James V. Aidala Offers Outlook for Annual Budget “Ballet” in Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report

Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report sought insight from James V. Aidala for the February 4, 2015 story “EPA Proposal to Increase New Chemical Fees Has Been Tried Before, and Failed.”

Jim Aidala, a senior government consultant with Bergeson & Campbell P.C., told Bloomberg BNA that the proposal to increase the premanufacturing notices fee is a routine request included in Executive Office budget requests. Aidala formerly served as an assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. The annual “ballet” allows the White House Office of Management and Budget to include projected increased revenues from the proposed fee in the president’s budget request, thereby reducing the apparent cost of the requested funding, Aidala said. To date, Congress hasn’t approved such an increase. With legislators in the House and Senate saying they plan to introduce TSCA-reform bills again in this Congress, the outcome could be different, Aidala said. He remained skeptical, however.