Atrazine, Simazine, and Propazine Registration Review; Draft Endangered Species Act Biological Evaluations; Extension of Comment Period

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2020-0514; FRL-10018-29]

Atrazine, Simazine, and Propazine Registration Review; Draft Endangered Species Act Biological Evaluations; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

EPA issued a notice in the

Federal Register

of November 6, 2020, opening a 60-day comment period on the draft nationwide biological evaluations for the registration review of the pesticides atrazine, simazine, and propazine relative to the potential effects on threatened and endangered species and their designated critical habitats. This document extends the comment period for 45 days, from January 5, 2021 to February 19, 2021.

DATES:

Comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2020-0514 must be received on or before February 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Follow the detailed instructions provided under

ADDRESSES

in the

Federal Register

document of November 6, 2020 (85 FR 71071) (FRL-10015-77).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tracy Perry, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-0128; email address:

perry.tracy@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This document extends the public comment period established in the

Federal Register

document of November 6, 2020 (85 FR 71071) (FRL-10015-77), which opened a 60-day public comment period for the draft nationwide biological evaluations for the registration review of the pesticides atrazine, simazine, and propazine relative to the potential effects on threatened and endangered species and their designated critical habitats. As noted in that document, the schedule for conducting the atrazine and simazine biological evaluations was negotiated as part of a partial settlement agreement pursuant to a joint

stipulation filed on October 18, 2019 and entered by the court on October 22, 2019, in

Center for Biological Diversity et al.

v.

EPA et al.

(N.D. Ca) (3:11-cv-00293). EPA stated in this settlement that it would also include propazine in this group of effects determinations. EPA is hereby extending the public comment period, which was set to end on January 5, 2021, to February 19, 2021.

After considering a number of requests to extend the comment period received from various stakeholders, EPA is extending the comment period for the following reasons: (1) The length, complexity, and highly technical nature of the draft biological evaluations; (2) the need for some stakeholders to engage experts familiar with the subject matter to assist them with providing comments; (3) the large number of stakeholders potentially impacted by the draft biological evaluations; (4) the importance of soliciting feedback from stakeholders who may be affected; and (5) the stakeholders' need for additional time to review and develop constructive comments for these complex and lengthy documents.

To submit comments, or access the docket, please follow the detailed instructions provided under

ADDRESSES

in the

Federal Register

document of November 6, 2020. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

.

Authority:

7 U.S.C. 136

et seq.

Dated: December 8, 2020.

Alexandra Dapolito Dunn,

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

[FR Doc. 2020-28828 Filed 12-29-20; 8:45 am]

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