![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Newsroom | Alerts | News Links | News Archive | Email News
News Archive: April 2002
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
This information is provided for reference. Over time, links to news items may become unavailable, in these cases the item will remain listed, but no link will be provided. Also, please be aware that the information in any particular article may be outdated or superseded by additional information.April 29
Comments
Invited on Proposed Cancellations of Chlorpyrifos-methyl Products
EPA announces receipt of requests from two companies to voluntarily cancel
their product registrations for chlorpyrifos-methyl, an organophosphate
pesticide registered to control insect pests in stored grain. The registrants
agreed to voluntarily cancel all products containing this pesticide, rather
than generate the additional data required by the Agency to support continued
registration. The Agency anticipates that existing-stocks provisions
will prohibit the registrants' sale or distribution of these products
after December 31, 2003, and will prohibit other persons' sale and distribution
of existing stocks after December 31, 2004. EPA is inviting public comment
on these requests until May 24, 2002.
April 25
Comment Period
Extended on Proposed Rule for Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category
On February 25, 2002, EPA proposed effluent limitations guidelines for
wastewater discharges associated with the operation of new and existing
meat and poultry products facilities. The original comment period was
60 days, ending on April 26, 2002. The comment period will now end 60
days later on June 25, 2002. The Meat and Poultry Products (MPP) category
consists of facilities engaged in the slaughter of animals and the processing
of meat or poultry into products, including meat cuts, sausage, hams,
canned meats, and partially cooked products such as chicken nuggets. This
industry also includes the rendering of meat and poultry byproducts into
edible and inedible products such as pet or animal feed.
- More information about the proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category
- Federal Register notice
April 23
EPA
Revises Relative Potency Factors for Cumulative Risk Assessment of OP
Pesticides
The Environmental Protection Agency has revised the relative potency factors
(RPFs) included in the Preliminary Cumulative Risk Assessment for the
Organophosphate Pesticides (OPs) after refining RPF calculations and analyzing
new toxicology data for several OPs. The revised RPFs incorporate a more
accurate statistical model that better reflects the toxicology data used
in the RPF calculations. Relative potency factors allow levels of exposure
to different OPs to be expressed in terms that are considered toxicologically
equivalent. The Agency will use these factors to determine the combined
risk presented to human health from all the OPs identified in the risk
assessment.
April 18
EPA
To Cosponsor 25th Annual Conference on Analysis of Pollutants in the Environment
EPA is cosponsoring the "25th Annual Conference on Analysis of Pollutants
in the Environment" in early May in Norfolk, Virginia. Participants
will talk about all aspects of environmental measurement, focusing on
issues surrounding environmental water regulations and compliance monitoring.
April 16
Clean
Water Act (Section 319) Success Stories
This document is the third volume of Section 319 Success Stories -- states'
achievements in implementing nonpoint source programs under section
319 of the Clean Water Act. It contains approximately two new stories
per state, highlighting some of the additional successes achieved since
the 1997 publication. These stories demonstrate better-defined water quality
improvements, as well as growing partnerships and funding sources, as
state 319 programs expand and states learn increasingly more from past
319 demonstration projects.
EPA
Pollution Prevention Grants Available
EPA expects to have approximately $5 million available in fiscal year
2002 grant/cooperative agreement funds under the Pollution Prevention
(P2) grant program. EPA awards funds to states, tribes, and intertribal
consortia for programs to reduce or eliminate pollution across environmental
media (air, land, and water) and to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness
of state technical assistance programs in providing source reduction information
to businesses. This notice describes the procedures and criteria for the
award of these grants.
April 15
Comments
Requested on Tolerance Reassessment Report for Urea
This notice constitutes the Agency's report on the Food Quality Protection
Act (FQPA) tolerance reassessment progress for urea, announces the Agency's
tolerance reassessment decision, and makes public the science assessment
for tolerance reassessment decision and related documents supporting this
decision. The Agency's reassessment of dietary risk, including public
exposure through food and drinking water, indicates that urea poses no
risk concerns within the limits of the existing exemptions; therefore,
no risk mitigation is needed. Comments, identified by docket control number
OPP-34255, must be received on or before May 15, 2002.
Pesticide Registration Requests, Actions, and Tolerance Updates
-
Proposed (April 15) tolerance revocations for residues of the following pesticides. Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-2002-0019, must be received on or before June 14, 2002.
- Fenhexamid in or on caneberry subgroup, bushberry subgroup, juneberry, lingonberry, salal, and pistachio (tolerance granted April 18)
- Fluazinam in or on wine grapes (import tolerance granted April 18)
- Sodium starch glycolate when used as an inert ingredient (disintegrant) in granular or tableted pesticide products, in or on growing crops, when applied to raw agricultural commodities after harvest, or to animals (tolerance exemption established April 19)
April 12
Availability
of Risk Assessment for Sodium Acifluorfen (Blazer); Comment Period Open
This notice announces the availability of the revised risk assessments,
which include some new information not available at the time of the preliminary
risk assessment, and related documents for the pesticide sodium acifluorfen
(Blazer). In addition, this notice starts a 45-day public participation
period during which the public is encouraged to submit comments on the
new information and on risk management ideas or proposals for sodium acifluorfen.
Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-2002-0008, must be received
by EPA on or before May 28, 2002.
April 11
President
Sends Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants To Senate
for Ratification; Submits Legislation To Implement Treaty
EPA Administrator Christie Whitman today announced that President Bush
is submitting the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs) to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification.
The Stockholm Convention targets 12 toxic chemicals that persist in the
environment for long periods of time, accumulate in the food chain, and
travel great distances. The 12 POPs include certain pesticides, industrial
chemicals, and unintended byproducts of combustion such as DDT, PCBs,
and dioxin. Additional legislation to amend existing U.S. laws needed
to implement POPs and two other related treaties is also being submitted
to Congress.
- Amendment to FIFRA and Toxic Substances Control Act (PDF) (45 pp, 199K)
- Description of the Proposed Legislation (PDF) (9 pp, 117K)
- Letters
to Honorable J. Dennis Hastert and Honorable Richard Cheney
Regional
Grant Funds Available to States and Tribes for Pesticide Risk Reduction
EPA announced the availability of approximately $497,000 for grants to
states and tribes under the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program
(PESP). Priority consideration will be given to projects that advance
pesticide pollution prevention, integrated pest management (IPM), IPM
in schools, children's health issues related to pesticides, and those
research methods for documenting IPM adoption or the reduction of risks
associated with changes in pesticide use. Applications must be received
by the appropriate EPA regional office by May 27, 2002, and EPA will make
award decisions by July 10, 2002.
April 10
Ethion
Cancellation Order Published
EPA has published a cancellation order for registrations of all ethion
pesticide products by three registrants. This cancellation order follows
a notice in the September 26, 2001, Federal Register announcing receipt
of requests for cancellation of these products and a public comment period.
EPA has received no comments, and is therefore granting the requested
cancellation orders. Cancellation of manufacturing-use products will be
effective on October 1, 2003, and cancellation of end-use products will
be effective on December 31, 2003. Sale of existing stocks is prohibited
as of October 1, 2004, and use of these products will be prohibited as
of December 31, 2004.
EPA
Releases Risk Assessment for Molinate
EPA released the preliminary risk assessment documents for molinate, a
pesticide undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. Molinate,
a thiocarbamate herbicide, is registered for use on rice for the control
of watergrass. EPA will accept comments on the preliminary human health
and ecological effects risk assessments and related documents until June
3, 2002.
Methoxychlor
Tolerance Revocations Proposed
EPA published a proposed rule to revoke 79 tolerances for residues of
the pesticide methoxychlor, a member of the organochlorine class of pesticides.
The Agency has significant concerns with the effects of methyoxychlor
on human health and the environment and is unable to make a finding that
existing tolerances for methoxychlor are safe. Furthermore, as of June
26, 2000, all product registrations of methoxychlor were either suspended
due to registrants' noncompliance with Data Call-In notice requirements
or canceled pursuant to the registrants' voluntary cancellation request.
EPA must receive comments, identified by docket control number OPP-301226
on or before June 3, 2002.
April 5
Comments
Invited on Common Mechanism of Toxicity Determination for Triazine Pesticides
EPA announced an opportunity for public comment on the Agency's determination
as to whether the class of pesticides commonly referred to as "the
triazines" share a common mechanism of toxicity. Under the Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), EPA is required to consider the cumulative
effects of pesticides that affect the body through the same key pathways
when establishing, modifying, revoking, or deciding to leave a tolerance
in place. Identifying pesticides and other substances that share a common
mechanism of toxicity is the first step of the cumulative risk assessment
process, which assists EPA in making regulatory decisions that fully protect
public health, especially the health of children and infants. Interested
parties should submit comments by June 1, 2002.
April 3
FIFRA
Scientific Advisory Panel To Hold Public Meeting
There will be a two-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) Scientific
Advisory Panel in Arlington, Virginia, April 30-May 2, 2002. The
Panel will review a set of issues being considered by the Agency pertaining
to review of the Cumulative and Aggregate Risk Evaluation System (CARES)\TM\
Model used as a tool for dietary and residential pesticide exposure and
risk assessments. The meeting is open to the public with seating
on a first-come basis.
AAPCO/SFIREG
Committee on Water Quality and Pesticide Disposal Sets Public Meeting
The Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO)/State
FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG) Working Committee
on Water Quality and Pesticide Disposal will meet April 29-30, 2002, in
Arlington, Virginia. The meeting will provide an opportunity for states
to discuss with EPA matters related to pesticide regulatory policies that
affect water quality and pesticide disposal.
Pesticide Registration Requests, Actions, and Tolerance Updates
- Furilazole in or on corn commodities (tolerance granted April 3)
- Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (exemption from the requirement of a tolerance granted April 11)
| To subscribe to the Ag Center News listserve:
If you encounter difficulties subscribing to this list server or if you would like to be taken off the Ag Center News list server at any time, please send an e-mail to the Ag Center at: agcenter@epa.gov. |
This page is sponsored by
EPA's Ag Center. 