Rules and Regulations. Notification of filing of petition and request for comment

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Action: Notification of filing of petition and request for comment
Citation: FR Doc. 2024-28805 · EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0059; FRL-11682-10-OCSPP · 40 CFR 180

Summary

This document announces the Agency's receipt of an initial filing of a pesticide petition requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

Dates

Comments must be received on or before January 8, 2025.

Supplementary Information

I. General Information A. Does this action apply to me? You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. The following list of North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers determine whether this document applies to them. Potentially affected entities may include: • Crop production (NAICS code 111). • Animal production (NAICS code 112). • Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311). • Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532). 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 https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. 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, 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 or disproportionately high and adverse human health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticides discussed in this document, compared to the general population. II. What action is the Agency taking? EPA is announcing receipt of a pesticide petition filed under section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a, requesting the establishment or modification of regulations in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various food commodities. The Agency is taking public comment on the request before responding to the petitioner. EPA is not proposing any particular action at this time. EPA has determined that the pesticide petition described in this document contains data or information prescribed in FFDCA section 408(d)(2), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d)(2); however, EPA has not fully evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether the data supports granting of the pesticide petition. After considering the public comments, EPA intends to evaluate whether and what action may be warranted. Additional data may be needed before EPA can make a final determination on this pesticide petition. Pursuant to 40 CFR 180.7(f), a summary of the petition that is the subject of this document, prepared by the petitioner, is included in a docket EPA has created for this rulemaking. The docket for this petition is available at https://www.regulations.gov. As specified in FFDCA section 408(d)(3), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d)(3), EPA is publishing notification of the petition so that the public has an opportunity to comment on this request for the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticides in or on food commodities. Further information on the petition may be obtained through the petition summary referenced in this unit. A. Notice of Filing—Amended Tolerances for Non-Inerts PP 4F9153. EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0509. BASF Corporation, 26 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, requests to amend the existing tolerance established in 40 CFR 180.700 for residues of the insecticide afidopyropen in or on Strawberry from 0.15 parts per million (ppm) to 0.3 ppm. In their initial assessment of afidopyropen (DP No. 441491), EPA-HED indicated the existing methods and accompanying independent method validations were sufficient to support afidopyropen tolerances. EPA's ROCKS stated that the submitted analytical method for plant commodities can adequately detect parent afidopyropen (as well as its dimer M440I007) for the purposes of tolerance enforcement. Contact: RD. B. Notice of Filing—New Tolerances for Non-Inerts 1. PP 1F8969. EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0009. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC., P.O. Box 18300, Greensboro, NC 27419, requests to amend tolerance in 40 CFR part 180.571 for residues of the herbicide, mesotrione, in or on soybean at 0.02 ppm. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with tandem mass-spectrometry (MS/MS) is used to measure and evaluate the chemical mesotrione. Contact: RD. 2. PP 3F9073. EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0212. K-I CHEMICAL U.S.A., Inc. c/o Landis International, Inc., P.O. Box 5126, Valdosta, GA 31603-5126, requests to establish a tolerance in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the herbicide, pyroxasulfone, including its metabolites M-1, M-3, M-25, and M-28 calculated as the stoichiometric equivalent of pyroxasulfone, in or on almond, hulls at 0.15 ppm, fruit, small, vine climbing, except fuzzy kiwifruit, subgroup 13-07F at 0.07 ppm, and nut, tree, group 14-12 at 0.07 ppm. The Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is used to measure and evaluate the chemical pyroxasulfone. Contact: RD. 3. PP 1F8969. EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0009. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC., P.O. Box 18300, Greensboro, NC 27419, requests to amend tolerance in 40 CFR part 180.571 for residues of the herbicide, mesotrione, in or on soybean at 0.02 ppm. The HPLC with MS/MS is used to measure and evaluate the chemical mesotrione. Contact: RD. 4. PP 3F9073. EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0212. K-I CHEMICAL U.S.A., Inc. c/o Landis International, Inc., P.O. Box 5126, Valdosta, GA 31603-5126, requests to establish a tolerance in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the herbicide, pyroxasulfone, including its metabolites M-1, M-3, M-25, and M-28 calculated as the stoichiometric equivalent of pyroxasulfone, in or on almond, hulls at 0.15 ppm, fruit, small, vine climbing, except fuzzy kiwifruit, subgroup 13-07F at 0.07 ppm, and nut, tree, group 14-12 at 0.07 ppm. The LC-MS/MS is used to measure and evaluate the chemical pyroxasulfone. Contact: RD. 5. PP 3F9086. EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0415. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, P.O. Box 18300, Greensboro, NC 27419-8300, requests to establish a tolerance in 40 CFR part 180 for residues of the herbicide, bicyclopyrone in or on soybean, seed at .01 ppm, and soybean, meal at .02 ppm. The analytical methods GRM030.05A, GRM030.05B, and GRM030.08A are used to measure and evaluate the chemical bicyclopyrone. Contact: RD. Authority: 21 U.S.C. 346a. Dated: November 19, 2024. Kimberly Smith, Acting Director, Information Technology and Resources Management Division, Office of Program Support. [FR Doc. 2024-28805 Filed 12-6-24; 8:45 am]