On November 29, 2013, EPA published its proposed rule on "2014 Standards for the Renewable Fuel Standard Program" and a "Notice of Receipt of Petitions for a Waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard." Copies of the proposed rule and notice published in the Federal Register are available online, and online. Comments on both are due by January 28, 2014. BRAG's coverage of the pre-published versions of the proposed rule and notice is available online. On...
December 6, 2013
EPA Requests Report On Assessing Safer Chemicals
EPA has requested a report from the National Academies Committee (the Committee) on options that governments, manufacturers, and retailers can use to compare the safety of various chemicals as they analyze potential substitutes for those chemicals. The report is expected early in 2014. During the initial meeting of the Committee last month, a representative from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that an OECD committee has identified more than 80 methods...
December 6, 2013
Administration Releases Biannual Regulatory Agenda
On November 26, 2013, the Obama Administration released its biannual regulatory agenda for all federal agencies. A copy of the agenda is available online. EPA listed several top regulatory priorities, including "taking actions on toxics and chemical safety." The Agency states that it intends to take actions to protect chemical facility safety and security and that it "plans to take a range of identified regulatory actions for certain chemicals and assess other chemicals to...
December 6, 2013
EPA Issues Final Rule On Electronic Reporting Under TSCA
On December 4, 2013, EPA published a final rule requiring the electronic submission of certain documents under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is promulgating amendments to reporting requirements under TSCA Section 4 (including test rules and Enforceable Consent Agreements (ECA)), TSCA Section 5, TSCA Section 8(a) Preliminary Analysis Information Rule (PAIR) at 40 C.F.R. Part 712, and TSCA Section 8(d) Health and Safety Data Reporting Rules at 40 C.F.R. Part 716. A copy...
December 6, 2013
EPA Issues Notice On Green Product Purchasing Guidelines
On November 27, 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a notice on "Draft Guidelines; Product Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels for Voluntary Use in Federal Procurement; Notice of Availability and Request for Comments." A copy of the notice is available online. Comments are due by February 25, 2014. According to EPA, the Agency intends for the guidelines to "provide a transparent, fair, and consistent approach to...
Reportedly, the four principals leading the effort to merge the House and Senate versions of the next five-year Farm Bill into a final bill have reached a preliminary agreement on the two major sticking points: food stamps and crop subsidies. The leaders are working feverishly to reach agreement and pass the final version of the Farm Bill by the end of this year when the current Farm Bill expires. Previous Biobased and Renewable Advocacy Group...
On November 25, 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a notice inviting applications for nearly $10.5 million in USDA value-added producer grants (VAPG), which help agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of biobased value-added products. A copy of the USDA press release on the announcement is available online, and a copy of the Federal Register notice is available online. The funding notice encourages...
December 2, 2013
EPA Releases Draft Procurement Guidelines for Product Environmental Performance Standards and Ecola
On November 20, 2013, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its intent to release for comment proposed Draft Guidelines for Product Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels for Voluntary Use in Federal Procurement (Draft Guidelines). EPA states the Draft Guidelines — developed by EPA, the General Services Administration (GSA), and other federal agencies following several "listening sessions" with a wide range of stakeholders — are...
On November 19, 2013, Nestlé announced that it is joining the Bioplastics Feedstocks Alliance (BFA), along with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and seven consumer firms, to promote the sustainable development of biomass used to make bioplastics. Other members of the BFA include: The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Ford, H.J. Heinz Company, Nike, P&G, and Unilever. A copy of Nestlé's press release is available online....
This week, Ford Motor Company and The Coca-Cola Company announced their efforts to use PlantBottle Technology™ from The Coca-Cola Company for the first time beyond PET packaging as part of the interior fabric of a Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid research vehicle. The fabric used for seat cushions and other parts of the car is made from PlantBottle Technology and consists of up to 30 percent plant-based materials. Ford's press release on the development states...