CONTENTS:
(1)  NEW PESTICIDE CHEMISTRIES
(2)  METHYL BROMIDE
(3)  TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS FOR EIGHT PESTICIDES
(4)  BENOMYL TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS ANNOUNCED
(5)  METHOXYCHLOR TOLERANCES REVOKED
(6)  REASSESSMENT OF MORE NON-CONTRIBUTING OP's
(7)  OXADIXYL TOLERANCE REVOCATION
(8)  LINURON TOLERANCE REASSESSMENT
(9)  TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS FOR 23 PESTICIDES
(10)  VELVET ANTS
(11)  CICADA KILLERS
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(1) NEW PESTICIDE CHEMISTRIES
For updated Transitional Solutions/New Technology Tables from IR-4, go to:
http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/newche~2.pdf

(2) METHYL BROMIDE
For Q & A on methyl bromide "critical use exemption" process, go to: http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/mebr.pdf .  Let Grier Stayton ( grier@dda.state.de.us ) at DDA know of any critical uses in Delaware that would be affected.

(3) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR CERTAIN USES OF EIGHT PESTICIDES
 On July 17, 2002, EPA published a final rule that revokes 75 specific tolerances for residues of eight pesticide chemicals:  the insecticides phosphamidon (Cildon, Aimphon, Dimecron) and trimethacarb (Broot, Landrin); the herbicides atrazine, bensulide (Prefar), vernolate (Surpass), and diphenamid (Rideon, Trefmid, Dymid, Enide); the fungicide imazalil (Magnate, Impala, Celest); and the fungicide/ insecticide oxythioquinox (Morestan).  The 75 tolerances are being revoked because all registrations for these pesticide uses have been canceled or there are no registered uses for certain crops.  EPA must receive objections and requests for hearings, identified by docket control number OPP-2002-0085 on or before September 16, 2002.  The notice proposing these revocations was published August 1, 2001. 

 EPA received comments related to the proposed revocation of two pesticides in that notice:  carbofuran and fumaric acid.  The registrant commented about a possible need to retain carbofuran tolerance on rice and rice straw for import purposes.  EPA will not revoke these tolerances pending review of data that the registrant will submit in support of this request.  In addition, EPA is evaluating the issues related to the fumaric acid tolerance exemptions and will not revoke these tolerances at this time.  The Federal Register notice provides details of effective dates for revocation of the tolerances covered by this notice.  It is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPAFR-CONTENTS/2002/July/Day-17/contents.htm .

 Commodities containing pesticide residues not covered by a tolerance are considered to be adulterated and are subject to seizure.  A tolerance must meet the current safety standard established under the Food Quality Protection Act if it is to be retained. 

(4) BENOMYL TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS ANNOUNCED
 On July 17, 2002, EPA published a Federal Register notice revoking all tolerances (pesticide residues allowed to remain in food) for residues of the fungicide benomyl (Benlate) because this pesticide is no longer registered for use in the United States.  EPA must receive objections and requests for hearings, identified by docket control number OPP-2002-0068 on or before September 16, 2002.  EPA received no comment that expressed a need for the retention of specific tolerances for import purposes.  The Federal Register notice includes a response to the two comments received regarding domestic use of benomyl.  EPA has established expiration dates for the tolerances to take into account the time needed for legally treated commodities to pass through the channels of trade, based on the expectation that stocks will be exhausted by December 31, 2003 and the typical storage, processing, and distribution activities associated with each commodity.  These tolerance expiration dates are listed in the Federal Register notice at
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/July/Day-17/p17872.htm

(5) METHOXYCHLOR TOLERANCES REVOKED
 EPA has announced the revocation of all tolerances for residues of the pesticide methoxychlor (Marlate) for two reasons:  all registrations of pesticides containing methoxychlor are suspended or canceled, and there are insufficient data to find the pesticide safe as required by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).  The primary registrant of methoxychlor (Kincaid Enterprises, Inc.) has failed to submit the necessary data required to support continued registration under FIFRA of pesticide products containing methoxychlor.  As a result, on January 14, 2000, EPA issued a suspension order to Kincaid Enterprises, Inc., to prevent the further manufacture and sale of methoxychlor products.  Methoxychlor is an organochlorine insecticide, originally registered as a replacement for DDT.  It has been used on fruits and vegetables to control a variety of pests.  It also has been used to control certain pests on livestock.  EPA proposed revocation of all methoxychlor tolerances on April 4, 2002.

 The Federal Register notice announcing these revocations is available at 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/July/Day-17/p17873.htm .

 EPA has delayed the effectiveness of these revocations for 90 days following publication of this final rule to ensure that all affected parties receive notice of EPA's actions.  This regulation is effective October 15, 2002.  EPA must receive objections and requests for hearings, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0118, on or before September 16, 2002.  For this final rule, EPA believes that all existing stocks of pesticide products labeled for the uses associated with the tolerances proposed for revocation have already been exhausted since such products have been suspended since June 26, 2000.  Similarly, EPA believes that commodities legally treated with methoxychlor have by this time cleared the channels of trade.

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(6) EPA ANNOUNCES REASSESSMENT OF SECOND GROUP OF NON-CONTRIBUTING ORGANOPHOSPHATE TOLERANCES
 EPA has published an announcement on the reassessment of 47 organophosphate pesticides that do not contribute to risk at:  http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/cumulative/GT1percent-july22.htm
This action is part of its review of OP and other pesticide tolerances under FQPA.  EPA considers these tolerances reassessed.  On May 22, EPA announced reassessment of a group of 275 OP tolerances that do not contribute to risk and announced that additional similar reassessment notices would be published in the future.

 The 47 OP non-contributor tolerances in this second group make at most a negligible contribution to the cumulative risk from the OP pesticides.  In making the determination that these tolerances contribute negligible (if any) residues and/or risk, EPA considered, among other things, the nature of the use of the pesticide, the data used in conducting aggregate risk assessments for each individual OP pesticide, the potential for drinking water contamination, and other data and analyses available to EPA (such as food residue monitoring and other information that EPA is using for the cumulative risk assessment).  EPA concludes that these pesticide uses result in minimal or no detectable residues in food, and have no or negligible effects through drinking water.  Because a tolerance may apply to more than one raw agricultural commodity, no tolerance is reassessed as a non-contributor unless all of the raw agricultural commodities (food forms) that are part of that tolerance are also considered to be non-contributors.  EPA also considered the potential effects of future OP pesticide risk management decisions and determined that such decisions would be very unlikely to increase the use of the pesticide on these use sites in a manner or to a degree that the potential exposure under the tolerance would no longer be negligible. They therefore meet the FQPA safety standard in section 408(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and can be considered reassessed.

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(7)  TOLERANCE REVOCATION COMPLETED FOR OXADIXYL
 EPA has revoked all tolerances for the combined residues of the fungicide oxadixyl (Recoil, Ripost, Sandofan, Wakil) and its desmethyl metabolite with an expiration/ revocation date of September 27, 2003.  EPA believes that this date allows sufficient time for any oxadixyl-treated food commodities to pass through the channels of trade.  EPA did not receive any comments on its proposal to revoke these tolerances, which appeared in the Federal Register on February 6, 2002.  According to letters from the registrants, the last known production of oxadixyl occurred before January 1, 1997, and no stocks remain in the control of the registrants.  The cancellation order, issued November 1, 2001 with an effective date of September 27, 2001, allowed for existing stocks to be sold for one year from that date.  Oxadixyl is a systemic fungicide that was used to treat seeds of a variety of food crops, as well as vetch, golf course turf, and residential lawns.  This Federal Register notice is available on EPA's web site at: 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/July/Day-10/p16859.htm

(8) LINURON TOLERANCE REASSESSMENT DOCUMENT ISSUED
 EPA has reviewed risks and existing tolerances for the herbicide linuron (Linex, Lorox), and considers the 40 associated tolerances reassessed as having met the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) safety standard.  Three new linuron tolerances also are being proposed.  EPA's June 26, 2002, Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the Linuron TRED and related documents is available on EPA's website at :  http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/  The Linuron TRED and an overview are available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm

 EPA had completed a Linuron Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) in December 1994, prior to enactment of FQPA.  EPA must review tolerances and tolerance exemptions that were in effect when FQPA was enacted to ensure that these existing pesticide residue limits for food and feed commodities meet the safety standard brought about by the new law.

 The pesticide reregistration program is being conducted under Congressionally mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes both the need to make timely decisions and to involve the public.  EPA, therefore, is issuing the Linuron TRED as a final decision document because no risk mitigation or changes to existing labeling are necessary.  If any comment causes EPA to revise its tolerance reassessment decision, EPA will publish a notice of amendment in the Federal Register.  In the absence of substantive comments, the tolerance reassessment decision for linuron will be considered final.

(9) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR CERTAIN USES OF 23 PESTICIDES
 On July 31, 2002, EPA published a rule to revoke 140 specific tolerances for residues of 23 pesticide chemicals: acephate (Address, Lancer),  amitraz (Mitac, Ovasyn), carbaryl (Sevin, Adios), chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), cryolite (Kryocide, Prokil), disulfoton (Di-Syston), ethalfluralin (Curbit), ethion, ethoprop (Mocap), fenthion (Baytex, Lebaycid), fluvalinate (Spur), methamidophos (Monitor), metribuzin (Sencor, Lexone), oxamyl (Vydate), phorate (Thimet), phosalone (Azofene, Zolone), phosmet (Imidan), pirimiphos-methyl (Acetllifog, Blex), profenofos (Curacron), propiconazole (Tilt), tetrachlorvinphos (Rabon), thiram (Thylate), and tribufos (DEF 6).   These tolerances are being revoked because they are either no longer needed or are associated with food uses that are no longer current or registered in the United States.  Some of these revocations are based on recommendations made during the reregistration decision process.  Information on the specific tolerances being revoked, the reasons for their revocation, and the expiration dates for the tolerances is at:
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/July/Day-31/p19104.htm

  Are they good bugs or bad?  We usually classify predatory insects as beneficial, but Velvet Ants prey on other predatory insects!  We usually classify stinging insects as harmful.  Even though they may pose a hazard to young children and pets, there are no chemical controls available.  Because they do not live in a nest, there is no site to treat.  It is best to teach children to look, but not touch.  Homeowners can keep pets away from areas that Velvet Ants frequent during these few weeks of activity.

Want to see a Velvet Ant?  Come to the Department of Entomology & Applied Ecology Insect Reference Collection (room 259) and Dr. Charles Bartlett will be pleased to show you one.  A dead one.

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   The male does not sting (No ovipositor.  Remember, a stinger is a modified ovipositor.  No male Hymenopteran can sting).  The male defends the burrow and chases away predators.  But, he is all bluff and cannot hurt humans or pets.

  Yes, the mound of soil around the burrow may ruin the look of well-groomed turf.  I tell homeowners to plant ground cover to discourage activity and hide the mounds and holes.  I discourage homeowners from wanting to treat Cicada Killers.  These predators are beneficial insects and a natural part of the environment.  Rarely do they pose a real problem to us.

   For more info on cicadas go to:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2137.html
and: 
http://www.ento.vt.edu/Fruitfiles/cicada.html