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On March 9, 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) published a report entitled Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology, prepared by the Committee on Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System (Committee). Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), was an external contributor to the Committee’s deliberations and presented...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Margaret R. Graham On March 9, 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) announced the release (pre-publication version) of a new report:  Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology.  Pursuant to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) July 2, 2015, memorandum, “Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products,” NAS was tasked with looking into the future and describing the...

?  Fuels America, “America’s Biofuel Advocates Reject Effort to Derail Renewable Fuel Standard”   ?   The Hill, “House GOP to Prioritize Ethanol, Pipeline Legislation”   ? Premier Jay Wetherill, “State Government to Support Legalisation of Industrial Hemp”   ? Oil Price, “Biofuels May be the Future of the Aviation Industry”   ? Princeton University, “Schmidt Fund Awards Go to Projects with...

On March 2, 2017, Kathleen M. Roberts, Executive Director of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), participated as a panelist alongside four other trade associations in the “Domestic Policy Forum” at the 2017 Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC2017).  Ms. Roberts discussed the challenges facing the bioeconomy, including the implementation of the amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), issues with the TSCA nomenclature system,...

On March 6, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in the Federal Register that an information collection request (ICR) had been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding consultations on the Safer Choice logo redesign.  Following the launch of the new Safer Choice logo, EPA plans to conduct consumer surveys to gauge consumer recognition of the new logo and to determine whether the new logo and educational activities are changing purchasing...

?  Washington University in St. Louis, “WashU Engineer to Design Catalyst for Wasted Plant Material”    ?  U.S. Air Force, “Langley 1 of 4 Bases to Test Bio-Based Grease”    ?  Times of India, “Fuel from Water Hyacinth? IIT-Kharagpur Shows the Way”    ?  Economic Times, “US Biofuels Lobbying Group Courts Its Rival Oil Companies to Combat Electric Car Threat”

On February 22, 2017, the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy announced seven recipients of $5.9 million in funding to develop novel ways to use carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from coal-fired power plants.  The projects will focus on converting captured CO2 to useable products.  Recipients of the funding include:   ?  The University of Kentucky Research Foundation will receive nearly $1 million to convert CO2 to bioplastics using microalgae.  In addition to developing a...

On February 9, 2017, Avantium announced a partnership with AkzoNobel (a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®)), Chemport Europe, RWE Generation, and Staatsbosbeheer to develop a reference plant at the Chemie Park Delfzijl in the Netherlands.  The plant will use a new technology, referred to as the Zambezi process, for the cost-effective production of high-purity glucose from non-food biomass, including forestry residue, pulp, and agricultural...

On February 21, 2017, USDA announced in the Federal Register that the comment period for the Designation of Product Categories for Federal Procurement proposed rule had been extended.  The proposed rule aims to amend the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement to add 12 product categories composed of intermediate ingredient and feedstock materials and to propose a minimum biobased content for each category.  In addition to the product categories and...

On February 17, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is accepting applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program.  The Program provides guaranteed loans for projects developing, constructing, or retrofitting commercial scale biorefineries and biobased product manufacturing facilities.  The developments must use eligible technology, including new commercial scale processing and manufacturing...

?  Stars and Stripes, “A Few Good Plants:  Military Looking for Way to Make Biodegradable Germinating Munitions”   ?  Bloomberg Quint, “Buffett, Icahn Interests Square Off in Biofuels Law Fight”   ? University of Minnesota, “Researchers Invent Process to Produce Renewable Car Tires from Trees, Grass”

The BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology brings together business leaders, investors, and policy makers in biofuels, biobased products, and renewable chemicals.  The event taking place July 23-26, 2017, at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, features two new tracks on Flavors, Fragrances and Food Ingredients; and Agricultural Crop Technologies and Biomass Supply.  Registration is now open.

The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference 2017 (ABLC 2017) will be held March 1 - 3, 2017, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.  ABLC is the gathering point for top leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy -- bringing together the entire spectrum of advanced fuels, chemicals, and materials chief executive officers (CEO) and senior executives, business developers, research and development (R&D) leaders, strategic partners, financiers, equity analysts, policymakers, and industry...

On February 9, 2017, Illinois State Senators Andy Manar and Chapin Rose introduced legislation aimed at growing Illinois’ biobased economy by providing incentives under the Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Program Act.  The program would provide credit against taxes for eligible Illinois businesses that produce renewable chemicals within the state using biomass feedstock and other renewable sources.  The legislation defines a renewable chemical as a building block with a...

Bio-based News, “Bio-based Economy and Climate Change” U.S. Navy, “ US Navy Synthetically Recreates Biomaterial to Assist Military Personnel”     University of Maine, “Senator King Joins National Laboratory Officials & UMaine to Announce Innovative Partnership to Grow Maine’s Economy”  Syracuse University, “A Better Way to Farm Algae"

?     Montana State University, “MSU Scientist Wins $1.2 Million Federal Grant to Improve Camelina Seed Qualities"    ?   Reuters, “U.S. Biofuels Credits Drop as EPA Delay Uncertainty Grips Market”   ?     European Environmental Bureau, “Joint Position Paper -- Bioplastics in a Circular Economy:  The Need to Focus on Waste Reduction and Prevention to Avoid False Solutions”   ?   Biofuels Digest,...

On January 27, 2017, AkzoNobel, a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), signed a framework joint development agreement with Itaconix, a specialty chemicals company and U.S. subsidiary of Revolymer, to explore opportunities for biobased polymer production.  According to the agreement, Itaconix will provide proprietary polymerization technology to turn itaconic acid from fermented sugars into polymers and AkzoNobel will carry out the development and...

?   Neste, “Neste Included on the Global 100 List of the World's Most Sustainable Companies for the 11th Consecutive Time”   ?   Gevo, “EPA Approves Pathway for Isobutanol as an Advanced Biofuel”   ?   National Biodiesel Board, “General Motors Announces 20 for B20 in Its Diesel Vehicle Lineup”   ?   Purdue University, “Shellfish Chemistry Combined with Polymer to Create New Biodegradable Adhesive”   ?...

The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference 2017 (ABLC 2017) will be held March 1 - 3, 2017, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.  ABLC is the gathering point for top leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy -- bringing together the entire spectrum of advanced fuels, chemicals, and materials CEOs and senior executives, business developers, R&D leaders, strategic partners, financiers, equity analysts, policymakers, and industry suppliers.  Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Senior Chemist...

Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), and Charles M. Auer, Senior Regulatory and Policy Advisor with B&C, have published “An Analysis of TSCA Reform Provisions Pertinent to Industrial Biotechnology Stakeholders,” in Industrial Biotechnology. This article discusses how the “New [Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)] fundamentally changes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approach to evaluating and managing...