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Subject:  IN THIS EPA UPDATE 
Date:     Thu, 23 May 2002 10:40:35  -0400
From:      Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
          Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation 

cc:    Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov

IN THIS EPA UPDATE:

1)    TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS COMPLETED FOR  NICOTINE

On May 22, 2002, EPA published a rule revoking 66 specific tolerances for residues of the insecticide nicotine.  This pesticide is in the second priority group for tolerance reassessment. The 66 tolerances are being revoked because all registrations for these pesticide uses have been canceled.  The only remaining food uses for nicotine are cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes.  The notice with details of these revocations is available on EPA's web site (www.epa.gov/fedrgstr).  It includes details about the registration status of nicotine and reasons for proposed revocation.  (See www.epa.gov/pesticides/tolerance for status and other information on tolerance reassessment.)

EPA did not receive any comments on these tolerance revocations in response to a Federal Register notice published January 16, 2002.  These tolerance revocations will be effective on August 20, 2002.  Because some of the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.167 will not be revoked and will remain in the Code of Federal Regulations, EPA is revising the commodity names for certain remaining tolerances to conform with current Agency practice as follows:  "cucumbers" to "cucumber" and "tomatoes" to "tomato."

2)    EPA PUBLISHES FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ON  REASSESSMENT OF NON-CONTRIBUTING ORGANOPHOSPHATE TOLERANCES

On May 22, EPA published the Federal Register notice announcing reassessment of 275 organophosphate pesticides that do not contribute to risk.  This action is part of its review of organophosphate and other pesticide tolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA).  EPA considers these tolerances reassessed and is requesting public comment until June 21, identified by docket number OPP-2002-0060, on its approach to identifying other non-contributors.

The 275 organophosphate non-contributor tolerances in this first group make at most a negligible contribution to the cumulative risk from the organophosphate pesticides.  Divided into four categories, these tolerances result in minimal or no detectable residues in food and are expected to have negligible effects through drinking water.  They therefore meet the FQPA safety standard in section 408(b) (2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and can be considered reassessed.

The Federal Register notice is available at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPAFR-CONTENTS/2002/May/Day-22/contents.htm.  Additional information on the reassessment of tolerances is available at 

 http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/tolerance/ .

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