Public Involvement in Registration Review
Public participation is an important aspect of the registration review program. Stakeholders and the public have opportunities for input, consultation and involvement throughout the registration review process. Public participation during registration review includes the following aspects.
Registration Review Dockets
A pesticide's registration review begins when EPA establishes and requests public comment on the docket for a registration review case. The registration review case docket contains a Summary Document that includes
- a Preliminary Work Plan,
- fact sheet,
- ecological risk assessment problem formulation and human health scoping sections describing scientific analyses expected to be necessary to complete the pesticide's review.
This document explains what EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs knows about the pesticide and our thought process for determining the anticipated data and assessment needs. During the comment period, anyone may submit relevant data or information for the Agency's consideration during a pesticide's registration review.
Consultation
EPA can meet with stakeholders regarding current or future registration reviews. For example,
- Before conducting a pesticide's registration review, the Agency can consult with registrants and users regarding the pesticide's use patterns and quantities used.
- During a pesticide's review, the Agency can consult with registrants, pesticide users, public interest groups and others regarding risk management options.
- EPA also can informally consult with other federal, state or tribal agency officials about a pesticide's review.
Input on Decisions
EPA will generally request public comment on draft risk assessments (except those for low risk pesticides) and on proposed registration review decisions. The Agency may ask the public to suggest risk mitigation for pesticides posing risks of concern.
Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) Workgroups - In 2007, as the Agency begins implementing the new registration review program, EPA is seeking stakeholder input from the PPDC on the docketing process, and the PPDC has formed a PPDC Registration Review Implementation Work Group for this purpose. Earlier, in 2004 and 2005, a PPDC Registration Review Workgroup provided recommendations to the full PPDC that resulted in valuable advice to the Agency in designing the proposed program.
About public involvement - Information about EPA's Agency-level public involvement policies and programs.