions, precautions and monitoring for wildlife mortality were required. Under the proposed exemption, Pirate (Alert/AC) may be applied to late season cotton (12''< tall) at a rate of 0.12 to 0.2 lbs. active ingredient [(a.i.)] (8 to 13 fl. ozs of product) per acre by ground or air equipment. Not to apply more then 67.2 fl. oz. (1.05 lbs. a.i., per acre per year). A reentry interval of 12 hours and a preharvest interval of 21 days must be observed.
This notice does not constitute a decision by EPA on the application itself. The regulations governing section 18 require publication of a notice of receipt of an application for a specific exemption proposing use of a new chemical (i.e., an active ingredient not contained in any currently registered pesticide), in accordance with 40 CFR 166.24. Such notice provides for opportunity for public comment on the application.
A record has been established for this notice under docket number [OPP-181022] (including comments and data submitted electronically as described below). A public version of this record, including printed, paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include any information claimed as CBI is available for inspection from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The public record is located in Room 1132 of the Public Response and Program Resource Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at: opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov
Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. The official record for this notice, as well as the public version, as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically into printed, paper form as they are received and will place the paper copies in the official record which will also include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record is the paper record maintained at the address in ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this document. Accordingly, interested persons may submit written views on this subject to the Field Operations Division at the address above. The Agency, accordingly, will review and consider all comments received during the comment period in determining whether to issue the emergency exemption requested by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

[[Page 51453]]

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Emergency exemptions.

Dated: September 26, 1996.

Susan Lewis,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 96-25228 Filed 10-1-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-F