[Federal Register: February 15, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 32)]
[Notices]               
[Page 7153-7154]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe02-72]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00657A; FRL-6824-8]

 
EPA-USDA Committee To Advise on Reassessment and Transition 
(CARAT); Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA-U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Committee to Advise 
on Reassessment and Transition (CARAT) will hold a public meeting on 
February 27 and 28, 2002. This meeting will focus on tolerance 
reassessment for

[[Page 7154]]

pesticides as required by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 and 
strategic approaches for pest management planning. Included will be a 
report from the CARAT work group on Cumulative Risk Assessment Public 
Participation Process for the Organophosphate Pesticides.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 27, 2002, from 9 
a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursday, February 28, 2002, from 9 a.m. to 1 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Crystal City, 2399 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202 (703) 418-6800.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margie Fehrenbach, Office of Pesticide 
Programs (7501C), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-4775; fax 
number: (703) 308-4776; e-mail address: fehrenbach.margie@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to persons who are concerned about 
implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (Public Law 104-170). 
Passed in 1996, this new law strengthens the nation's system for 
regulating pesticides on food. CARAT is preceded by the Tolerance 
Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC) which was established in 1998, 
in order for EPA and USDA to work together to ensure smooth 
implementation of FQPA. Since other entities may also be interested, 
the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that 
may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document and Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document, and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. 
To access this document, on the Home Page select ``Laws and 
Regulations,'' ``Regulations and Proposed Rules,'' and then look up the 
entry for this document under the ``Federal Register--Environmental 
Documents.'' You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings 
at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. To access information about CARAT, go 
directly to the Home Page for EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs at 
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/carat.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an administrative record 
for this meeting under docket control number OPP-00657. The 
administrative record consists of the documents specifically referenced 
in this notice, any public comments received during an applicable 
comment period, and other information related to the CARAT. This 
administrative record includes the documents that are physically 
located in the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in 
those documents. The public version of the administrative record, which 
includes printed, paper versions of any electronic comments that may be 
submitted during an applicable comment period, is available for 
inspection in the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch 
(PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., 
Arlington, VA, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

III. Background

    CARAT was established in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act as a subcommittee under the auspices of the EPA National 
Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). The 
purpose of CARAT is to provide advice and counsel to the Administrator 
of EPA and the Secretary of Agriculture regarding strategic approaches 
for pest management planning and tolerance reassessment for pesticides 
as required by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). Through 
CARAT, EPA and USDA are working together to ensure smooth 
implementation of FPQA through use of sound science, consultation with 
stakeholders, increased transparency, and reasonable transition for 
agriculture. CARAT is composed of experts that include farmers, 
environmental/public interest groups, public health officials, 
pediatric experts, pesticide trade associations and manufacturers, food 
processors and distributors, academicians, and tribal, State and local 
governments.

IV. How Can I Participate in this Meeting?

    CARAT meetings and workshops are open to the public under section 
10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463. 
Outside statements by observers are welcome. Oral statements will be 
limited to 3-5 minutes, and it is preferred that only one person per 
organization present the statement. Any person who wishes to file a 
written statement may do so before or after the workshop. These 
statements will become part of the permanent record and will be 
available for public inspection at the address under Unit II.2.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: February 7, 2002.
  James Jones,
Acting Director, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-3775 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
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