On March 8, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened a 30-day comment period on nominations for candidates to serve on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). According to EPA, there are currently 17 SACC members, with eight membership terms that will soon expire. Biographies for all candidates under consideration are available online. In addition, biographies for current SACC members are available on the SACC website. Comments on...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 2, 2023, that the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) will hold two public listening sessions to receive individual input related to concerns about potential liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). According to EPA, it will review and consider the input received in drafting a “CERCLA per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)...
In February 2023, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published a summary of learnings and potential recommendations on broadening public engagement in the federal regulatory process. The learnings and recommendations were developed from written submissions and a public engagement session in November 2022 with hundreds of participants. OIRA invites feedback on the recommendations as it continues to...
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a workshop on May 23, 2023, to examine “recyclable” adverting claims as part of its review of the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides). The workshop, “Talking Trash at the FTC: Recyclable Claims and the Green Guides,” is free and open to the public, and pre-registration is not required. According to the pre-publication version of the Federal Register notice announcing the meeting, the workshop will cover...
On January 27, 2023, plaintiffs in the Southern District of New York announced their displeasure with the inconvenient fact that Tom’s Wicked Fresh! mouthwash contains measurable concentrations of PFAS. They channeled their displeasure by bringing a class action suit against Colgate-Palmolive Company and Tom’s of Maine, Inc. for fraud and unjust enrichment based on several state consumer protection laws, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and common law tort. Plaintiffs assert...
February 22, 2023
EPA Will Hold Regional PFAS Community Engagement Sessions in February and March 2023
As reported in our October 19, 2021, memorandum, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021, “laying out a whole-of-agency approach” to addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). As part of the Roadmap, EPA committed to engage with communities in each EPA region to understand better their experiences and challenges in addressing PFAS contamination. To help inform EPA’s ongoing work under the Roadmap, EPA...
February 21, 2023
EPA Seeks Experts to Serve on BOSC Panel to Review Documents Concerning New EPA Transcriptomic Assessment Product
On February 15, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested nominations for technical experts to serve as Special Government Employees (SGE) on a review panel under the authority of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC), a federal advisory committee to the Office of Research and Development (ORD). 88 Fed. Reg. 9880. EPA states that selected experts will review ORD’s draft documents detailing scientific studies supporting the development of transcriptomic-based...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 16, 2023, that the latest Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory is now available on its website. The TSCA Inventory is a list of all existing chemical substances manufactured, processed, or imported in the United States. According to EPA, this update to the public TSCA Inventory is part of its biannual posting of non-confidential Inventory data. EPA plans the next regular update of the TSCA...
February 14, 2023
EPA Accepting Public Comments on Candidates to Be Ad Hoc Reviewers for Draft Documents Related to Cumulative Risk Assessment under TSCA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 13, 2023, that it will accept public comments on candidates under consideration for selection as ad hoc reviewers to assist the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with peer review of two draft documents related to cumulative risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Biographies of these candidates are available on regulations.gov. If selected, candidates will serve as...
February 14, 2023
NYS DEC Accepting Comments until March 20, 2023, on Chemicals under Consideration for Listing as Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Products
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) will hold a virtual public meeting on February 16, 2023, postponed from January 10, 2023, on the chemicals under consideration for listing as Chemicals of Concern (COC) and High-Priority Chemicals (HPC) for the Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Products (TCCP) program. NYS DEC will present an overview of the enacted TCCP law and discuss the chemicals under consideration for listing as COCs and HPCs that manufacturers will be...