The intent of this network is to inform interested parties of new pesticide uses, impending pesticide use cancellations, tolerance revocations, and other items of agricultural interest. Questions and comments may be directed to your State Liaison Representative (on our web page) for the Pesticide Impact Assessment Program (PIAP) or Kent Smith at 202-720-3186, fax 202-720-3191, email ksmith@ars.usda.gov, or consult our homepage for OPMP and PIAP at http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/usdanapiap/.

SCIENCE POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO FQPA

EPA announced in the Federal Register on 10/29/98, a schedule andframework for addressing nine key science policies to implementprovisions of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). The EPA isseeking to make its decision-making process transparent, to activelyengage the public, and to ensure that its framework is independentlyreviewed. They expect to issue one or more papers on each of the nine science policy issues over the next 15 months.

The nine science policy issues listed in EPA's notice are: 1) Applying the FQPA 10-Fold Factor, 2) Dietary Exposure Assessment - Whether and How to Use "Monte Carlo" Analysis, 3) Exposure Assessment - Interpreting "No Residues Detected," 4) Dietary (Food) Exposure Estimates, 5) Dietary (Drinking Water) Exposure Estimates, 6) Assessing Residential Exposure, 7) Aggregating Exposures from all Non-Occupational Sources, 8) How to Conduct a Cumulative Risk Assessment for Pesticides with a Common Mechanism of Toxicity, and 9) Selection of Appropriate Toxicity Endpoints for Risk Assessments of Organophosphates. The notice gives a summary of each science policy issue.

EPA issued papers and solicited comments on 11/5/98 in the Federal Register concerning two of the science policy issues mentioned above. The first paper concerned science policy issue #2 above, and is titled, "Guidance for the Submission of Probabilistic Human Health Exposure Assessments to the Office of Pesticide Programs." A second addresses science policy issue #9 above, and is titled, "The Use of Data on Cholinesterase Inhibition for Risk Assessments." A detailed summary and list of suggested questions/issues for comment pertaining to each paper are included in the 11/5/98 Federal Register notice.

Both of these papers are available for review on the web and by fax. For web viewing or printing, access <http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/trac/>, under November 5, 1998, click on the science policy papers mentioned above. For fax copies, use a faxphone to call 202-401-0527 and select item 6021 for the paper on probabilistic exposure and item 6022 for the paper on cholinesterase inhibition.

Written comments on these papers should be submitted by 1/4/99 by email or mail to the Public Information Branch of EPA. Be sure to mention the docket number OPP-00559 for the paper on probabilistic exposure and the docket number OPP-00560 for the paper on cholinesterase inhibition.

Submit written comments to:

Public Information and Records Integrity Branch
Information Resources and Services Division (7502C)
EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
opp-docket@epa.gov

For questions on probabilistic exposure, contact:

Ms. Kathleen Martin
EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs
Phone 703-308-2857
Fax 703-305-5147
martin.kathleen@epa.gov

For questions on cholinesterase inhibition, contact:

Mr. William Wooge
EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs
Phone 703-308-8794
Fax 703-305-5147
wooge.william@epa.gov

For general questions about science policy, contact:

Mr. Jeff Kempter
EPA, Registration Division
Phone 703-305-5448
Fax 703-305-6920
kempter.carlton@epa.gov

Sources:
Federal Register 63:58038 10/29/98
EPA Press #R-149 10/30/98
Federal Register 63:59780 11/5/98

VINCLOZOLIN (RONILAN) USE DELETION OF STRAWBERRIES AND STONE FRUITS

EPA has approved BASF's label amendments deleting strawberries and stone fruits from all new vinclozolin labels as of 9/4/98. Vinclozolin (Ronilan) is still registered to control fungi (Botrytis spp., Sclerotinia spp., etc.) on many other crops (listed below). Existing stocks of vinclozolin products with strawberries and stone fruits listed may be used until January 30, 2000, which is when the tolerances for strawberries and stone fruit will be revoked.

REGISTERED USES with continued support from BASF: BEANS(succulent), KIWI (Special Local Need (SLN) in CA & SC), LETTUCE, ONIONS, ORNAMENTALS, RASPBERRIES, and TURF(on golf courses).

For further product information, contact:

Mr. Abe Tobia
BASF Corporation
Phone 919-547-2972
Fax 919-547-2880
tobiaa@basf.com

For information about this regulatory action, contact:

Mr. Mark Wilhite
EPA, Reregistration Branch I
Phone 703-308-8586
Fax 703-308-8041
wilhite.mark@epamail.epa.gov

Source: Federal Register 63:59557 11/4/98

The Reregistration Notification Network is a cooperative effort of OPMP-PIAP, Interregional Project No. 4 (IR-4), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the American Crop Protection Association (ACPA).
Last Modified December 3, 1998