On January 31, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invited nominations of scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines to be considered for appointment to the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB). 88 Fed. Reg. 6255. The SAB is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) that provides independent scientific and technical peer review, consultation, advice, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the scientific bases for EPA’s actions and programs. The EPA...
Category: General
February 3, 2023
DOE Awards $118 Million to Accelerate Domestic Biofuel Production
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on January 26, 2023, $118 million in funding for 17 projects to accelerate the production of sustainable biofuels for America’s transportation and manufacturing needs. According to DOE, the selected projects, located at universities and private companies, “will drive the domestic production of biofuels and bioproducts by advancing biorefinery development, from pre-pilot to demonstration, to...
February 2, 2023
“What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023” Webinar Available On-Demand
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) January 31, 2023, webinar “What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C; James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant, B&C; Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C; and Dennis R. Deziel, Senior Government Affairs Advisor, B&C discussed...
February 2, 2023
“What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023” Webinar Available On-Demand
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) January 31, 2023, webinar “What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C; James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant, B&C; Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C; and Dennis R. Deziel, Senior Government Affairs Advisor, B&C discussed...
February 2, 2023
What to Expect on Capitol Hill and at EPA OCSPP in 2023 — A Conversation with Jim Aidala
February 1, 2023
FTC Extends Deadline for Comments on Green Guides to April 24, 2023
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on January 31, 2023, that it has extended the deadline for public comment on its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides) to April 24, 2023. FTC states in its December 14, 2022, news release that it seeks to update the Green Guides “based on increasing consumer interest in buying environmentally friendly products.” FTC expects “many public comments” on the following specific issues:...
RECORDED WEBINAR ON-DEMAND -- “What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023”: Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) January 31, 2023, webinar “What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2023” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C; James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant, B&C; Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.,...
February 1, 2023
EPA Opens Registration for ECOTOX Knowledgebase Encore Training Being Held February 7
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened registration for the second ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase (ECOTOX) virtual training on February 7, 2023. ECOTOX is a comprehensive, publicly available tool providing environmental toxicity data on aquatic life, terrestrial plants, and wildlife.? EPA states that the virtual training, which is specifically targeted for decision-makers, will provide: An overview of the database content and...
The SAE 2016 Government/Industry meeting provided opportunities for technical authorities from government, industry and academia who were leading advanced automotive technology, regulations and pending legislation to address issues influencing future decision making within the industry. Lynn L. Bergeson presented "TSCA's Impact on the Automotive Industry" on January 21, 2016.
January 31, 2023
DOE Publishes New Strategy for Plastics Innovation
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently published its new Strategy for Plastics Innovation (SPI), which will guide DOE’s collaborative research and development (R&D) on plastic waste reduction. Four strategic goals focus the scope of the SPI: Deconstruction: Create new chemical, thermal, and biological/hybrid pathways to deconstruct plastics efficiently into useful chemical intermediates; Upcycling: Advance the scientific and...
Chemicals are the foundational origin of just about everything we enjoy and cannot live without. The federal law that authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate industrial chemical substances is the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), an almost 47-year-old law significantly amended in 2016 by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg). Lautenberg’s passage was a bipartisan triumph marking the do-over of a law that many...
January 30, 2023
Analyzing the EPA’s Proposal to List PFAS Chemicals as Hazardous Substances, January 30, 2023, via webinar
The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) presented "Analyzing the EPA’s Proposal to List PFAS Chemicals as Hazardous Substances," focusing on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed rule designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This webinar discussed what this designation means for products regulation and for Superfund...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 19, 2023, the availability of and solicited public comment on a draft white paper entitled “Availability of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP).” 88 Fed. Reg. 3406. EPA states that it developed the draft white paper pursuant to the Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which requires EPA to develop a screening program to determine whether certain substances may...
January 24, 2023
Petition Filed to Add Polyphenylene Sulfide to List of Chemical Substances Subject to Superfund Excise Tax
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on December 30, 2022, that it received a petition requesting the addition of polyphenylene sulfide to the list of taxable substances under Section 4672(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. 87 Fed. Reg. 80579. The petitioner is Celanese Ltd., an exporter of polyphenylene sulfide. According to the petition, “polyphenylene sulfide is a high-performance thermoplastic, has high heat and chemical resistance, and is used in applications such as filters,...
January 23, 2023
Petition Filed to Add Bisphenol A Epoxy Resin Copolymer to List of Chemical Substances Subject to Superfund Excise Tax
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on January 19, 2023, that it received a petition requesting the addition of 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol-epichlorohydrin copolymer (bisphenol A epoxy resin) to the list of taxable substances under Section 4672(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. 88 Fed. Reg. 3478. The petitioner is Westlake Epoxy Inc., an exporter of 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol-epichlorohydrin copolymer. According to the petition, “4,4′-Isopropylidenediphenol-Epichlorohydrin...
L’association de veille et d’information civique sur les enjeux des nanosciences et nanotechnologies (AVICENN), a French non-governmental organization (NGO), announced on December 15, 2022, publication of a report entitled Searching for [Nanos] in Everyday Products. AVICENN sought to obtain an “overview of ‘nano impregnation’ in everyday consumer products in 2021-2022.” AVICENN selected products from categories already tested (food products, cosmetics, and medicines)...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to announce the following hirings and promotions. Catherine M. Croke, DBA, has been named Director of Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Croke is a highly experienced professional with more than three decades of successfully developing and executing product stewardship and regulatory compliance programs within global specialty chemicals and materials companies. She offers clients an exceptionally broad...
January 19, 2023
Recording Available For “Two Years Later: How Has the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Changed REACH and CLP Regulations?”
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) affiliate The Acta Group's (Acta®) January 17, 2023, webinar, “Two Years Later: How Has the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Changed REACH and CLP Regulations?,” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner, EPPA; Thomas Petry, Ph.D., Managing Director, ToxMinds; Jane S. Vergnes, Ph.D., DABT®, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Director of Toxicology, Acta;...
January 19, 2023
OSTP Releases Framework for Strengthening Federal Scientific Integrity Policies and Practices
On January 12, 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced the release of A Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice, “a roadmap that will help strengthen scientific integrity policies and practices across the federal government.” The framework builds on the assessment of federal scientific integrity policies and practices described in the January 2022 report, Protecting the Integrity of Government Science, and...
January 19, 2023