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EPA ANNOUNCES PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ENHANCEMENT AND TIME EXTENSION FOR Bt CORN AND Bt COTTON PLANT-PESTICIDES REGISTRATIONS

Release Date: 08/10/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2000

EPA ANNOUNCES PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ENHANCEMENT AND TIME EXTENSION FOR Bt CORN AND Bt COTTON PLANT-PESTICIDES REGISTRATIONS


EPA published on August 9, a Federal Register notice announcing that the Agency is undertaking a comprehensive scientific and public review of the current registrations for genetically engineered corn and cotton, commonly referred to as Bt corn and Bt cotton. The Agency is also announcing extension of the existing registrations of Bt cotton and Bt corn plant-pesticides until September 30, 2001, in order to allow ample time for this comprehensive review. Moreover, as part of the Clinton-Gore Administration’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and the environment, EPA is using this comprehensive approach to ensure that decisions are based on the best available scientific analysis, and that opportunity is provided for an open dialogue with the public regarding Bt products. Toward this end, the Agency is publishing our risk assessment for public comment and seeking scientific peer review of this assessment by the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). In addition to seeking advice from the SAP, EPA will receive recommendations from an Administration-wide biotechnology review that is led jointly by the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The Federal Register notice also initiates the public participation process that will enable the Agency to incorporate broad public input in the process of regulating Bt products. EPA is also engaged in a number of activities that will help the Agency strengthen its science and provide guidance on regulating pesticide products produced through biotechnology. Various documents are available from EPA’s Biopesticides Internet site at: www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides and from EPA’s Scientific Advisory Panel Home Page at www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap. The Federal Register is available at: https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.

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