
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66258-66259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27917]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2018-0671; FRL-9987-10]


Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces EPA's receipt of application 73049-EUP-
RN from Valent BioSciences LLC, requesting an experimental use permit 
(EUP) for aminoethoxyvinylglycine. EPA has determined that the permit 
may be of regional or national significance. Therefore, because of the 
potential significance, EPA is seeking comments on this application.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket Identification 
(ID) Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2018-0671, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit 
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute.
     Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket 
Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 
20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand 
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the 
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html. Additional 
instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more 
information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert McNally, Biopesticides and 
Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; main telephone number: (703) 305-7090; email address: 
BPPDFRNotices@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

A. 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 conduct or 
sponsor research on pesticides, EPA has not attempted to describe all 
the specific entities that may be affected by this action.

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 preparing and submitting 
your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.
    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, EPA 
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 pesticide 
discussed in this document, compared to the general population.

II. What action is the agency taking?

    Under section 5 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136c, EPA can

[[Page 66259]]

allow manufacturers to field test pesticides under development. 
Manufacturers are required to obtain an EUP before testing new 
pesticides or new uses of pesticides if they conduct experimental field 
tests on more than 10 acres of land or more than one surface acre of 
water.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 172.11(a), EPA has determined that the following 
EUP application may be of regional or national significance, and 
therefore is seeking public comment on the EUP application:
    Submitter: Valent BioSciences LLC, (73049-EUP-RN).
    Pesticide Chemical: Aminoethoxyvinylglycine.
    Summary of Request: Valent BioSciences LLC (Valent) submitted a 
request for an experimental use permit (EUP) that will involve 
application of an end-use product (EP) (ReTain OL Plant Growth 
Regulator Liquid Concentrate) that contains the active ingredient 
aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG). Concurrently, Valent also petitioned EPA 
to establish temporary tolerances (i.e., 0.065 parts per million (ppm) 
of AVG in or on apple and 0.065 ppm of AVG in or on pear) for 3 years 
for harvest management in commercial apple and pear production. The EP 
is to be applied via spray to apples and pears across a total of 5,500 
acres per year for 3 years in the following states: Washington (5,000 
acres), Michigan (100 acres), Pennsylvania (100 acres), Connecticut (75 
acres), Massachusetts (75 acres), Vermont (75 acres), and Virginia (75 
acres). The EP will be applied at a maximum amount per year of 112,000 
fluid ounces and at a maximum rate per acre of 20 fluid ounces.
    Following the review of the application and any comments and data 
received in response to this solicitation, EPA will decide whether to 
issue or deny the EUP request, and if issued, the conditions under 
which it is to be conducted. Any issuance of an EUP will be announced 
in the Federal Register.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: December 4, 2018.
Delores Barber,
Director, Information Technology and Resources Management Division, 
Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018-27917 Filed 12-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


