All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) posted a blog item on October 24, 2013, concerning the use of nanotechnology to develop new drugs.

On October 9, 2013, enzyme producer Novozymes and biofuels producer Beta Renewables announced the opening of a new advanced biofuels facility located in Crescentino, Italy, that will make commercial quantities of cellulosic biofuels. More information on the announcement is available online.

RFA sponsored a study released this month by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The study is available online. In the study, NREL analyzed various studies on the effects of E15 use in Model Year 2001 and newer cars and found no meaningful difference in the use of E10 and E15 in those vehicles. This is a significant finding because many in the oil and gas industries, among others, have warned of potentially harmful effects of using E15 in cars. EPA has...

It is being reported that API and the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) are working together on potential legislative language to increase the value of RINs associated with advanced biofuels and to allow them to help make up conventional RINs due to blend wall constraints under the federal RFS. According to news reports, the two groups are working to present this potential language to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee who are working on developing legislation to modify the...

Obligated parties and the organizations that represent them continue efforts to challenge and weaken the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Several lawsuits have been filed recently in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit Court) challenging the final rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) setting the 2013 RFS requirements. Monroe Energy, a subsidiary of Delta Airlines, the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), and...

On October 8, 2013, Sweden issued a report proposing a national action plan for the safe use and management of nanomaterials. The report’s recommendations, as described in the English summary, include specific actions within several categories. Of particular interest are the following categories and specific recommendations: Measures for the development of the European Union’s (EU) regulatory framework: The government and relevant agencies shall work to bring about a revision...

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Safer Consumer Products Regulations are now in effect (See "California Cracks Down on Chemicals"). While the most onerous requirements for "responsible entities" (manufacturers, importers, assemblers and retailers) will not hit for a while, companies should consider taking some initial steps now to understand how these regulations may affect operations in the future.

The October 10, 2013, issue of Daily Environment Report featured a memorandum issued by Acta in the story “Toxic Substances Manufacturers Urged to Review Obligations as China Executes Hazardous Chemicals Rule:” “The Acta Group LLC, a consulting affiliate of the law firm Bergeson & Campbell P.C., released a bulletin Oct. 8 that also urged organizations with interests in China to review the draft catalog and assess their business and compliance obligations to avoid later...

In an October 11, 2013, story titled “Pesticide Imports Halted at U.S. Ports; Importers Seek to Gauge, Address Impact,” James V. Aidala shared his insight on possible effects of the government shutdown on the processing of import notices: “Jim Aidala, former assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, told Bloomberg BNA that the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA)—not the pesticide office—processes import notices....

Inside E.P.A. Weekly Report, October 11, 2013, featured comments made by Kathleen M. Roberts, Vice President of B&C affiliate Bergeson & Campbell Consortia Management, in “Industry Questions EPA Planning Of New TSCA Risk Assessment Program:”“During the Sept. 26 meeting, the first of three peer review meetings, officials with the NMP Producers Group, an affiliate of the law firm Bergeson & Campbell, told the panelists reviewing DCM and NMP that similarities between industry...

Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP PLC and DuPont, announced that it has broken ground on a plant to produce isobutanol, a renewable fuel that EPA has determined can qualify for credit under the federal RFS. Butamax is working to retrofit Highwater Ethanol LLC, an existing ethanol plant located in Lamberton, Minnesota. The announcement is significant because Butamax has been in ongoing litigation with the other U.S. isobutanol producer, Gevo. Also, isobutanol may be...

On Tuesday, October 8, 2013, the American Petroleum Institute (API) filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit Court) challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule setting the 2013 renewable volume obligations (RVO) under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). While the petition for review lacks details about the lawsuit as such petitions are for notice purposes only, it is reported that API's main...

The application of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to biobased chemicals is sometimes overlooked, given the enthusiasm supporting the commercialization of biobased products. This “Washington Watch” article explains TSCA’s application to these products and outlines strategies to ensure the successful marketing of biobased chemical products.

In an October 7, 2013, story titled “US EPA’s Pesticide Programme Halted by Shutdown,” Agrow Daily News Alert quoted James V. Aidala: “Key OPP policy initiatives are also on hold, including the effort to address concerns about the decline of bees through revised labels for neonicotinoid insecticides. The EPA asked for registrants of four neonicotinoids - imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin and thiamethoxam - to submit revised labels by October 1st with the aim of getting...

On September 26, 2013, cellulosic biofuels company KiOR, Inc. announced that it intends to build a second cellulosic biorefinery near its existing plant in Columbus, Mississippi. This second plant, or "Columbus II," is expected to cost $225 million and the Company intends to build it in 18 months after it raises sufficient capital. This announcement is significant, especially as it comes at a time when federal RFS opponents are strong and have waged a campaign to dismantle the law in...

On Monday, September 30, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it intends to award $100 million for cutting edge energy research in areas including biofuels as part of its Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC). In 2009, DOE granted five-year awards ranging from $2 million to $5 million per year to each of 46 EFRCs throughout the country. The current Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is available online. Under the FOA, applicants must submit a letter of intent to apply...