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Pesticide legislation:Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-170)
IV 96-759 ENR

96-759 ENR

CONTENTS FOR THIS SECTION

Appendix B. Section-by-Section summary of P.L. 104-170

Appendix B. Section-by-Section
Summary of P.L. 104-170

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Short Title §1 - The Act is the "Food Quality Protection Act of 1996"

Title I-- Suspension - Applicators

Reference §101 - Title I amends FIFRA

Subtitle A - Suspension

Suspension §102 - Amends FIFRA §6(c); authorizes an emergency suspension order before EPA issues a notice of its intention to cancel the registration or to change the classification of the pesticide. Such emergency order expires after 90 days if EPA has not issued a notice under Section 6(b).
Reregistration of
Foed-Use
Pesticides
§103 - Amends FIFRA §4(g)(2) to require reassessment of residue tolerances and exemptions issued under the FFDGA as soon as EPA has sufficient information about the dietary risk of an active ingredient and at the time EPA makes a reregistration decision
Science Review
Board
Established
§104 - Amends FIFRA §25(b) to establish a Science Review Board of
60 scientists to assist in Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) reviews; SAP
selects Board members
Nitrogen Stabilizers § 105 - Distinguishes "nitrogen stabilizers" from other pesticides
State and Local Authority §106 - Amends FIFRA to eliminate Section 6 requirement to cancel registration after 5 years; adds new subsection (g) to Section 3 requiring periodic registration review, with a goal of every 15 years

Subtitle B - Training for Maintenance Applicators and Service Technicians

Definitions § 120 - Defines "maintenance applicators" and "service technician"
Training of Maintenance workers §121 - Authorizes States to establish requirements for training maintenance applicators and service technicians in handling and use of pesticides; limits EPA authority

Title II - Minor Use Crop Protection, Antlinicrobial Pesticide Registration
Reform, and Public Health Pesticides

Reference §201 - Title II amends FIFRA  

Subtitle A - Minor Use Crop Protection

Definitions §210(a) - Defines "minor use"
Time to Submit
Data Supporting
Minor Use
Registration
§210(b) - Extends exclusive data use period 1 year for each 3 minor uses registered; protects for 10 years data supporting a new minor use of a registered pesticide with no remaining period of data protection
Deadline for Residue Data §210(c) - Extends deadline for residue chemistry data for a minor use registration until final submission date for other pesticide uses

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Authority to
Waive Data
Requirements
§210(d) - Authorizes data waiver for minor use registration if risk still could be assessed and would be reasonable
Expedited Registration §210(e) - Requires EPA to act expeditiously on a complete application for minor use registration
Unsupported
Minor Use
Registrations
§210(f) - Requires EPA to temporarily extend registration for a minor use that is not supported for reregistration until after the final data submission deadline for all supported uses
Cancellation of a
Minor Use
Registration
§210(g) - Lengthens from 90 days to 180 days the EPA waiting period prior to granting a request for voluntary cancellation of a pesticide registered for a minor use
Registration Transfers §210(h) - Requires EPA to consider an application to register a minor use in light of a substantially similar pesticide use that was registered if such registration was voluntarily canceled while the new application was pending
EPA Minor Use Coordination §210(j) - Establishes a minor use program in EPA; requires EPA report on progress in registering minor uses
USDA Minor Use
Coordination and
Grant Program
§210j) - Requires USDA to coordinate its minor use activities; establishes a minor use matching grant program to develop data supporting minor use pesticide registrations and reregistrations; establishes a Minor Use Pesticide Data Revolving Fund; authorizes appropriations of $10 million annually

Subtitle B - Antimicrobial Pesticide Registration Reform

Definition §221 - Defines "antimicrobial pesticide"
Coordination of Requirements and Deadlines §222 - Amends FIFRA to require coordination of FIFRA data requirements for pesticide registration
Changes to Labels §223 - Allows specified changes to labels for antimicrobial pesticides
60 days after the registrant notifies EPA, if EPA does not disapprove
within 30 days of receiving notice
Antimicrobial
Pesticide
Registration
Reform
§224 - Adds a new subsection (g) to FIFRA §3; directs EPA to reduce registration requirements for antimicrobial pesticides; establishes goals and limits for review and notification requirements; requires annual report on reform progress
Transportation,
Storage, and
Disposal of
Disinfectants and
Sanitizers
§225 - Removes EPA authority to specify requirements for pesticide registration and labeling with respect to storage, disposal, transportation, and recall of household, industrial, and institutional antimicrobial products that are not subject to the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 USC 6901 et seq.), unless regulation is necessary to prevent an unreasonable adverse effect

Subtitle C - Public Health Pesticides

Definition §230 - Amends the definition of "unreasonable adverse effects on the environment;" requires EPA to weigh pesticide risks against health risks posed by the pesticide target, e.g., diseases carrier insects; defines "public health pesticide" and "vector"

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Data Requirements §231 - Requires EPA to consider the public health and agricultural need for a minor use pesticide and beneficial or adverse effects on the environment when establishing data requirements
Reregistration of
Public Health
Pesticides
§232 - Exempts public health pesticides from reregistration fees if economic return does not support registration; requires EPA to use existing expedited processing funds to assure expedited review of public health pesticide applications
Changes in
Public Health
Pesticide
Registrations
§233 - Requires DHHS to provide benefits and use information and
analysis when a public health use is affected by a proposed change in
a pesticide registration
DHHS
Comments
§234 - Requires EPA to solicit DHHS views prior to publishing a regulation for a public health pesticide
Consideration of
Public Health
Pesticides
§235 - Requires EPA to take into account the risk and relevant data for public health pesticides
Control of
Significant Public
Health Pests
§236 - Requires EPA to identify pests of "significant public health importance" and to promote methods to control them
Authorization of Appropriations §237 - Authorizes arrangements to conduct studies to develop data needed to register or reregister public health pesticides; authorizes appropriations for FIFRA Section 4 of up to $12 million for FY1997, and thereafter, such sums as may be necessary

Subtitle D - Expedited Registration of Reduced Risk Pesticides

Reduced Risk
Pesticides
§250 - Amends FIFRA §3(c); directs EPA to develop procedures to expedite reviews of pesticide uses that may: reduce pesticide risks to
human health, reduce pesticide risks to nontarget organisms, reduce contamination of valued environmental resources, or broaden adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies

Title III- Data Collection Activities to Assure the Health of Infants and Children
and Other Measures

Data Collection to Assure the Health of Infants and Children §301 - Requires USDA, EPA, and DHHS to coordinate in developing and implementing survey procedures to ensure collection of adequate data on feed consumption of infants and children (Also see §405 amendment to FFDCA §408(b)(2)(C))
Pesticide Use Data §302 - Requires USDA to collect data of statewide or regional importance on pesticide use on major crops and crops of dietary significance
Integrated Pest Management §303 - Requires USDA to cooperate with EPA to conduct research, demonstration, and education programs supporting IPM; directs federal agencies to use and promote 1PM
FIFRA-FFDCA
Coordination
§304 - Amends FIFRA definition of "unreasonable adverse effects on
the environment" to include dietary risk from pesticide residues
inconsistent with the EPA-established food tolerance under FFDCA
§408

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Pesticide Use Data Report §305 - Requires USDA, in consultation with EPA, to report on pesticide use data collection by federal agencies

Title IV - Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

Short Title and Reference §401 - Title IV may be cited as the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996; it amends FFDCA
Definitions §402 - Amends and adds definitions for "pesticide chemical," "pesticide chemical residue," "food additive," "processed food," and "Administrator"
Confidential Data §403 - Amends FFDCA §301(j) to prohibit disclosure of confidential data
Adulterated Processed Food §404 - Amends FFDCA §402(a)(2) so that pesticide residues on raw or processed food that are "unsafe" within the meaning of §408 cause a food to be deemed adulterated
Pesticide Residues in Food §405 - Amends FFDCA §408 regulating pesticide residues in food
Safety of
Pesticide
Residues
New §408(a)(1) - Defines raw and processed food products as "food" and a pesticide residue on food as "unsafe," unless a tolerance is in effect and the residue level is below the tolerance, or an exemption from the requirement exists
Safety of
Residues in
Processed Food
New §408(a)(2) - Defines a pesticide chemical residue on processed food as not unsafe if the residue results from pesticide use that conforms to a tolerance for the raw commodity, the residue has been removed to the extent possible in "good manufacturing practice," and the concentration of processed food residue is not greater than the raw food tolerance, or an exemption is in effect for the raw food
Pesticide
Degradation
Products
New §408(a)(3) - Defines a food residue of a degradation product of a pesticide as safe if: (A) EPA has determined that the dietary health risk posed by the breakdown product is not likely to be different than that posed by the parent pesticide; (B)(j) a tolerance exists for the parent pesticide and the combined residue of the parent pesticide and breakdown product is less than the tolerance; or (ii) a tolerance exemption exists for the parent pesticide; and (C) the tolerance or exemption for the parent pesticide does not state that it applies only to the parent pesticide or that it does not apply to the breakdown product
Effect of a
Tolerance or
Exemption
New §408(a)(4) - Food with pesticide residue shall not be "adulterated" within the meaning of §402(a)( 1) while a tolerance or exemption is in effect for that pesticide residue on that food
Authority for Tolerance Setting New §408(b)(1) - Authorizes EPA to establish, modify, or revoke tolerances for pesticide residues on food in response to a citizen petition or on its own initiative

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Standard for Tolerances New §408(b)(2)(A) - (j) Prohibits setting or retaining a tolerance unless EPA determines that the level is "safe;' directs EPA to modify or revoke any tolerance that is not "safe;" (ii) defines "safe' to mean that there is "a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue," considering all sources of exposure for which there is reliable information; (iii) a pesticide chemical residue for which a "safe" tolerance exists is not an eligible_pesticide chemical residue (see below)
Eligible Pesticide
Chemical
Residues
New §408(b)(2)(B) - (j) Defines "eligible pesticide chemical residue" as a residue for which a harmless exposure level cannot be identified (that is, it exerts a nonthreshold health effect), the lifetime risk of such effect has been estimated using quantitative risk assessment, and aggregate exposure to the residue is safe with respect to other effects for which EPA is able to identify a harmless level (that is, threshold effects)
(ii) - Allows EPA to maintain a tolerance for an eligible residue if (iii) the pesticide use protects consumers from greater health risks than are posed by the residue, or the pesticide use is needed to avoid a "significant disruption in domestic production of an adequate, wholesome, and economical food supply;" and (iv) aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical (including dietary exposure at the tolerance level) poses a yearly risk not more than 10 times and a lifetime risk not more than twice that of aggregate pesticide exposure when the tolerance is at a "safe" level
(v) - Requires review of tolerances for eligible residues at least every five years
(vi) - Requires tolerances for eligible residues to protect the health of infants and children (see below)
Exposure of
Infants and
Children to
Eligible Residues
New §408(b)(2)(C) - Directs EPA when evaluating an existing tolerance or exemption, (j) to assess the risk to infants and children considering consumption patterns, special susceptibility, and cumulative effects, and (ii) to ensure with a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to infants and children; EPA may apply a tenfold margin of safety for potential pre- and post-natal toxicity and inadequate exposure and toxicity data
Mandated
Considerations in
Tolerance
Decisions
New §408(b)(2)(D) - Requires EPA to consider certain factors when it establishes or reconsiders a tolerance or exemption
Residue Data New §408(b)(2)(E) - Authorizes EPA to consider data on anticipated residue levels and actual residue level; 5 years after a tolerance is set, requires data submissions demonstrating residues are below those used to set tolerances; requires tolerance to be modified or revoked if data are not provided or fail to demonstrate that residues are below those used to set the tolerance
Percent of Food
Treated with
Pesticide
New §408(b)(2)(F) - Authorizes EPA when setting tolerances to consider data on the percent of food actually treated with the pesticide, but only if EPA finds that the data meet certain criteria and provides for periodic reevaluation of the estimate derived from the data

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Tolerances Near the Level of Detection New §408(b)(3) - (A) Prohibits tolerance setting unless a practical method is identified for detecting and measuring pesticide levels; (B) Prohibits setting a tolerance below the limit of detection of the specified method
International Residue Levels New §408(b)(4) - Directs EPA to explain its reasons if it proposes a tolerance inconsistent with the international Codex Maximum Residue Level
Authority for
Issuing
Exemptions
New §408(c) - Authorizes EPA to establish, modify, or revoke a tolerance exemption in response to a petition or on its own initiative; permits EPA to allow an exemption only if it is "safe," meaning that there is a "reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure" to the pesticide residue from all sources for which information is reliable; requires consideration of certain factors; prohibits exemptions if there is no practical method for detecting and measuring the levels of residue, unless there is no need for such a method and a reason is provided
Petitions New §408(d) - Authorizes any person to file a petition for issuance, modification, or revocation of a tolerance or exemption; requires specified petition contents and authorizes EPA regulations requiring information and data to support a petition; directs EPA to publish a notice of each complete petition and to respond by issuing a regulation revising the tolerance or exemption or an order denying the petition; establishes priorities and an expedited procedure for reviews of petitions relating to residue tolerances that appear safer than existing residue tolerances for other pesticides with similar uses; requires EPA action within 180 days respecting a tolerance for an "eligible pesticide residue" if a tolerance or exemption is established for a safer pesticide residue for a similar use
Administrative Procedures New §408(e) - Authorizes EPA to issue regulations to set, suspend, or revoke tolerance or an exemption or to establish general implementation procedures; requires 60-day comment period
Data to Support
Existing
Tolerances and
Exemptions
New §408(f) - Requires EPA to collect additional data when they are reasonably required to support an existing tolerance or exemption; directs EPA to issue a notice under FIFRA §3(c)(2)(B), a rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act 4, or an order to request testing and data submissions; authorizes modification or revocation of a tolerance or exemption if data are not submitted on time
Objections and Hearings New §408(g) - Provides any person 60 days to file an objection to a rule or order and to request a hearing; authorizes EPA to decide whether a hearing is necessary
Judicial Review New §408(h) - Authorizes persons adversely affected to petition for judicial review of a regulation establishing general implementation procedures under new §408(e) or an order requesting data submissions under new §408(f) or stating EPA's response to objections filed under new §408(g); 60 days are provided for filing petitions after the regulation or order is published
Confidential
Business
Information
New §408(j) - Requires confidential treatment of data supporting a tolerance

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Technical Corrections New §408(j) - Makes technical corrections to FFDCA
Substances
Generally
Recognized as
Safe
New §408(k) - Requires EPA to publish a list of substances that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and that are exempt from tolerance regulations
FFDCA-FIFRA
Coordination
New §408(1) - (1) Directs EPA when possible to coordinate suspension or revocation of a tolerance or exemption with related necessary action under FIFRA; (2) Requires revocation of tolerances and exemptions permitting a pesticide residue on a food within 180 days after EPA has canceled the registration of that pesticide for that food use due to dietary risks posed by residues; (3) Requires suspension of a tolerance or exemption within 60 days of the date a pesticide registration is suspended under FIFRA; (4) Authorizes EPA to set tolerances for unavoidable residues of canceled or suspended pesticides; (5) Declares food is not unsafe solely because it contains a residue for which the tolerance has been revoked, suspended, or modified, if the residue results from a legal application of pesticide and was within the tolerance set at that time and EPA has not determined that consumption would pose an unreasonable dietary risk; (6) Requires EPA to issue a tolerance or exemption, consistent with the safety standard of §408(b)(2) and (c)(2) and for a limited time, for pesticide residues resulting from pesticide use during an emergency exemption from registration requirements under FIFRA §18
Fees New §408(m) - Retains current requirements for collecting fees to cover costs of the tolerance program; directs EPA to deposit fees in the FIFRA Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund
State and Local Preemption New §408(n) - Preempts state and local regulation of food with residues below the tolerance or which are exempt; allows state petitions for exceptions; allows state and local warning requirements for such foods
Consumer Right to Know New §408(0) - Requires EPA to publish and distribute to large retail grocers for public display easily understood information about the risks and benefits of pesticide residues on food, including information identifying reasonable nutritional substitutes for foods with "eligible pesticide residues" for which special tolerances or exemptions have been established
Endocrieie Effects New §408(p) - Directs EPA to develop a screening program to determine whether pesticides or other substances have effects in humans that are similar to effects produced by naturally occurring estrogens or other endocrine effects; requires EPA to order testing and submission of reports and to suspend registration for a registrant's failure to comply with testing requirements; authorizes penalties for others who fail to comply with test orders; requires EPA action when necessary using existing statutory authority if a substance is found to have an endocrine effect on humans

Provision

P.L. 104-170

Review of
Tolerances and
Exemptions
New §408(q) - Requires EPA to review all tolerances and exemptions for pesticide residues within 10 years of enactment; tolerances and exemptions not meeting the standard of §408 as amended must be revised or revoked; directs EPA to prioritize reviews based on relative risk to public health
Temporary
Tolerances or
Exemptions
New §408(r) - Authorizes EPA to establish a temporary tolerance or exemption for a residue that results from pesticides uses covered by an experimental permit
Savings New §408(5) - Notes that §408 does not amend or modify TSCA or FIFRA
Monitoring
Pesticide
Residues on Food
§406 - Authorizes additional appropriations for FY1997 through FY1999 of $12 million (total) for increased monitoring by FDA of pesticide residues in imported and domestic food
Alternative Enforcement §407 - Authorizes civil money penalties in lieu of penalties assessed under FFDCA criminal authorities, seizure authorities, or injunction authorities for persons who introduce adulterated food into interstate commerce, but not for growers; penalties may not exceed $50,000 for individuals and $250,000 for other persons and may not exceed $500,000 for all such violations adjudicated in a single proceeding

Title V - Fees

Fees §501 - Extends EPA authorization to collect FIFRA registration maintenance fees of $14 million annually through FY2001; authorizes collection of an additional $2 million per year for FY1998, FY1999, and FY2000; requires annual full-scale audit of the reregistration fees collected and expended

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