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- Federal Register
- Vol. 59, No. 119
- Wednesday, June 22, 1994
-
- [OPP─180943; FRL 4872─8]
-
- Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption To Use Imidacloprid;
-
- Solicitation of Public Comment
-
- AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
-
- ACTION: Notice.
-
- SUMMARY: EPA has received specific exemption requests from the California
- Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Pesticide Regulation (hereafter
- referred to as the "Applicant") to use the pesticide imidacloprid (CAS
- 105827─78─9) to treat up to 22,000 acres of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
- and rapini, and up to 40,000 acres of head and leaf lettuce, to control the
- silverleaf, or sweet potato whitefly (Bemesia tabaci). The Applicant proposes
- the first food use of an active ingredient; 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 July 7, 1994.
-
- ADDRESSES: Three copies of written comments, bearing the identification
- notation "OPP─180943," 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, D.C.
- 20460. In person, bring comments to: Rm. 1132, Crystal Mall ±2, 1921 Jefferson
- Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
-
- Information submitted in any comment concerning this notice may be claimed
- confidential by marking any part or all of that information as "Confidential
- Business Information." 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 Confidential Business Information 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 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal
- holidays.
-
- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Andrea Beard, 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─8791.
-
- 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 specific
- exemptions for the use of imidacloprid on broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and
- head and leaf lettuce to control the silverleaf whitefly (SLW). Information in
- accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was submitted as part of these requests.
-
- Whiteflies have been a problem in the "desert-cropping systems" in California
- and Arizona for some time, but in 1990, a new strain (possibly a new species)
- was discovered, which appears to be much more prolific than the standard
- strain, and resistant to many insecticides. Whiteflies are common on many wild
- and cultivated crops such as tomatoes, cotton, cucurbits and solanaceae. The
- Applicant states that this new strain caused devastation to many crops in 1991
- in California's Imperial Valley, with crop losses over $120 million.
- Whiteflies cause direct damage through feeding activities and indirectly
- through the production of honeydew which enhances sooty mold development. The
- Applicant claims that adequate control of this pest is not being achieved with
- the currently registered compounds. The Applicant claims that without control
- of this pest, growers could expect up to 50 percent yield losses, causing
- significant economic losses.
-
- The Applicant proposes to apply imidacloprid at a maximum rate of 0.3016 lb.
- active ingredient (20 fluid oz. of product) per acre with a maximum of one
- application, at or near planting, per crop season on a total of 62,000 acres
- of the above-listed crops. For each of the crops named, it is possible to
- produce two crops per calendar year on a given acre, and therefore, the
- acreage could potentially receive two applications of imidacloprid per
- calendar year. However, the Applicant proposed to limit the maximum amount
- which could be applied per calendar year to 0.5 lb. a.i. (32 fl. oz. product)
- per acre. Therefore, use under this exemption could potentially amount to a
- maximum total of 31,000 lbs. of active ingredient, or 15,500 gal. of product.
- This is the second time that the Applicant has applied for the use of
- imidacloprid on the named crops, and exemptions were issued for this use in
- California last year.
-
- 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 in the Federal Register and solicit public comment on an application
- for a specific exemption proposing the first food use of an active ingredient.
- 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.
-
- List of subjects
-
- Environmental protection, Crisis exemptions, Pesticides and pests.
-
- Dated: June 13, 1994.
-
- Stephen L. Johnson,
-
- Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
-
- [FR Doc. 94─15076 Filed 6─21─94; 8:45 am]
-
- BILLING CODE 6560─50─F
-
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