The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice on March 20, 2020, inviting the public to nominate scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines to be considered for appointment to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). 85 Fed. Reg. 16094. EPA is seeking nominations of individuals who have demonstrated high levels of expertise in scientific and/or technical fields relevant to...
By Lynn L. Bergeson The Product Stewardship Society is now accepting nominations for officials from member companies to serve on its Board of Directors. The Board establishes the organization’s strategic direction and goals, and monitors progress toward reaching those goals. Nominees must be members in good standing; self-nominations are allowed. “Our Board members are leaders in a diverse range of business sectors. We are looking for leaders who have a passion for the Society and...
March 20, 2020
EPA Releases Final Rule On Procedures For Review Of CBI Claims For The Identity Of Chemicals On The
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 6, 2020, EPA published its final rule on procedures for review of confidential business information (CBI) claims made under TSCA. 85 Fed. Reg. 13062. The final rule includes the requirements for regulated entities to substantiate certain CBI claims made under TSCA to protect the specific chemical identities of chemical substances on the confidential portion of the TSCA Inventory, and EPA’s plan for reviewing certain CBI claims for specific chemical...
March 20, 2020
DOE Releases FOA For Plastics Recycling R&D
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 16, 2020, DOE EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Bioenergy Technologies Office used a joint funding opportunity announcement (FOA) of up to $25 million for plastics recycling R&D. As part of the Department’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, this FOA has been titled “BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics Out of Landfills and the Environment.” The BOTTLE FOA will support the development of new plastics capable of...
March 20, 2020
DOE Cancels Biomass R&D Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced the cancellation of the March 24 and March 25, 2020, Biomass Research and Development (R&D) Technical Advisory Committee....
March 20, 2020
EPA Will Amend CDR Rule And Extend 2020 Submission Period
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 17, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a final rule amending the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule. According to EPA, the amendments are intended to reduce the burden for certain CDR reporters, improve the quality of CDR data collected, and align reporting requirements with the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act’s (Lautenberg Act) amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 6, 2020, EPA announced via the Federal Register its final rule on requirements for regulated entities to substantiate certain confidential business information (CBI) made under TSCA. The substantiation requirements describe the applicable procedures and provide instructions for regulated entities, providing the review criteria and related procedures that EPA will use to complete the reviews within the five-year time frame set in TSCA. The final rule will be effective...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that up to $20 million in funding is available for workforce development at universities in emerging energy fields. Aiming to prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers, DOE’s investment will fund a land grant university to pursue interdisciplinary research through the support of expansions of existing joint graduate education programs with DOE National Laboratories. This effort will be led...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 3, 2020, EPA announced that a supplemental notice of the proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) titled “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” will be published in the Federal Register in the near future. While the notice would only modify EPA internal procedures, industry stakeholders are asked to comment on the proposed rule during a 30-day period after the date of publication in the Federal Register. The supplemental notice proposes the following...
March 13, 2020
EPA Adds Two Microorganisms To List Of Microoganisms Eligible For Exemption From Certain TSCA Report
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 10, 2020, EPA announced that it issued a final rule to add two strains of microorganisms to the list of microorganisms eligible for an exemption from certain reporting requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA states that manufacturers of new intergeneric Trichoderma reesei (strain QM6a) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (subspecies amyloliquefaciens) may now be eligible to undergo a streamlined review process under TSCA’s new chemicals...