Organic Arsenicals; Notice of Receipt of Requests to Voluntarily Cancel or to Amend to Terminate Uses of Certain Pesticide Registrations

In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of requests by the registrants to voluntarily cancel and/or amend their registrations to terminate uses of certain products containing the pesticide organic arsenicals. The organic arsenicals include the pesticides monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA), disodium methanearsonate (DSMA), calcium acid methanearsonate (CAMA), and cacodylic acid and its sodium salt. The requests would terminate the following uses of MSMA: Residential; forestry; non-bearing fruit and nuts; citrus, bearing and non-bearing; bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass grown for seed; drainage ditch banks; railroad, pipeline, and utility rights of way; fence rows; storage yards; and similar non-crop areas. In addition, the requests terminate all uses of MSMA in Florida except for use on cotton grown in Calhoun, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Walton, and Washington counties. The requests would not terminate the last MSMA products registered for use in the United States. These requests for voluntary cancellation and amendment of MSMA containing products are the result of an agreement in principle signed by the EPA and the technical registrants of the organic arsenicals on January 16 and February 5, 2009. As part of the agreement, the registrants have requested voluntary cancellation of all products containing DSMA, CAMA, and cacodylic acid and its sodium salt. The requests would terminate the last DSMA, CAMA, and cacodylic acid and its sodium salt products registered for use in the United States. EPA intends to grant these requests at the close of the comment period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive comments within the comment period that would merit its further review of the requests, or unless the registrants withdraw their requests within this period. Upon acceptance of these requests, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be permitted only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final order.