Blogs

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On May 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $35 million in funding for 15 research projects focused on reducing the carbon footprint of biofuel production. Housed at colleges, laboratories, and universities in nine states, these projects aim to advance new technologies to decarbonize biorefining processes in the agriculture, energy, and transportation sectors. Funding awards are supported by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish a final rule on May 18, 2021, that will rescind the October 18, 2020, rulemaking that established procedures for issuing, modifying, withdrawing, and using guidance documents. According to the final rule, after consideration and review, “EPA has concluded that the internal rule on guidance deprives the EPA of necessary flexibility in determining when and how best to issue public guidance based on particular facts...

On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of an electronic Confidential Statement of Formula application (eCSF builder) to support pesticide registration applications. The new electronic tool is part of EPA’s interest in improving and modernizing the internal processes and digital workflows for pesticide registration submissions. As part of the registration process for new pesticide products, EPA requires the submission of a Confidential...

On May 12, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began environmental justice consultations regarding the development of risk management actions under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for Asbestos, Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos and Pigment Violet 29 (PV29). EPA will hold two identical consultation webinars, on June 1, 2021, and June 9, 2021. EPA states that it is offering these repeated sessions to increase opportunities for participation....

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on May 6, 2021, that Bear River Supply Inc., based in Rio Oso, California, has agreed to pay a $50,578 penalty to resolve EPA’s findings that the Company produced pesticides in an unregistered establishment, distributed and sold misbranded pesticides, and failed to maintain equipment properly. According to EPA, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and EPA discovered the violations during a series of...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected four research and development (R&D) projects focused on the interaction between promising biofuels and combustion engines. As part of the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office’s Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, the four projects will leverage National Laboratory capabilities that can bring biofuel-engine combinations closer to commercial adoption. Each project awardee will...

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) will hold a virtual public meeting on May 26, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. (EDT). NYSDEC will present topics for discussion related to implementation of the recently enacted law, which created ingredient disclosure requirements for children’s products.  Title 9 of Article 37 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) establishes an ingredient disclosure program and prohibits certain chemicals in...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on May 11, 2021, that it has launched a new application in the Central Data Exchange (CDX), EPA’s electronic reporting site, that will allow users to submit electronically certain communications under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  According to EPA, the new application provides users with a faster, secure, and more convenient way to comply with TSCA reporting requirements and is “expected to be used for hundreds of...

On May 6, 2021, the European Food Safety Association (EFSA) announced that E171 is no longer considered safe when used as a food additive.  The European Commission (EC) asked EFSA to update its safety assessment of the food additive titanium dioxide (E171).  EFSA states:  “Taking into account all available scientific studies and data, the Panel [on Food Additives and Flavorings] concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. ...

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On May 5, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice of disclosure to all obligated parties under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program that have submitted small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions and to all parties whose RFS information otherwise resides in EPA’s Moderated Transaction System (EMTS).  EPA’s action is in response to a U.S. Government of Accountability Office (GAO) request to disclose such...