B&C® Biobased and Sustainable Chemicals Blog

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant Program has announced the availability of funds to provide technical assistance (e.g., information, training, tools) to businesses to encourage the development and implementation of source reduction practices.  EPA states that source reduction practices can help businesses save money by reducing resource use, expenditures, waste, and liability costs, while at the same time reducing their environmental...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 22, 2020, three trade associations announced the launch of a strategy to tackle the transition into 100 percent biofuels for heating oil in English and Irish homes. A United Kingdom (UK) based trade association, the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) has partnered with the Tank Storage Association (TSA) and the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) to launch a future vision for liquid fuels, titled “Supply Chain Strategy...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 28, 2020, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) published a memorandum on the regulatory developments of the Sustainable Chemistry R&D Act of 2019 (Act), which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives late last year. The memorandum not only provides an overview of the proposed legislation, its implementation, and limitations, but also highlights the important milestones that could be achieved if the bill passes. The proposed bill seeks to...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 29, 2020, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and other House Democrats unveiled a five-year, $760 billion investment framework to repair and upgrade the U.S. infrastructure to create jobs while reducing carbon pollution, improving safety, and supporting economic activity. Called the “Moving Forward Framework for the People,” the plan includes measures to increase climate resiliency and put the United States on a path toward zero carbon pollution from...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 27, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that it is accepting comments on its proposed revisions to regulations implemented under the Federal Seed Act (FSA). The proposed rule includes revisions to seed labeling, testing, and certification requirements, including new eligibility standards and the recognition of current breeding techniques. Revised FSA regulations would add certain seed species to the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 24, 2020, as part of its sustainable transportation efforts, DOE announced a collaborative project with the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) to encourage the development of advanced fuels and efficient technologies in motorsports. Focused on vehicles at the racetrack, the collaboration was formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that names the combined effort the Green Racing Program (GRP). GRP aims to emphasize the importance of promoting...

By Lynn L. Bergeson Also on January 23, 2020, DOE announced that up to $64 million will be available in funding to advance innovations that will build new markets for the H2@Scale initiative. H2@Scale is an initiative focused on exploring the potential for wide-scale hydrogen production and utilization in the United States to enable resilience and sustainability of the power generation and transmission sectors. The initiative’s goal is to align diverse multibillion-dollar domestic...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 23, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of more than $96 million in funding for bioenergy research and development (R&D) in support of the U.S. bioeconomy. DOE’s funding efforts also align with its own goal to provide secure, affordable, and reliable domestic energy options for consumers and business. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) aims to advance DOE’s Bioenergy and Technology Office’s (BETO)...

By Lynn L. Bergeson Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) has launched the complete suite of TSCA TutorTM regulatory training courses online and on-demand at www.TSCAtutor.com. Professionals seeking expert, efficient, essential training can preview and enroll in on-demand classes to complete at their own pace and timing. In addition to the newly released online e-learning courses, B&C’s TSCA TutorTM training platform offers live in-person training at a company’s site and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson Pennsylvania State University’s (Penn State) Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences’ Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology (CoEIB) is now offering a new round of IMPACT Seed Grants to support interdisciplinary research, curricular development, or educational activities in the broad area of industrial biotechnology. These areas include but are not limited to: biopharmaceutical manufacturing, food biotechnology, and production of biobased chemicals....

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On January 17, 2020, the European Union (EU) announced a new innovative project called BIOGEARS that will be funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The project focuses on the development of biobased gear solutions for the creation of an eco-friendly offshore aquaculture sector using a multitrophic approach and new biobased value chains. With the aim to address the gap of biobased ropes for...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On January 23, 2020, DOE announced that up to $133 million will be available for new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies research designed to increase affordable, efficient, and secure transportation energy. This Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 opportunity will be funded by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and supports priorities in: (1) advanced engine and fuel technologies; (2) lightweight materials; (3) new energy efficient mobility...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On January 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Office announced the launch of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Tibbetts Awards. The Tibbetts Awards recognize companies, organizations, and individuals exemplifying the best of the best in the SBIR and STTR programs. Named after the founder of the SBIR program, Roland...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On January 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the issuance of a Request for Information (RFI) to assist with the creation of its new program called Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). A USDA Rural Development project, HBIIP is designed to expand the availability of domestic ethanol and biodiesel by incentivizing the expansion of sales of renewable fuels. Requesting feedback from all interested...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 10, 2020, the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland (NFUS) announced its pursuit for high level solutions to machinery problems linked to biofuel content. According to NFUS, many Scottish and UK farmers are experiencing issues because of the percentage of biofuel content in fuel for farming machinery. In December 2019, NFUS submitted a letter to Grant Shapps, Member of Parliament (MP) and Secretary of State for Transport, requesting long-term solutions...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 10, 2020, DOE announced that it will provide up to $75 million for research and development (R&D) of sustainable bioenergy crops within a period of five years. The bioenergy crops to be developed should be tolerant of environmental stress and resilient to changing environment conditions. Funded projects will focus on better comprehending the genetic and physiological mechanisms influencing plant productivity, resource use, and resilience, among other factors....

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On January 13, 2020, U.S. Representative Cindy Axne announced that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has responded to a bipartisan letter submitted by members of the House Biofuels Caucus (HBC) requesting an investigation into misuse of small refinery exemptions (SREs) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Submitted in August 2019, the bipartisan letter requested that GAO examine EPA’s review and approval of SRE...

By Lynn L. Bergeson In late December 2019, CRDF Global, an independent non-profit focused on the global scientific community and alternatives to weapons research, announced a partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES) in launching the 2020 U.S.-Ukraine Alternative Energy Research Competition. Currently accepting proposals from joint teams of U.S. and Ukrainian researchers, the competition will focus on the advancement of alternative energy sources. Intended to work...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 6, 2020, the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute opened its call for abstracts for the 24th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E). This year, the conference will be held in Seattle, WA, from June 16 to June 18, 2020. Conference sessions will include a wide variety of topics, including biobased and renewable chemicals innovation, innovation in analytical chemistry applications, and making organic chemistry more...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 2, 2020, EPA published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the updated “Working Approach” document for a 45-day comment period. As reported in the Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) December 20, 2019, blog item, EPA released an updated version of the “Working Approach” document that builds upon EPA’s November 2017 “New Chemicals Decision-Making Framework: Working Approach to Making Determinations...