The January 26, 2012, issue of Pesticide and Chemical Policy quotes Lynn L. Bergeson regarding the Natural Resources Defense Council’s lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) conditional registration of nanosilver. Bergeson believes EPA's decisions were "scientifically robust and that in court they would prevail."

On January 19, 2012, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) convened a workshop at which invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff reviewed case studies on reporting obligations for byproduct and recycled materials under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.

EPA has recently issued a written report on its responses to the byproduct scenarios BCCM submitted. The written report is posted with EPA's CDR training materials online. A copy of the report, along with a copy of EPA's slides and recorded audio from the January 19, 2012, workshop, is also available at B&C's website.

On March 27-28, 2012, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAA) will host the "International Symposium on Assessing the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology." The Working Party on Nanotechnology (WPN) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in collaboration with the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), organized the Symposium. Lynn L. Bergeson is on the Steering Committee and will speak at the Symposium. The objective of the Symposium is to explore systematically "the need for and development of a methodology to assess the economic impact of nanotechnology across whole economies, factoring in many sectors and types of impact, including new and replacement products and materials, markets for raw materials, intermediate and final goods, and employment and other economic impacts." Participants will address the scope of economic impacts of nanotechnology; input and output factors; metrics for other technological assessments; consideration of the appropriateness of these metrics for nanotechnology materials and products; the role of research funding portfolios; intellectual property frameworks; venture capital; public-private partnerships; state and local initiatives; international cooperation; and metrics such as private sector and industry investments, patents and publications, and the development of a technologically-educated workforce as metrics for nanotechnology. Attendees are being invited from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and expertise, including technology leaders, key decision makers, economists, investors, policy analysts, scientists and engineers from industry, business, government, academia, and the general public. Registration will open February 10, 2012, and will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the capacity is met. Positions are expected to fill quickly. More information is available online.

On January 19, 2012, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) convened a workshop at which invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff reviewed case studies on reporting obligations for byproduct and recycled materials under the Chemical Data Reporting rule. For those of you who were unable to listen in, the recorded audio for the workshop is available on B&C's website.

A January 24, 2012, Inside EPA article states that, during the January 19, 2012, Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) workshop by Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., EPA said it “anticipates having [guidance] up in time for the beginning of the submission period.”

We are pleased to announce that Lynn L. Bergeson will participate in a February 7, 2012, Bloomberg BNA webinar entitled "The Greening of Consumer Products: Legal, Regulatory, and Strategic Considerations." Bloomberg BNA states that the webinar is intended to help users:

• Identify the core concepts of green product development and the maturation of conventional environmental protection themes on which green product steward concepts rely;
   
• Describe the diversity of legal and regulatory authorities, domestic and international, that are relevant to chemical, industrial, and consumer product manufacturers from a legal compliance perspective;
   
• Analyze the role of private party standards and evolving concepts of product stewardship in product design and management;
   
• Address the trends and emerging themes embedded in the commercial value chain that must be monitored to be competitive and successful;
   
• Explore the challenges and value of green product marketing; and
   
• Develop basic strategies for legal compliance and commercial success in green product marketing.

Registration information is available online.

The January 20, 2012, issue of BNA Daily Environment Report discusses the January 19, 2012, workshop regarding the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule held by Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. Bergeson suggested companies “know the rules; know your manufacturing/reclamation process; make no assumptions; review EPA materials carefully; and consult experts, as reasonable people are going to disagree.”

The January 20, 2012, issue of Inside EPA mentions the Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s January 19, 2012, workshop regarding the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.

On January 19, 2012, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) convened a workshop at which invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff reviewed case studies on reporting obligations for byproduct and recycled materials under the Chemical Data Reporting rule. The following documents are available on B&C's website:

• The invitation for the workshop;
   
• EPA's slides; and
   
• The case studies that were compiled by BCCM and that reflect real-life situations from multiple industry groups.

A recording of the workshop will be added to B&C's website in the next few days.

We wish to thank Susan Sharkey and her EPA colleagues for their very useful and informative presentation. Our thanks also to the George Washington University School of Law for its generous offer to host the meeting.

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C), B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM), The Acta Group, L.L.C. (Acta), and The Acta Group EU, Ltd (Acta EU) are pleased to announce that the NanoBusiness Commercialization Association (NbCA) has included Lynn L. Bergeson on its "Most Influential Nanotechnology Leaders List from 2011." The NbCA is the industry association for the emerging nanotechnology industry. Through its extensive network of leading start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and public-private partnerships, the NbCA shapes nanotechnology policy and helps accelerate the responsible commercialization of nanotechnology innovation. B&C is honored by this recognition, and salutes Vince Caprio for his leadership and commitment to the nano industry.

We urge you to log on to B&C's Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog, which reports regularly on federal, local, and international regulatory, legal, and policy developments involving nanotechnologies and other emerging chemical technologies. The blog is available at nanotech.lawbc.com. Users may sign up to receive e-mails of new posts to the blog online.