May 28, 2021

Iowa Republican U.S. Senators And Representatives Call On President Biden To Uphold His Biofuel Prom

By  Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On May 25, 2021, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and House Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) joined forces in a letter to urge President Biden to uphold his promise to support biofuels in the next four years. Criticizing President Biden’s efforts under the American Jobs Plan for failing to include investments in biofuels, the...
May 27, 2021

DOE Announces Investment In R&D For Plastic Recycling Technologies

By  Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On May 25, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of up to $14.5 million in investments for research and development (R&D) to reduce waste and energy use related to the recycling of single-use plastics. As the largest subset of plastics found in landfills, single-use plastics, including plastic bags, wraps, and films, are also among the most challenging to recycle. According to DOE,...
May 27, 2021

Registration Opens for “TSCA Reform – Five Years Later,” an Essential Annual TSCA Event

A Timely and Essential Complimentary Conference Wednesday, June 30, 2021 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (EDT) Register Now Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health are pleased to present “TSCA Reform - Five Years Later.” This complimentary virtual conference marks the fifth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Annual Conference, reflecting on the accomplishments and...
May 24, 2021

EP Announces Funding For Projects Focused On The Transition To A Sustainable, Climate-Neutral, And C

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On May 18, 2021, the European Parliament (EP) issued a press release announcing the Just Transition Fund (JTF) to assist European Union (EU) countries to address climate neutrality goals. The Just Transition Fund is composed of €7.5 billion from the European Commission’s (EC) long-term EU budget under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and €10 billion from the EU recovery plan, NextGenerationEU....
May 20, 2021

EPA OPPT Strategic Plan for FYs 2021-2023 Outlines Six Priority Areas

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prepared a strategic plan for the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) for fiscal years (FY) 2021-2023. The strategic plan outlines how OPPT intends to fulfill its obligations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA), and related EPA policies and procedures “in ways that value science, protect people and the environment, and...
May 19, 2021

Registration Opens for Free Webinar on “TSCA: It Is Not What You May Think”

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. is pleased to announce that Lynn L. Bergeson will join the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s (RILA) Retail Compliance Center (RCC) on June 10, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) to present a webinar entitled “TSCA: It Is Not What You May Think.” For decades, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has been regarded as a “chemical producer” law that retailers, product manufacturers, and other “article” manufacturers could, for the most part,...
May 18, 2021

DOE Announces $35 Million In Funding To Reduce Carbon Emissions From Biofuel Production

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On May 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $35 million in funding for 15 research projects focused on reducing the carbon footprint of biofuel production. Housed at colleges, laboratories, and universities in nine states, these projects aim to advance new technologies to decarbonize biorefining processes in the agriculture, energy, and transportation sectors. Funding awards are supported by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy...
May 17, 2021

EPA Will Rescind Final Rule Establishing Administrative Procedures for Issuing Guidance Documents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish a final rule on May 18, 2021, that will rescind the October 18, 2020, rulemaking that established procedures for issuing, modifying, withdrawing, and using guidance documents. According to the final rule, after consideration and review, “EPA has concluded that the internal rule on guidance deprives the EPA of necessary flexibility in determining when and how best to issue public guidance based on particular facts...
May 13, 2021

DOE Selects Projects For Its Co-Optima Initiative For Biofuel And Combustion Engines

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected four research and development (R&D) projects focused on the interaction between promising biofuels and combustion engines. As part of the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office’s Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, the four projects will leverage National Laboratory capabilities that can bring biofuel-engine combinations closer to commercial adoption. Each project awardee will...
May 10, 2021

EPA Announces Disclosure Of CBI In RFS SRE Petitions And Related Information In EPA’s EMTS

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On May 5, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice of disclosure to all obligated parties under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program that have submitted small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions and to all parties whose RFS information otherwise resides in EPA’s Moderated Transaction System (EMTS).  EPA’s action is in response to a U.S. Government of Accountability Office (GAO) request to disclose such...