The Environmental Protection Agency established an exemption, effective March 22, to the tolerance for residues of banda de Lupinus albus doce (BLAD) in or on all food commodities, when applied as a fungicide and used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. BLAD is a naturally occurring polypeptide in sweet lupines (Lupinus albus). Objections to the final rule and requests for hearings are due by May 21.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued its periodic status report on Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) premanufacture notices (PMN), test marketing exemption (TME) applications, and notices of commencement (NOC) received from companies that intend to import or manufacture new chemicals. Comments are due by April 22, and must be identified by PMN or TME number. The status report covers the period from Dec. 1, 2012, to Jan. 11, 2013. See EPA’s notice for the list of PMNs, TMEs, and NOCs received by the agency.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule setting tolerances for the pesticide amitraz in honey and honey comb. The tolerances are effective March 20. Objections to the tolerances are due May 20.

The Environmental Protection Agency is extending until Aug. 18 its temporary tolerances for the insecticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) in several meat and poultry products, according to a Federal Register notice set for publication March 13. EPA proposed the extension March 6 (see 13030605), and set an extremely short comment period that expires March 12, but isn't waiting for the comment period to expire to begin the process of publication of it's final rule. The temporary tolerances were set to expire March 18. EPA is extending the tolerances on its own initiative, to give itself more time to review information before making a final decision on tolerances for the insecticide. Requests for a hearing on the extension are due by May 13.

The Environmental Protection Agency said it received petitions to approve new uses for three pesticides containing currently registered active ingredients. Products covered by the petitions include a fungicide containing the active ingredient propiconazole; an insecticide with the active ingredient spirotetramat; an herbicide containing the active ingredient clomazone; a fungicide containing the active ingredient triflumizole; and an insecticide with the active ingredient quinoxyfen. Comments on the petitions are due April 5.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to extend until Aug. 18 its temporary tolerances for the insecticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) in several meat and poultry products. EPA said it’s taking this action on its own initiative. The temporary tolerances were established in 2008, and were renewed in 2011 until March 18, 2013. The agency said it needs more time to review information before making a final decision on tolerances for the insecticide. Comments are due March 12.

The Environmental Protection Agency set maximum tolerances for the pesticide fenpyrazamine in almond, almond hulls, pistachio, lettuce heads and leaves, caneberry, bushberry, the small fruit vine climbing subgroup (except kiwifuirt), grape juice, the low growing berry subgroup, and ginseng. The tolerances are effective March 6. Objections and requests for hearings are due May 6.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule declaring prions (proteinaceous infectious particles) to be pests under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. EPA will require efficacy data for pesticide products with prion-related claims, it said. The final rule also announced the availability of final test guidelines on generating product performance data for prion pesticide products. The final rule is effective April 29.

The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing several final rules amending maximum tolerances allowed for pesticides in agricultural products. The rules set maximum tolerances for pyraflufen-ethyl in milk, fat, meat, meat byproducts, peanuts, and peanut hay (here); and pyroxasulfone in soybean seed, forage, and hay (here). A final rule also amends tolerances for acetochlor in crop groups 15 (cereal grains) and 16 (forage, fodder and straw of cereal grains) to drop the exceptions for rice and rice straw (here). All three rules are effective Feb. 27.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) for 37 chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices. Seventeen of the substances are subject to EPA consent orders. If finalized, the SNURs would require persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process any of these 37 substances for a new use to notify EPA at least 90 days beforehand. EPA would then have the ability to prohibit or limit the activity. Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 26.