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Pesticide News Story: Clomazone and Fomesafen Ecological Risk Assessments Issued for Comment
For Release: April 23, 2009
EPA has completed and is requesting public comment on draft ecological risk assessments for the pesticides clomazone and fomesafen. Public comment on the clomazone and fomesafen draft ecological risk assessments is invited through June 22, 2009.
At the same time, the Agency is initiating consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service ("the Services") regarding these pesticides' potential effects to species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. These are the first two national ecological risk assessments and effects determinations for conventional pesticides, conducted within the context of EPA's registration review program. The Agency will review and consider both the public comments received on the draft ecological risk assessments and information provided in the Service's biological opinions, in developing proposed registration review decisions for clomazone and fomesafen.
Clomazone and fomesafen are herbicides used to control weeds and grasses in a variety of crops and non-crop locations. EPA's draft ecological risk assessments and endangered species effects determinations for both clomazone and fomesafen indicate that the use of these pesticides is likely to adversely affect a variety of listed species and may affect elements of designated critical habitat influenced by effects to plants.
After reviewing comments received, EPA will issue final ecological risk assessments, explain any changes from the draft risk assessments, and respond to comments. Once the final risk assessments are completed, the Agency will issue proposed registration review decisions, considering any biological opinion issued by the Services, for clomazone and fomesafen, and request public comment on any proposed risk mitigation.
For additional information, please see:
- EPA's Federal Register Notice, April 22, 2009
- Clomazone and Fomesafen Web Fact Sheet
- Clomazone docket, EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0113
- Clomazone registration review Web page
- Fomesafen docket, EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0239
- Fomesafen registration review Web page
- OPP's Endangered Species Protection Program