Request for More Information on Critical Use of PCNB in California

Date: July 8, 2005

To: Rick Melnicoe
Director, Western Integrated Pest Management Center
Director, Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination (UC Statewide
Pesticide Coordinator)
University of California
Davis, CA 95616-8588

CC: Kent Smith
US EPA

From: Jill Bloom, Review Manager
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs
Special Review and Reregistration Division

I am sending you this message because you responded to Kent Smith's earlier information request on the same subject, or forwarded Kent's request to someone else, or your name was mentioned in another response. I have excluded (most of) those who responded on turf uses, as the follow-up question does not apply to turf.

Date Requested: July 6, 2005

Request (follow-up to request of January 28, 2005on PCNB information):

PCNB is a fungicide used as a seed treatment, or in soil or foliar applications, to control fungal diseases of field and vegetable crops, ornamentals, and turf. The reregistration decision for all use sites of PCNB will be made in the next month or so. EPA is considering specific risk reduction measures with the goal of achieving the desired level of risk mitigation while minimizing economic impacts. The risks of concern are mainly drinking water, dietary, and ecological. EPA is considering canceling some uses of PCNB in order to lower these risks.

Information from you and other respondents to the previous request has been helpful in identifying critical uses of PCNB, but the previous request did not ask you to distinguish between seed/seed piece/bulb dip treatment uses of PCNB and foliar or soil applications. The uses of PCNB associated with the highest risks generally are soil and foliar applications, not seed or seed piece treatments (some bulb uses have very high application rates and may be problematic). We are now asking for additional information on treatment type (seed, seed piece, bulb dip, soil, foliar) for uses of PCNB which are critical in your State or region, including:

cotton
garlic
ornamentals
peanuts
peppers
potatoes
snapbeans
soybeans
tomatoes

Please identify critical uses by listing:

The crop/pest combination for which PCNB is critical Whether the critical use is a treatment of seeds, seed pieces, bulb (dipped prior to planting), foliage, or soil

Kent Smith is out of the office this week, so please respond directly to me—I am the review manager for PCNB at EPA— preferably via email at the address above (if by phone, call me at 703-308-8019). Please copy Kent Smith on your email responses. Thank you very much for your help,

Jill Bloom, Review Manager
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs
Special Review and Reregistration Division
Phone: (703) 308-8019
Fax: (703) 308-8041