The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on May 18, 2026, that it will hold a hearing on June 18, 2026, on the notice of filing to add methyl methacrylate-ethyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer in a styrene solution to the list of taxable substances. 91 Fed. Reg. 28759. The hearing will be limited to testimony about the notice of filing for methyl methacrylate-ethyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer in a styrene solution. According to the January 14, 2026, notice announcing that...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a Request for Information (RFI) on May 15, 2026, to solicit input on regulatory considerations related to the review of modified organisms subject to the Plant Protection Act (PPA). 91 Fed. Reg. 27868. According to the notice, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) wishes to explore alternative frameworks to regulate genetically engineered (GE) organisms under the plant pest provisions of the PPA, “to ensure that...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has activated its Emerging Viral Pathogen (EVP) Guidance for Antimicrobial Pesticides (Guidance) in response to hantavirus, which had been considered to be a rare disease caused by an infection from some hantaviruses (including Andes Virus). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantaviruses are a family of viruses that cause serious illness and sometimes death in people worldwide. The viruses are spread by infected...
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will hold a webinar on May 27, 2026, on a November 2025 policy paper, “Synthetic biology, AI and automation: A forward-looking technology assessment,” that lays out a series of concrete cases where these technologies are coming together and how they could develop in the future. According to OECD, the convergence of synthetic biology with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is accelerating the pace of innovation,...
Public attention surrounding hantavirus outbreaks often focuses, understandably, on the immediate health risks associated with rodent exposure. Recent reports tied to a cruise vessel outbreak of hantavirus have once again highlighted the complex relationship between human health, confined environments, sanitation practices, and pest management. Yet beyond the headlines, such outbreaks also serve as a reminder of the often-overlooked role that pesticide regulation, and more specifically, the...
The U.S. Department of War (DoW) published a request for information (RFI) on May 12, 2026, seeking information to identify and assess critical applications for DoW and 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 is intended to help the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment...
As reported in our March 5, 2026, blog item, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is undertaking a factfinding investigation to examine Chinese state support and pricing practices in the biotechnology sector and assess how these practices may be affecting the market share and competitiveness of the U.S. industry. USITC is instituting its investigation, “Impact on U.S. Industry of China’s State Support and Pricing Practices in the Biotechnology Sector” (Inv. No. 332-610),...
On April 9, 2026, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) published its supplement to the President’s 2026 budget request. The report provides the program budget for fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025, as well as the requested budget for 2026. As required, it also provides a breakout of NNI’s plans and spending by NNI Program Component Area -- foundational research; applications, devices, and systems; research infrastructure and instrumentation; education and workforce development; and...
May 12, 2026
EPA’s FY 2026 Top Management Challenges Include Meeting Statutory Requirements for Ensuring the Safe Use of Chemicals
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released on May 6, 2026, a report on EPA’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 top management challenges. The report identifies what OIG considers to be the six most serious management and performance challenges facing EPA in FY 2026: Managing contracts, grants, and associated data systems; Meeting statutory requirements for ensuring the safe use of chemicals; Managing information technology modernization; Maintaining mission...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 28, 2026, the availability of an update to the April 16, 2024, interim guidance on the destruction and disposal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and materials containing PFAS for public comment. 91 Fed. Reg. 22815. According to EPA, the updated guidance “builds on information pertaining to technologies that may be feasible and appropriate for the destruction or disposal of PFAS and PFAS-containing...