81 FR 36303 - Stakeholder Workshop To Discuss Interim Scientific Methods Used in Draft Biological Evaluations; Notice of Public Meeting

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 108 (June 6, 2016)

EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, the Services), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are holding a 2-day workshop to discuss potential refinements to the interim scientific methods used in the first nationwide draft biological evaluations for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion, released for public comment on April 11, 2016. These interim scientific methods were developed by EPA and the Services, with collaboration from USDA on crop production, pesticide use, and the spatial footprint of agricultural use patterns, in response to the 2013 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report entitled, ``Assessing Risks to Endangered and Threatened Species from Pesticides.'' This workshop builds upon public meetings held in November 2013, April and October 2014, and April 2015, and provides a forum for stakeholders to offer scientific and technical feedback on three topics of interest: (1) Improving aquatic modeling, (2) refinements to Step 1 (making ``may affect'' or ``no effect'' determinations) and Step 2 (making ``likely to adversely affect'' or ``not likely to adversely affect'' determinations), and (3) the weight of evidence approach. The workshop is not designed, or intended, to be a decision-making forum; consensus will not be sought, or developed at the meeting. This meeting is intended to further the agencies' goal of developing a sustainable methodology and process as part of the consultation process for assessing pesticide impacts on threatened and endangered (listed) species that is efficient, inclusive, and transparent.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 108 (Monday, June 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36303-36304]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13301]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233; FRL-9947-12]


Stakeholder Workshop To Discuss Interim Scientific Methods Used 
in Draft Biological Evaluations; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (FWS), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
(collectively, the Services), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) are holding a 2-day workshop to discuss potential refinements to 
the interim scientific methods used in the first nationwide draft 
biological evaluations for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion, 
released for public comment on April 11, 2016. These interim scientific 
methods were developed by EPA and the Services, with collaboration from 
USDA on crop production, pesticide use, and the spatial footprint of 
agricultural use patterns, in response to the 2013 National Academy of 
Sciences (NAS) report entitled, ``Assessing Risks to Endangered and 
Threatened Species from Pesticides.'' This workshop builds upon public 
meetings held in November 2013, April and October 2014, and April 2015, 
and provides a forum for stakeholders to offer scientific and technical 
feedback on three topics of interest: (1) Improving aquatic modeling, 
(2) refinements to Step 1 (making ``may affect'' or ``no effect'' 
determinations) and Step 2 (making ``likely to adversely affect'' or 
``not likely to adversely affect'' determinations), and (3) the weight 
of evidence approach. The workshop is not designed, or intended, to be 
a decision-making forum; consensus will not be sought, or developed at 
the meeting. This meeting is intended to further the agencies' goal of 
developing a sustainable methodology and process as part of the 
consultation process for assessing pesticide impacts on threatened and 
endangered (listed) species that is efficient, inclusive, and 
transparent.

DATES: The meeting will be held on June 29, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m. and June 30, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be a 
teleconference line and webinar available for those interested in 
calling in for introductory and concluding plenary sessions at the 
beginning and the end of the workshop. Attendees must register by June 
22, 2016 to attend either in person or via teleconference/webinar.
    To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the 
person(s) listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT, preferably at 
least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA and the Services as 
much time as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at FWS Skyline Bldg. 7, 5275 
Leesburg Pike, Bailey's Crossroads, VA 22041-3803, in the Rachel Carson 
Room. See Unit III for additional information.
    Requests to participate in the meeting, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233, may be submitted to 
the persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information and to 
register to attend, contact: Khue Nguyen, Pesticide Re-evaluation 
Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: 703-347-0248; email address: 
[email protected].
    For meeting logistics and special accommodations, contact: Leona 
Laniawe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Ecological 
Services, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; telephone: 
(703) 358-2640; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you develop, 
manufacture, formulate, sell, and/or apply pesticide products, and if 
you are interested in the potential impacts of pesticide use on listed 
species. 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).

[[Page 36304]]

     Pesticide Manufacturing (NAICS code 32532).

B. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    The docket for this action, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OPP-2014-0233, 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.

II. Background

    This workshop is an opportunity for stakeholders and agencies to 
continue their dialogue on the technical aspects of implementing the 
NAS recommendations in the context of ongoing interagency efforts to 
develop a method for assessing risks to endangered species. This 
workshop builds upon implementation of the enhanced stakeholder 
engagement process that was finalized in March 2013, and public 
meetings held in November 2013, April and October 2014, and April 2015. 
The workshop is not designed, or intended to be a decision-making 
forum; consensus will not be sought, or developed at the meeting. 
Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback and suggest ideas for 
further refinement in three topic areas related to the draft biological 
evaluations for the three pilot chemicals (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and 
malathion): (1) Improving aquatic exposure modeling, (2) refinements to 
the interim method for Step 1 (making ``may affect'' or ``no effect'' 
determinations) and Step 2 (making ``likely to adversely affect'' or 
``not likely to adversely affect'' determinations), and (3) the 
approach to the weight of evidence.
    The structure of this workshop differs from the structure of 
previous workshops. Only the opening and concluding plenary sessions of 
the workshop will be open to the general public. The rest of the 
workshop is divided into 6 breakout groups. Each breakout group will 
discuss technical questions related to the three main topics of 
interest: (1) Improving aquatic modeling, (2) refinements to Step 1 and 
Step 2, and (3) the approach to the weight of evidence. Because of the 
highly technical nature of these topics, the breakout groups will be by 
invitation only during initial registration. Invitees with specialized 
expertise in the three topic areas will be identified by the workshop 
Steering Committee composed of members from EPA, FWS, NMFS, and 
representatives from industry, grower groups, and environmental non-
governmental organizations (NGOs). After initial registration, each 
breakout group will be open to the public on a first-come-first-served 
basis until maximum capacity is reached. Maximum capacity is 20 people 
per breakout group.
    The agencies' interim approach document entitled, ``Interagency 
Approach for Implementation of the National Academy of Sciences 
Report'', dated November 13, 2013, and the presentation materials from 
the November 2013 stakeholder workshop are available at: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/endanger/2013/nas.html. Presentations supporting 
the previous stakeholder workshops held in April and October 2014 are 
available in the docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0233. Presentations supporting 
the stakeholder workshop in April 2015 and the draft biological 
evaluations for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion are available at: 
https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/implementing-nas-report-recommendations-ecological-risk-assessment-endangered-and.
    Representatives from the federal agencies will participate in the 
breakout groups and plenary sessions to guide the discussion and answer 
clarifying questions regarding the need for refinement of the current 
interim methods. The agencies see this workshop as an integral 
component of the stakeholder engagement process developed for pesticide 
consultations that contributes to the agencies' commitment to adapt and 
refine the interim approaches as we progress through the initial 
pesticide consultations for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion.

III. How can I request to participate in this meeting?

    You may submit a request to participate in this meeting to the 
person(s) listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Do not submit 
any information in your request that is considered CBI. Requests to 
participate in the meeting, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2014-0233, must be received on or before June 22, 2016.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: May 31, 2016.
Michael Goodis,
Acting Director, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-13301 Filed 6-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P