EPA Pesticide Program Update from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs 06/14/01

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides

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IN THIS UPDATE:

• 1)U.S. EPA AND CANADA/PMRA PROPOSE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PLANT TOXICITY TESTING REQUIREMENTS
  
  
• 2) CARAT WORKGROUP TO MEET ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION FOR CUMULATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT

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1)U.S. EPA AND CANADA/PMRA PROPOSE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PLANT TOXICITY TESTING REQUIREMENTS

U.S. EPA and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) will present their joint proposal for strengthening their non-target plant toxicity testing requirements to the Federal Insecticide Rodenticide and Fungicide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) on June 27-29, 2001. In their proposal, EPA and PMRA will be expanding the number of tested plant species to account for the wide variability in plant responses to chemicals and adding chronic or reproductive tests for plants. The proposed four-tiered structure will allow the two agencies to conduct more realistic and scientifically sound risk assessments for aquatic and terrestrial plants and to focus on species, communities, and ecosystems at greatest risk. In the June 27th meeting, EPA and PMRA will be requesting guidance from the SAP on the following items: 1) proposed four-tiered testing design for aquatic and terrestrial plants; 2) proposed endpoints and triggers for progression to higher levels; 3) proposed species for testing, post-registration monitoring programs; 4) prioritized research needs to improve assessment of impacts on non-target plants; and 5) any additional information that the two agencies need to consider to improve their assessments. The meeting will run from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The meeting is open to the public and seating will be on a first-come basis. For more information on the meeting and the proposal, please refer to the FIFRA SAP website: http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/

or contact Karen McCormack at 703-308-1835 or mccormack.karen@epa.gov

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2) CARAT WORKGROUP TO MEET ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION FOR CUMULATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA has scheduled a meeting for June 28, 2001 of a workgroup of the Committee to Advise on Reassessment and Transition (CARAT). The workgroup will focus on the public participation process for the regulatory consideration of the cumulative risks of pesticides. The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Old Town, (901 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA; telephone 703-683-6000). An agenda for the meeting will be available shortly on EPA's web site : ( http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/carat/). The meeting also will be announced in the Federal Register; the announcement will be available on EPA's web site ( www.epa.gov/fedrgstr). EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture formed CARAT as a means of continuing to obtain advice from stakeholders on issues related to reassessment of tolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act.

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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

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