Malathion and Diazinon; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption, Solicitation of Public Comment

Résumé

EPA has received a quarantine exemption request under section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the ``Applicant'') to use the pesticides malathion (CAS No. 121-75-5), formulated as Fyfanon ULV (EPA Registration No. 4787-8 and 51036-104) and diazinon (CAS No. 333-41-5), formulated as Diazinon 4-E (EPA Registration No. 769-687) to treat areas within Florida where nonindigenous subtropical fruit flies (various species in the family Tephritidae) are found. This notice provides a 30-day period for public comment on the request. Four geographically distinct infestations of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) were discovered in Florida in 1998. In addition, a wide-spread outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly was discovered in central Florida in 1997. In order to ensure that this pest did not become established in Florida, the Applicant and the State of Florida used the pesticides identified above, along with the release of sterile Mediterranean fruit flies and other measures, to eradicate the outbreaks. The pesticide use that takes place related to exotic fruit fly eradic