Eastern Research Group; Access to Confidential Business Information

Issuing agencies

Abstract

This notice announces that pesticide related information submitted to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), including information that may have been claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI) by the submitted, will be transferred to the Eastern Research Group (ERG) in accordance with the CBI regulations. ERG have been awarded a contract to perform work for OPP, and access to this information will enable the ERG to fulfill the obligations of the contract.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64373-64374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20639]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-0027; FRL-13573-01-OCSPP]


Eastern Research Group; Access to Confidential Business 
Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that pesticide related information 
submitted to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) pursuant to the 
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), including information 
that may have been claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
by the submitted, will be transferred to the Eastern Research Group 
(ERG) in accordance with the CBI regulations. ERG have been awarded a 
contract to perform work for OPP, and access to this information will 
enable the ERG to fulfill the obligations of the contract.

DATES: The ERG will be given access to this information on or before 
October 13, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rufus Sias, Office of Mission Critical 
Operations (Mail Code 7601T), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone

[[Page 64374]]

number: (202) 566-2899; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#15667c74663b6760736066557065743b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7f0c161e0c510d0a190a0c3f1a0f1e51181009">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    For technical information contact: Joseph Varco, Office of 
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Civil 
Enforcement (OCE), Waste and Chemical Enforcement Division (WCED), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-1791; email address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#493f283b2a266723263a2c3921092c3928672e263f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d6b7c6f7e723377726e786d755d786d7c337a726b">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    This action applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency 
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be 
affected by this action.

B. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    EPA has established a docket for this action under docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-0027. Publicly available 
docket materials are available either electronically through <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> or in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, West 
William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0001. The Docket Center's hours of operations are 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPP Docket is (703) 305-
5805. Please review the visitor instructions and additional information 
about the docket available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.

II. Contractor Requirements

    Under the ERG, solicitation number 68HERL26A0022, ERG will perform 
and provide support to the OECA and OCE. Their responsibilities under 
this contract include assistance with the following: Enforcement 
program implementation; enforcement case development; supporting 
inspections; sampling; providing laboratory services; and performing 
analysis.
    In accordance with 40 CFR 2.307(h)(3), EPA has determined that 
disclosure of CBI submitted to EPA under all sections of FIFRA and the 
FFDCA is necessary in order for ERG to carry out the work required by 
the contract. Some of this information may be entitled to confidential 
treatment.
    In accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR 2.307(h)(3), EPA has 
determined that disclosure of CBI submitted to EPA under all sections 
of FIFRA and the FFDCA is necessary in order for ERG to carry out the 
work required by the contract. ERG personnel will be given access to 
information submitted to EPA under all sections of FIFRA and the FFDCA. 
Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be CBI.
    EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information 
under the sections of FIFRA and the FFDCA that EPA has provided ERG 
access to CBI materials as needed. All access to FIFRA and FFDCA CBI 
under this contract takes place in accordance with EPA's FIFRA CBI 
Protection Manual.
    Access to FIFRA and FFDCA data, including CBI, will continue until 
June 27, 2031. If the contract is extended, this access will also 
continue for the duration of the extended contract without further 
notice. In accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR 2.307(h)(3), the 
contract prohibits disclosure of the information to a third party 
without prior written approval from the Agency. No information will be 
provided to ERG, until the requirements in this document have been 
fully satisfied. ERG's personnel will sign nondisclosure agreements and 
will be briefed on appropriate security procedures before they are 
permitted access to FIFRA CBI. Records of information provided to ERG 
will be maintained by EPA project officers for this contract. No 
information will be provided to ERG until the requirements in this 
document have been fully satisfied. Records of information provided to 
ERG will be maintained by EPA Project Officers for this contract. All 
information supplied to ERG by EPA for use in connection with this 
contract will be returned to EPA when ERG has completed their work.

(Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.)


    Dated: September 30, 2026.
Randolph L. Hill,
Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2026-20639 Filed 10-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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