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The European Commission (EC) published on June 11, 2019, a call for data on the following ingredients used in cosmetic products:  gold (nano); colloidal gold (nano); platinum (nano); colloidal platinum (nano); copper (nano); and colloidal copper (nano).  The EC states that it has concerns about the use of nano forms of gold, colloidal gold, platinum, colloidal platinum, copper, and colloidal copper “because of the potential of nanoparticles to enter cells through dermal...

On July 5, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected an “invitation” to recognize liability under the False Claims Act (FCA) based on a company’s failure to meet a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reporting requirement and failure to pay an unassessed TSCA penalty.  Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP v. BASF Corp. (No. 1:16-cv-02269).  The court states that the FCA imposes civil liability on anyone who defrauds the federal government of...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has negotiated with patent holders to make genetically modified (GM) seeds available at the right time, price, and place to international and African-based technology owners. A business model provided by AATF and its partners, this initiative, called Seeds2B Project (Seeds2B), enables these business owners with the appropriate technologies to license their products to seed companies in...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On June 3, 2019, DOE announced a joint Call for Proposals for an opportunity to win $2 million in available funding for the advancement of geothermal research and development (R&D) through a partnership with more than 12 European countries. DOE is a member of a transnational consortium called GEOTHERMICA, which combines financial resources and research expertise to demonstrate and validate new concepts in geothermal energy use. The U.S. geothermal community will have the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On May 30, 2019, DOE also announced the release of GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet, an analysis on how the U.S. can benefit from the potential of geothermal energy. The report summarizes findings that show geothermal electricity generation could increase more than 26-fold from today. Geothermal energy has the potential to reach 60 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity (a 6GW growth) by 2050, including the provision of heating and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 30, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that its Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) released an updated version of an online computer model meant to help bioenergy developers to preserve water. Called Water Analysis Tool for Energy Resources (WATER), this online tool provides in-depth analysis of water consumption used in the development of bioenergy. Designed for industry leaders,...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 30, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released in final the regulatory changes allowing gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) to take advantage of the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver that applies to E10 during the summer months. This means that E15 can now be sold year-round in the U.S. without additional RVP control rather than just eight months of the year. EPA also released in final the rulemaking regulatory changes to modify...

The most recent episode of the National Nanotechnology Initiative’s (NNI) podcast series, Stories from the NNI, features Vince Caprio, Founder and Executive Director of the NanoBusiness Commercialization Association (NanoBCA).  Dr. Lisa Friedersdorf, Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), speaks with Caprio about his memories of the early establishment of NNI, his thoughts on major advances in nanotechnology for the past 15 years, and...

TSCA: Three Years Later, Monday, June 24, 2019, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (EDT), Milken Institute School Of Public Health, Washington, D.C.: Join the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) for a one-day conference providing updates and insights regarding year three of the federal government’s implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for...

As reported in our May 30, 2019, blog item, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently published several reports in its Series on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials, including Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials — Tour de Table.  The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on the occasion of the 19th meeting of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) in February...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 22, 2019, DOE EERE announced Ohio State University’s year one win of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge.  The EcoCAR competition, a four-year collegiate engineering competition focused on advancing energy technologies in the transportation sector, challenges universities to apply advanced propulsion systems, electrification, and other innovative technologies to transform their vehicles from design concept into reality.  Sponsored by General Motors and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 22, 2019, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a bill (S. 1614) to amend the Clean Air Act (CAA) to modify the definition of “renewable biomass” under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).  The CAA currently prohibits the use of biomass from federal lands in the making of renewable fuels as defined by the RFS.  The bill would allow the use of biomass from certain federal lands needing ecological restoration in the making of renewable fuels.  The...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 29, 2019, DOE EERE’s BETO reminded funding applicants of the upcoming deadline for concept paper submissions for a $79 million funding opportunity for bioenergy research and development (R&D): June 3, 2019. In support of DOE’s goal to provide consumers and businesses with a range of domestic energy options that are affordable, reliable, and secure, this funding opportunity announcement focuses on advancing BETO’s objectives. It includes biopower,...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 28, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced that, in partnership with its National Laboratories, it is dedicating the months of May and June to the public exploration of renewable biomass feedstocks used for the production of biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower in support of the U.S. bioeconomy. This means that during the months of May and June 2019, BETO...

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has posted the following reports in its Series on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials: Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials — Tour de Table: The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on the occasion of the 19th meeting of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) in February 2019.  It aims to summarize relevant information on activities...

On May 16, 2019, the Swedish National Platform for Nanosafety (SweNanoSafe) announced the availability of eREACHNano, “a new web tool focused on helping small and medium-sized companies that may lack sufficient in-house expertise on the regulation covering nanomaterials.”  The web tool explains the data requirements for nanoforms according to the guideline documents of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, including:...

Please check out Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.'s (B&C®) new podcast "Inside OCSPP with EPA Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn" on its All Things Chemical™ webpage.  In this podcast, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of B&C, presents a very special guest, the Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP):  Alexandra Dapolito Dunn.  As Assistant Administrator Dunn has spent just over...

Please check out Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.'s (B&C®) new podcast "Inside OCSPP with EPA Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn" on its All Things Chemical™ webpage.  In this podcast, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of B&C, presents a very special guest, the Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP):  Alexandra Dapolito Dunn.  As Assistant Administrator Dunn has spent just over five...

I am so pleased to present a very special guest this week, the Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP):  Alexandra Dunn.  Alex’s professional training could not be more perfect.  Alex is a lawyer and has practiced in both the private and non-profit sectors.  Alex has taught environmental law at several law schools and, while Dean of Environmental Law Programs at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, focused...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 15, 2019, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved approximately $11 million for clean energy demonstration projects that include biofuels, renewable gas, and microgrids. Funded by CEC’s Alternative and Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Technology Program, in support of clean transportation innovation, $2 million from the total funds have been approved for technology and investment solutions in hopes of demonstrating cost-effective and more sustainable processes...