Subject: PANUPS: EPA MeBr Phase out

From: Pesticide Action Network North America Reg Ctr <[email-masked]>
Date: 18 Mar 93 12:44 PST

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PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK NORTH AMERICA UPDATES 
SERVICE
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U.S. Methyl Bromide Phaseout

March 18, 1993

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has 
proposed adding the highly toxic and widely used 
pesticide methyl bromide to the list of Class 1 ozone 
depleting substances under the U.S. Clean Air Act (CAA), 
and published its methyl bromide phase out proposal in 
todayUs Federal Register.  The CAA requires all 
substances with an ozone depleting potential (ODP) 
greater than .2 to be listed as Class 1 ozone depleting 
chemicals, with production and importation phased out 
by the year 2000.  Methyl bromide was assigned an ODP 
of .7 in November, 1992 at a meeting of the 81 
signatory countries to the United Nations Montreal 
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 
triggering EPAUs action today.  

Key elements of the EPA methyl bromide phase out 
proposal:

- Freeze U.S. methyl bromide production and import in 
1994 at 1991 levels.

- Allow 100% of registered uses (at 1991 levels) until 
December 31, 1991, then implement a 100% phase out.

- Permit no exemptions for designated "essential uses" 
after phase out.
 
In addition, since 1989, Congress has levied an excise 
tax on Class 1 ozone depleting substances prior to their 
phase out.  A per-pound tax on methyl bromide will 
likely be included in the 1993 Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act as part of the Congressional budget.  
The proposed tax on methyl bromide would begin at 
US$2.35 per pound in 1993, and increase annually to 
US$5.00 per pound in 1999 (the last year use of methyl 
bromide use will be allowed), based on the schedule by 
which other Class 1 compounds are taxed.   

With the publication of its proposal today, EPA begins a 
45-day period during which it will accept written 
comments on the proposed methyl bromide phase out.  
The Agency has also scheduled a public hearing on the 
methyl bromide phase out proposal on April 2, 1993.  
This hearing will take place from 8 am to 12 noon in 
the Educational Auditorium at EPA Headquarters, 
located at 401 M St. SW in Washington, DC.  

What You Can Do:

For a copy of the Federal Register notice announcing 
EPAUs methyl bromide proposal, and information 
regarding the public hearing on April 2, call the EPA 
Stratospheric Ozone Hotline at 1-800-296-1996.

Send comments on the methyl bromide phase out 
proposal to: Air Docket No. A-92-13, EPA, 401 M Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20460 USA.  Comments should be 
postmarked no later than May 3, 1993.  

Sources:  EPA Methyl Bromide Update, March 18, 1993; 
Bill Thomas/EPA Presentation, Ecofarm Conference, 
Assilomar, California, January 22, 1993; Global 
Pesticide Campaigner August 1992.

Contacts: About methyl bromide and the Pesticide 
Action Network methyl bromide campaign, contact PAN 
North America Regional Center. 

About the EPA proposal, contact Bill Thomas, US EPA 
Office of Atmospheric Programs, 401 M Street SW, Mail 
Code 6205J, Washington DC,  20460, USA.  Tel. (202) 
233-9179, Fax (202) 233-9577.

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The Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service 
(PANUPS) is a pesticide-related news service from the Pesticide Action 
Network (PAN) North American Regional Center.  PANUPS is posted 
weekly on EcoNet, the APC computer network, RTK NET, 
GeoNet/GEO2, the ECONET echo on FidoNet, the Sustainable 
Agriculture Network (SANET) on BitNet, and on PENpages. It is 
available free by electronic distribution.  Hard-copy complimentations 
are also available. For info: PAN NA RC, 965 Mission Street #514, San 
Francisco, CA 94103. Tel: (415) 541-9140. Fax: (415) 541-9253. Telex: 
156283472 PANNA. E-mail address on EcoNet: [email-masked]
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