
[Federal Register: February 27, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 39)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10436-10438]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe08-45]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0129; FRL-8353-7]

 
Sulfometuron Methyl Risk Assessments; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's risk 
assessments, and related documents for the pesticide sulfometuron 
methyl, and opens a public comment period on these documents (Phase 3 
of 4-Phase Process). The public is encouraged to suggest risk 
management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is 
developing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for sulfometuron 
methyl through a modified, 4-Phase public participation process that 
the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide 
reregistration decisions. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that 
all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 28, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0129, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the on-line 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'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 docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2008-

[[Page 10437]]

0129. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the docket without change and may be made available on-line 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 e-mail. The 
regulations.gov website 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 e-mail comment 
directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your e-mail 
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 in regulations.gov. To access the electronic docket, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov, select ``Advanced Search,'' then ``Docket 
Search.'' Insert the docket ID number where indicated and select the 
``Submit'' button. Follow the instructions on the regulations.gov 
website to view the docket index or access available documents. 
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: Rusty Wasem, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-6979; fax 
number: (703) 308-7070; e-mail address: wasem.russell@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 also may 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. 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 e-mail. 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.

II. Background

A. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is releasing for public comment its human health and 
environmental fate and effects risk assessments and related documents 
for sulfometuron methyl and soliciting public comment on risk 
management ideas or proposals. Sulfometuron methyl is a non-selective 
sulfonylurea herbicide primarily used for weed control in forestry, and 
vegetative management in rights of ways, roadways, and railroads. There 
are no food uses for sulfometuron methyl. EPA developed the risk 
assessments and risk characterization for sulfometuron methyl through a 
modified version of its public process for making pesticide 
reregistration eligibility decisions. Through these programs, EPA is 
ensuring that pesticides meet current standards under the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality 
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
    Sulfometuron methyl controls a variety of broad leaf weeds and 
grasses by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme acetolactate synthase 
(ALS), which inhibits the production of amino acids required for 
growth. Sulfometuron methyl is formulated as a water dispersible 
granule (WDG) and applied using a variety of methods including 
helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, ground spray (boom and backpack), and 
spot treatment.
    EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for 
interested parties to provide comments and input on the Agency's risk 
assessments for sulfometuron methyl. Such comments and input could 
address the availability of additional data to further refine the risk 
assessments, or could address the Agency's risk assessment 
methodologies and assumptions as applied to this specific pesticide.
    Through this notice, EPA also is providing an opportunity for 
interested

[[Page 10438]]

parties to provide risk management proposals or otherwise comment on 
risk management for sulfometuron methyl. Risks of concern associated 
with the use of sulfometuron methyl are: indirect effects on freshwater 
fish and invertebrates, estuarine/marine fish and invertebrates, and 
acute and chronic exposure to aquatic and terrestrial plants. In 
targeting these risks of concern, the Agency solicits information on 
effective and practical risk reduction measures.
    EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and 
meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, 
national origin, or income, 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, unusually high exposure to sulfometuron methyl, compared 
to the general population.
    EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all 
pesticides undergoing reregistration. 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, the Agency is 
tailoring its public participation process to be commensurate with the 
level of risk, extent of use, complexity of the issues, and degree of 
public concern associated with each pesticide. For sulfometuron methyl, 
a modified, 4-Phase process with one comment period seems appropriate 
in view of its limited risk and few complex issues. However, if as a 
result of comments received during this comment period EPA finds that 
additional issues warranting further discussion are raised, the Agency 
may lengthen the process and include a second comment period, as 
needed.
    All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES, 
and must be received by EPA on or before the closing date. Comments 
will become part of the Agency Docket for sulfometuron methyl. Comments 
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' 
EPA is not required to consider these late comments.

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.''

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: February 21, 2008.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-3699 Filed 2-26-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-S
