On December 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Progress Report. The report shows the timeline of achievements that have been made since 2014 when the Roadmap was originally created, including the new Renewable Fuel Standard rule, streamlined REAP applications and scoring criteria, expanded biomass definitions, and increased funding for a larger range of...
Category: USDA
January 5, 2016
Predictions and Outlook for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) 2016
Click here for a PDF version of the memorandum. Even if Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) legislation is not enacted, 2016 will be a momentous year. As the curtain closes on eight years of the Obama Administration, there are a number of items expected to be among the "legacy" issues in the chemical and pesticide regulation space. Enhanced protections for farmworkers, more protective assessment policies, and a re-energized toxic chemical assessment program are among the short list of notable...
December 14, 2015
EPA Makes Available Supporting Documents for Endangered Species Biological Evaluations
On December 11, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) made publicly available several documents associated with the Biological Evaluations (BE) for the first three “pilot” chemicals that are being evaluated: chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion. For each chemical, the following supporting documents are now available: problem formulation; fate and effects characterizations; and related appendices. ...
On November 19, 2015, the USDA published Notice of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) Meeting in the Federal Register. The meeting will review the purpose, history, operational process, and member responsibilities of the AC21; update committee members on relevant regulatory developments, initiatives, and USDA activities; and to outline new tasks for the committee to address. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to make...
December 4, 2015
Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News
? Biofuels Digest, "Innovation to Tackle Climate Change and Feed a Growing Population: Commercializing Synthetic Biology" ? Energy.gov, "BETO-Funded Projects Win at the 2015 R&D 100 Awards" ? Oregon Best, "A New Formaldehyde-Free Wood Adhesive" ? Net Composites, "Laurel Biocomposite Earns USDA Certified Biobased Label for Three Products" ? Business Wire, "World's First Biofuel Facility to Operate Entirely on Renewable Heat and Power to Go...
On November 19, 2015, USDA published a Notice of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) Meeting in the Federal Register. The meeting will review the purpose, history, operational process, and member responsibilities of AC21; update committee members on relevant regulatory developments, initiatives, and USDA activities; and outline new tasks for the committee to address. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to make oral statements, as...
November 24, 2015
EPA Seeks To Vacate Enlist Duo Herbicide FIFRA Registration And Other Recent FIFRA Developments
EPA Seeks To Vacate Enlist Duo Herbicide FIFRA Registration: On November 24, 2015, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Case No. 14-7335, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a motion to vacate voluntarily and remand its registration of Dow AgroSciences LLC's (DowAgro) Enlist Duo herbicide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The motion for vacatur is unusual and noteworthy to all pesticide registrants. The case commenced in...
November 20, 2015
Phase I Of The Nutrient Recycling Challenge Competition Announced
On November 12, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other environmental and scientific experts to create the Nutrient Recycling Challenge (NRC). The competition was created to develop technology to recycle nitrogen and phosphorus from the more than one billion tons of livestock waste that is produced annually. The NRC is made up of four phases, allowing innovators to turn concepts into designs, and...
November 13, 2015
Open Meeting Of The Biomass Research And Development Technical Advisory Committee Announced
On November 4, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee. The meeting is intended to develop guidance promoting the research and development (R&D) of biobased fuel and product production. In addition to an opportunity for members of the public to make oral statements, the meeting will cover an update on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and DOE...
November 6, 2015
Inside EPA Includes Comments From Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. In Article “Agencies Receive Conflicting Comments On Update Of Biotech Reviews”
On November 6, 2015, Inside EPA included comments made by Richard E. Engler, Ph. D. at a public meeting held by EPA, USDA, and FDA to update the federal coordinated framework for how the three agencies regulate biotechnology. […]Industry officials, meanwhile, emphasized biotechnology's growing importance in food production and cautioned that over-regulation will stifle innovation. Officials with Dupont and the law firm Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., which represents...