. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/599
31 May 2002
(02-3003)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Environmental Protection Agency - EPA
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):   Pesticides
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   Any
trading partners
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Pesticides;  Tolerance
Exemptions for Polymers (10 pages - English).
6. Description of content:   EPA is taking direct final rule action to add a new section which
lists the pesticide chemicals that are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance because
they meet the criteria established by the Agency to identify certain polymers that are of low
risk.  This section contains those polymers whose   tolerance exemptions were established
post-Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 and are based on the polymer's meeting
the criteria described in 40 CFR 723.250.  The Agency is acting on its own initiative.  Thisis a reorganization of existing tolerance exemptions currently listed in the CFR - being
notified so as to assure transparency.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   67 FR 36525,
24 May 2002.  Available in English.
10. Proposed date of adoption:   This direct final rule is effective on 23 September 2002,
without further notice, unless EPA receives a relevant adverse comment by 23 July 2002.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Same as aboveG/SPS/N/USA/599
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:   This direct final rule is effective on 23 September 2002, without
further notice, unless EPA receives a relevant adverse comment by 23 July 2002.  If EPA
receives a relevant adverse comment, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal
Register informing the public that this direct final rule will not take effect.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Environmental Protection Agency
[   ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number
and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   Detailed instruction on where and how
to send comments is in the body of the full text - which will be sent upon request to the
address in paragraph 13.
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture BuildingStop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:   (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov