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“The newly formed Alliance for Chemical Nomenclature (AChN), is comprised of manufacturers and users of fractioned substances as well as manufacturers and users of unknown, variable, complex, or biological substances (UVCBs), who could potentially be affected by EPA enforcement actions now targeting a growing number of companies for alleged reporting violations, according to a March 11 blog post by Kathleen Roberts of B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C., which is affiliated with the corporate...

On April 17, 2013, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills launched a public consultation on the implementation of the recast Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The consultation focuses on how the government should amend the existing WEEE regulations to ensure compliance with the recast WEEE Directive published on July 24, 2012, and on how to respond to concerns from UK producers of electrical and electronic equipment under the...

In its April 30, 2012, publication, FY 2013 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) National Program Manager (NPM) Guidance, OECA discusses its enforcement objectives and program priorities for fiscal year (FY) 2013. In discussing notable changes for FY 2013 from FY 2012, OECA lists budget challenges and states that it must cut resources in certain areas: “Anticipating tight budgets in FY 2013 and beyond, EPA’s enforcement program needs to focus its limited...

James V. Aidala was quoted in the April 12, 2013 Pesticide and Chemical Policy Daily News Alert: “The EPA’s new guideline, a revision of an August 2012 draft, is being met with qualified praise. “It’s a step in the right direction,” Jim Aidala, senior government consultant, Bergeson & Campbell told Pesticide & Chemical Policy.”...

Pesticide and Chemical Policy quoted Lynn L. Bergeson in their April 12, 2013 Daily News Alert article on the reintroduced Safe Chemicals Act: “The Lautenberg bill is “the same as it ever was … and offers no changes from what was passed,” says Lynn Bergeson. “It is discouraging there is nothing new.” But something new could be coming soon, specifically a Republican proposal to revamp TSCA from Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), the ranking member of the EPW committee....

On April 10, 2013, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released what many believe to be the last revisions to the proposed Safer Consumer Products Regulations (Revised Proposed Regulations). The Revised Proposed Regulations are subject to a 15-day comment period, ending April 25, 2013. Memoranda providing background information are available online. The Revised Proposed Regulations are available online. In summary, DTSC has not made many significant...

On April 10, 2013, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) reintroduced the Safe Chemicals Act (S. 696), which would reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and is identical to legislation (S. 847) reported favorably out of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee on a party-line vote in the 112th Congress. In his April 10, 2013, press release, Senator Lautenberg states that, compared to earlier versions of the legislation, the Safe Chemicals Act of...

President Obama won a decisive victory on November 6, 2012, and the forecast for the next four years is clearer now than it was pre-election. This Washington Watch column offers some preliminary observations on what lies ahead for domestic environmental management issues at the legislative and regulatory levels....

On Feb. 7, 2013, EPA proposed 2013 renewable fuel standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuels that apply to all gasoline and diesel produced or imported in year 2013. (78 Fed. Reg. 9282.) The proposal would require producers, importers and distributors of gasoline and diesel to add larger proportions of renewable fuel to their fuel products. EPA has also proposed, in a separate rulemaking signed on Jan. 31, 2013, an...

On February 21, 2013, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a landmark decision in Dow Agrosciences v. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). It set aside a Biological Opinion (BiOp) prepared by the NMFS that found use of pesticides chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion could jeopardize certain species of salmon and their habitat. The decision will have significant implications for the government and pesticide registrants alike. Here’s why....