EPA Pesticide Program Update from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs 08/06/01

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides

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IN THIS UPDATE:

EPA RELEASES PRELIMINARY RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR

LACTOFEN AND SODIUM ACIFLUORFEN

On July 26, EPA released preliminary risk assessments for two pesticides

undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment: lactofen and

sodium acifluorfen. EPA will accept comments on these risk assessments

until September 24, 2001. Lactofen is a broad-spectrum herbicide

registered for pre- and post-emergent weed control on peanuts, snap

beans, soybeans, cotton, and fruiting vegetables. There are no residential

uses registered for lactofen. Sodium acifluorfen is a broad-spectrum

herbicide registered for post-emergent use on soybeans, peanuts, and rice.

It also is registered for homeowner use as a spot treatment on driveways,

sidewalks, and patios.

The risk assessment documents and brief summaries are available on

EPA's web site (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/lactofen/

and http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/acifluorfen/ ). The

Federal Register notices announcing their availability are available on

EPA's web site: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr .

The preliminary risk assessments for these chemicals were developed as

part of the Agency's process for making reregistration eligibility

decisions and tolerance reassessments for pesticides, consistent with

provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). By allowing

access and opportunity for comment on these preliminary risk assessments,

EPA is seeking to strengthen stakeholder involvement and help ensure that

our decisions under FQPA are transparent and based on the best available

information. EPA cautions that the risk assessment documents are only

preliminary. As new information becomes available and additional analyses

are performed, the Agency's conclusions about risks may change, and

further refinements of the documents may be appropriate.

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EPA distributes its Pesticide Program Updates to external

stakeholders and citizens who have expressed an interest

in O.P. activities and decisions. We have established

an electronic list serve for people who want to keep abreast of

pesticide issues and decisions. This update service is part

of EPA's continuing effort to improve public access to

Federal pesticide information. To subscribe or unsubscribe

to our automatic mailing list, visit:

http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/csb_page/form/form.html

For general questions on pesticides and pesticide

poisoning prevention, contact the National Pesticide

Telecommunications Network (NPTN), toll-free, at:

1-800-858-7378, by E-mail at nptn@ace.orst.edu,

or by visiting their website at:

http://ace.orst.edu/info/nptn/

For information about ongoing activities in the

Office of Pesticide Programs, visit our homepage

at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides

Or call or write us directly at:

Communication Services Branch

Office of Pesticide Programs (7506C)

US Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004-2403

703-305-5017