ACTION
Final Rule.
SUMMARY
This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of saflufenacil in or on alfalfa, forage and alfalfa, hay. BASF Corporation requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DATES:
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. How can I get electronic access to other related information?
C. How can I file an objection or hearing request?
II. Summary of Petitioned-For Tolerance
III. Aggregate Risk Assessment and Determination of Safety
IV. Other Considerations
A. Analytical Enforcement Methodology
B. International Residue Limits
C. Revisions to Petitioned-For Tolerances
V. Conclusion
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
VII. Congressional Review Act
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
PART 180—[AMENDED]
DATES:
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This regulation is effective April 22, 2015. Objections and requests for hearings must be received on or before June 22, 2015, and must be filed in accordance with the instructions provided in 40 CFR part 178 (see also Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).
ADDRESSES:
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The docket for this action, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0339, is available at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pesticide Programs Regulatory Public Docket (OPP Docket) in the Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPP Docket is (703) 305-5805. Please review the visitor instructions and additional information about the docket available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Susan Lewis, Registration Division (7505P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; main telephone number: (703) 305-7090; email address: RDFRNotices@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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I. General Information
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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. How can I get electronic access to other related information?
You may access a frequently updated electronic version of EPA's tolerance regulations at 40 CFR part 180 through the Government Publishing Office's e-CFR site at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40tab_02.tpl.
C. How can I file an objection or hearing request?
Under FFDCA section 408(g), 21 U.S.C. 346a, any person may file an objection to any aspect of this regulationand may also request a hearing on those objections. You must file your objection or request a hearing on this regulation in accordance with the instructions provided in 40 CFR part 178. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, you must identify docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0339 in the subject line on the first page of your submission. All objections and requests for a hearing must be in writing, and must be received by the Hearing Clerk on or before June 22, 2015. Addresses for mail and hand delivery of objections and hearing requests are provided in 40 CFR 178.25(b).
In addition to filing an objection or hearing request with the Hearing Clerk as described in 40 CFR part 178, please submit a copy of the filing (excluding any Confidential Business Information (CBI)) for inclusion in the public docket. Information not marked confidential pursuant to 40 CFR part 2 may be disclosed publicly by EPA without prior notice. Submit the non-CBI copy of your objection or hearing request, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0339, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
II. Summary of Petitioned-For Tolerance
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In the Federal Register of August 1, 2014 (79 FR 44729) (FRL-9911-67), EPA issued a document pursuant to FFDCA section 408(d)(3), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d)(3), announcing the filing of a pesticide petition (PP 4F8256) by BASF Corporation, 26 Davis Drive, P.O. Box 13528, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3528. The petition requested that 40 CFR part 180 be amended by establishing tolerances for residues of the herbicide saflufenacil (2-chloro-5-[3,6-dihydro-3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1(2 H)-pyrimidinyl]-4-fluoro-N-[[methyl(1-methylethyl)amino]sulfonyl]benzamide) and its metabolites, N-[2-chloro-5-(2,6-dioxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3,6-dihydro-1(2 H)-pyrimidinyl)-4-fluorobenzoyl]-N'-isopropylsulfamide and N-[4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-({[(isopropylamino)sulfonyl]amino}carbonyl)phenyl]urea, calculated as the stoichiometric equivalent of saflufenacil, in or on alfalfa, forage at 0.075 parts per million (ppm) and alfalfa, hay at 0.10 ppm. That document referenced a summary of the petition prepared by BASF Corporation, the registrant, which is available in the docket, http://www.regulations.gov. There were no comments received in response to the notice of filing.
Based upon review of the data supporting the petition, EPA agrees with the tolerance levels proposed by BASF Corporation for alfalfa commodities with the minor exception of a rounding adjustment for the alfalfa, forage tolerance from 0.075 ppm to 0.80 ppm.
III. Aggregate Risk Assessment and Determination of Safety
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Section 408(b)(2)(A)(i) of FFDCA allows EPA to establish a tolerance (the legal limit for a pesticide chemical residue in or on a food) only if EPA determines that the tolerance is “safe.” Section 408(b)(2)(A)(ii) of FFDCA defines “safe” to mean that “there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue, including all anticipated dietary exposures and all other exposures for which there is reliable information.” This includes exposure through drinking water and in residential settings, but does not include occupational exposure. Section 408(b)(2)(C) of FFDCA requires EPA to give special consideration to exposure of infants and children to the pesticide chemical residue in establishing a tolerance and to “ensure that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to infants and children from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue. . . .”
Consistent with FFDCA section 408(b)(2)(D), and the factors specified in FFDCA section 408(b)(2)(D), EPA has reviewed the available scientific data and other relevant information in support of this action. EPA has sufficient data to assess the hazards of and to make a determination on aggregate exposure for saflufenacil including exposure resulting from the tolerances established by this action. EPA's assessment of exposures and risks associated with saflufenacil follows.
EPA has evaluated the available toxicity data and considered its validity, completeness, and reliability as well as the relationship of the results of the studies to human risk. EPA has also considered available information concerning the variability of the sensitivities of major identifiable subgroups of consumers, including infants and children.
The toxicology database for the saflufenacil is considered complete for the purpose of risk assessment. In the Federal Register of September 3, 2014 (79 FR 52215) (FRL-9912-91), EPA published a final rule establishing tolerances for residues of saflufenacil and its metabolites in or on barley, grass, olive, livestock, and wheat commodities based on EPA's conclusion that aggregate exposure to saflufenacil is safe for the general population, including infants and children. Since that rulemaking, the toxicity profile for saflufenacil has not changed. The requested tolerances will not result in residues on human food commodities, only animal feed. The available residue data submitted for use in alfalfa indicates that the dietary burden for livestock will not change from the current levels that were previously assessed for use in grass pastures. Therefore, the residues of saflufenicil on alfalfa from the proposed new use will not impact the existing human dietary and aggregate risk assessments for saflufenacil. For a detailed discussion of the aggregate risk assessments and determination of safety, as well as a summary of the toxicological endpoints used for human risk assessment, please refer to the final rules published in the Federal Register of February 21, 2014 (79 FR 9861) (FRL-9905-87) and September 3, 2014 (79 FR 52215) (FRL-9912-91). EPA relies upon those supporting risk assessments and the findings made in the Federal Register documents in support of this final rule.
Based on the risk assessments and information described above, EPA concludes that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to the general population or to infants and children from aggregate exposure to saflufenacil residues.
IV. Other Considerations
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A. Analytical Enforcement Methodology
Adequate enforcement methodology (liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) (Method D0603/04)) is available to enforce the tolerance expression.
The method may be requested from: Chief, Analytical Chemistry Branch, Environmental Science Center, 701 Mapes Rd., Ft. Meade, MD 20755-5350; telephone number: (410) 305-2905;email address: residuemethods@epa.gov.
B. International Residue Limits
In making its tolerance decisions, EPA seeks to harmonize U.S. tolerances with international standards whenever possible, consistent with U.S. food safety standards and agricultural practices. EPA considers the international maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), as required by FFDCA section 408(b)(4). The Codex Alimentarius is a joint United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization food standards program, and it is recognized as an international food safety standards-setting organization in trade agreements to which the United States is a party. EPA may establish a tolerance that is different from a Codex MRL; however, FFDCA section 408(b)(4) requires that EPA explain the reasons for departing from the Codex level. The Codex has not established a MRL for saflufenacil in or on alfalfa, forage or alfalfa, hay at this time.
C. Revisions to Petitioned-For Tolerances
EPA has modified the tolerance level proposed for alfalfa, forage, from 0.075 ppm to 0.08 ppm, which is the appropriate rounding class according to the tolerance calculation procedures of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that EPA utilizes.Show citation box
V. Conclusion
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Therefore, tolerances are established for residues of, saflufenacil and its metabolites, in or on alfalfa, forage at 0.08 ppm and alfalfa, hay at 0.10 ppm.