B&C® Biobased and Sustainable Chemicals Blog

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On May 12, 2020, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would make emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2020. Titled the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act), this bill addresses various issues, many of which have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these issues include provisions of revenue, health, retirement, government...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 11, 2020, a total of 70 Mayors from various cities in the United States submitted a letter to Andrew Wheeler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, criticizing the decision not to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and not to reject proposed waivers under Section 211(o)(7) of the Clean Air Act. The Mayors state that this decision on waivers is already causing damage to the economy and will continue to devastate farmers, workers, and families...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a webinar on May 19, 2020, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. (EDT) to provide an overview of the 2020 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) requirements.  The 2020 CDR submission period is from June 1, 2020, to November 30, 2020.  The webinar will include information about the revised reporting requirements, including: New requirements for making confidential business information (CBI) claims; Reporting refinements related to...

On May 12, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the signed final rule updating the definition of small manufacturers, including a new definition of what is considered a small government, used to determine reporting and recordkeeping requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  According to EPA, the updated definitions will reduce reporting burdens on chemical manufacturers and small governments while maintaining the agency’s ability to receive the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson B&C, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health are pleased to present "TSCA Reform -- Four Years Later," on June 24, 2020. This complimentary virtual conference marks the fourth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Annual Conference, reflecting on the accomplishments and challenges since the implementation of the 2016 Lautenberg Amendments and where TSCA stands today. Speakers include:...

By Lynn L. Bergeson The 2020 GlobalChem webinar series addresses major developments in chemicals management and provides participants a chance to engage with policymakers and other key experts throughout the chemical industry value chain. On May 13, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. (EDT), Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), will present during the “TSCA New Chemicals” webinar. Other presenters include Lynn Dekleva, Ph.D., Associate Deputy...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 29, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) announced a virtual meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Chemical Safety for Sustainability and Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (CSS-HERA) Subcommittee. The purpose of the meeting will be to review the draft 2019-2022 Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) of the HERA research program. The videoconference meeting will be held over a...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 28, 2020, U.S. Representative Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) introduced the Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020, which would fund installation and conversion of fuel pump infrastructure to deliver higher blends of biofuel. Co-sponsored by Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), this bipartisan bill creates a clean fuels grant program with $600 million over a six-year period to help biofuel retailers. The plan is to assist retailers to...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that it intends to issue a funding opportunity to: Stimulate technology innovation;   Enable manufacturing of cutting-edge products in the United States; and   Improve energy productivity of manufacturing. On behalf of the Advance Manufacturing Office (AMO), this potential funding opportunity aims to advance the Trump...

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation formally announced that the May 1, 2020, deadline to submit substances and mixtures to its chemical inventory is extended to August 1, 2020. Entities exporting products to the Russian Federation should nominate their substances and mixtures to the Russian chemical inventory to ensure continued access to the Russian market.  New substance registration is required for substances or mixtures not on the inventory after the nomination...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment (RAPID) Manufacturing Institute announced the availability of $4 million for five selected projects. The projects align with RAPID’s research focus areas in chemical and commodity processing, renewable bioproducts, natural gas upgrading, modeling and simulation, module manufacturing, and intensified process fundamentals.

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. In March 2020, a paper by master’s degree student Anastasia Prosina titled “Algae-Based Printer Ink as the Way to Foster In-Situ Resource Utilization in Habitation Structures” was published in ResearchGate. Prosina’s paper, submitted to Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA), proposes that the most feasible long-term habitat off-Earth will consist of a 3D printed mixture of algae and regolith, the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On April 17, 2020, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, Sonny Perdue, announced $19 billion to farmers and ranchers as part of its COVID-19 relief program. Aimed at providing critical support in maintaining the integrity of the U.S. food supply chain and ensuring that every American has access to the food needed, the funds will be used not only to directly support farmers and ranchers, but also for USDA purchase and distribution. The...

Register now for the American Bar Association (ABA) webinar “Navigating the Jurisdictional Tightrope Between Biopesticides, Biostimulants, and Related Emerging Technologies” with Bergeson & Campbell P.C. (B&C®) professionals deconstructing the jurisdictional boundaries distinguishing pesticides, biopesticides, plant regulators, biostimulants, and related technologies. The webinar will focus on draft EPA guidance intended to clarify the lines between and among those...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On April 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a report titled “Agricultural Biotechnology Annual,” which argues that under any scenario, the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) separation from the EU (Brexit) is unlikely to change policy or trade in genetically engineered (GE) industries. According to the report prepared by USDA’s Jennifer Wilson, given the fact that the EU is the U.K.’s trading partner...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On April 10, 2020, the European Commission (EC) announced the launch of its new online service that connects crop and food producers with biorefineries. This European Union (EU) project aims to address food waste by enabling crop producers, food processors, and agricultural cooperatives to sell their waste as feedstock for use by two biorefineries in Spain and Italy. The multi-feedstock biorefineries, designed by Agrimax, convert farming and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) will host a virtual meeting of the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB). The virtual meeting will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EDT). Interested parties must contact the Board’s Designated Federal Officer, Jay Nathwani, via e-mail or phone at 202-586-9410.

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On April 6, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a report that provides options and recommendations for a new methodology to evaluate changes in resource capacity needs of human drug and biosimilar biologic review programs. Titled “Independent Evaluation of the PDUFA and BsUFA Resource Capacity Planning Adjustment Methodology: Evaluation and Recommendations,” the analysis of the methodology was reviewed by an...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) is hosting the following webinars to educate scientists on the more than 30 federal opportunities available in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: Thursday, April 16, 2020, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT).  Join the webinar;  Thursday, April 23, 2020, 2:00 p.m.to 3:00 p.m. (EDT).  Join the webinar; and  Thursday, April 30, 2020, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00...

This week, I sat down with Eric Byer, President and CEO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD). Eric, like many of us these days, is working hard and under extraordinary circumstances ensuring that his member companies are able to continue to distribute much needed chemical products, including sanitizers and other cleaning products, in response to the pandemic.  Our conversation focused on these uniquely “in the moment” issues and a broad range of federal,...