Blogs

On May 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) issued a request for information (RFI) to gather information to identify and assess critical applications for DOD and the defense industrial base (DIB) that necessitate the use of existing chemicals undergoing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 6 risk evaluation process. The RFI states that it will help the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations,...

In response to President Trump’s February 13, 2025, Executive Order (EO) 14212, “Establishing The President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission,” the White House issued part of what is being called “The MAHA Report” (with MAHA an acronym for Make America Healthy Again), entitled “Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment” (the Assessment) on May 22, 2025. Section One of the Assessment, “The Shift to Ultra-Processed Foods,” includes the Commission’s thoughts on the...

On May 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced that it “removed barriers to domestic bioenergy production by updating its 45ZCF-GREET modeling tool to account for new feedstocks and methods of production, including ethanol from corn wet-milling and natural gas from coal-mine methane.” According to BETO, these measures will allow a wider range of farmers and companies to do business in the alternative fuels market. BETO notes that the...

On May 15, 2025, the Center for Environmental Accountability (CEA) filed a petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requesting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reconsider the 2024 final rule regarding procedures for chemical risk evaluation under TSCA and initiate a rulemaking to amend certain provisions in 40 C.F.R. Part 702, subpart B. According to CEA, the current process “has led to overly conservative risk conclusions and, in turn,...

As reported in our May 4, 2025, blog item, on May 2, 2025, a coalition of chemical companies petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an amendment of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(7) rule requiring reporting for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The petitioners ask that EPA revise the reporting rule to exclude imported articles, research and development (R&D) materials, impurities, byproducts, non-isolated intermediates, and PFAS...

On May 20, 2025, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) announced the release of a report entitled Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2025): Securing U.S. Global Leadership Through Renewed and Expanded Infrastructure. Requested by Congress as part of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, the report focuses on the infrastructure of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The Committee on the Quadrennial Review...

On May 7, 2025, Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) introduced the Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity Act (Ag BIO Act) (H.R. 3253), a bipartisan bill that would support the biofuel economy. According to Budzinski’s May 8, 2025, press release, the bill would update the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Section 9003 program to expand access to grants, streamline loan guarantees, and provide $100 million in mandatory funding over five years. The...

On May 20, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule that would extend certain compliance dates in the final risk management rule for methylene chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) “to ensure long-term compliance with the rule’s requirements.” The proposed rule would extend the Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP) compliance dates for non-federal laboratories by an additional 18 months to align with the dates allowed for federal...

On May 15, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the launch of “a stronger, more systematic review process for food chemicals already on the market — especially those that concern consumers most.” Over the coming months, FDA will roll out the following key actions: FDA notes that until now, it has conducted post-market reviews “on a case-by-case basis, often in response to citizen petitions or new scientific evidence.” FDA states that the...

Ponder the following existential question: Who does their job less effectively? Members of Congress, or employees of federal agencies? Let’s examine the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees versus those responsible for legislating environmental laws. Congress has not been able to reauthorize environmental statutes for years, with some (most) needing significant attention. EPA relies on 1990 Clean Air Act amendments to sort out air pollution issues and address climate change...