News & Events

In the March 30, 2015 BNA Daily Environment Report Special Report “Questions About Fees, Hiring Staff Among Issues Raised by TSCA Reform Bills,” a reporter spoke with James V. Aidala , Senior Government Consultant with B&C and former Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) (now the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention). To secure money from the fees, the EPA’s chemicals office will...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its affiliate organizations are investigating the possibility of hosting a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Sustainable Futures workshop on the West Coast in late 2015. As you may know, Sustainable Futures training focuses on a variety of tools, methods, and models that can be used to assess the hazard and potential exposure of chemicals. The intensive, hands-on training provided at Sustainable Futures workshops allows...

The March 27, 2015 issue of Inside EPA featured commentary from B&C in an article reporting on the perceived increasing divide on the Supreme Court about the level of deference to give EPA and other agencies in their statutory and regulatory powers, and the use of the justices’ recent statements by plaintiffs and others to argue for stricter judicial oversight of EPA rules. Meanwhile, a March 16 blog post by the law firm Bergeson & Campbell says even the...

In a March 26, 2015 story on EPA’s proposed rule regarding reporting requirements for companies that make or process nanoengineered chemicals, “Chemical Manufacturers, Processors To Report Basic Data Under EPA Proposal,” Lynn L. Bergeson was quoted.  In a break from previous data-collection rules, the proposed rule would apply to both chemical manufacturers and chemical processors, Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C., told Bloomberg BNA in a March...

In the article “OMB Clears Proposed Data-Collection Rule by EPA After More Than Four Years of Review,”  Daily Environment Report quoted B&C Managing Partner Lynn L. Bergeson : Bergeson said she has heard that vague terms such as “novel properties” and “trace amounts” have been suggested for inclusion in the proposal as the data collection rule was reviewed by various agencies and federal offices. The use of such unclear terms could pose...

The increasing share of government investment in understanding the environmental, safety and health implications reflects the rise in the commercialization of nanotechnology and the penetration of nano-enhanced products in industry and the marketplace, nanotechnology law and policy specialists told Bloomberg BNA. ‘‘As the commercial applications of nanotechnology have increased and as the federal government has become more engaged, agencies have been very clear about the need for targeted,...

A February 18, 2015 Daily News feature on InsideEPA.com included comments made by James V. Aidala  as part of a presentation before the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture: In a Feb. 3 presentation to NASDA, Jim Aidala of the Washington, DC, law and consulting firm Bergeson & Campbell PC, said the federal strategy will include strict requirements on pesticide labels that must be followed wherever state plans are not in use. But Aidala said EPA’s...

Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C., told Bloomberg BNA in an e-mail that the council’s timetables for developing work plans on chemical risk assessments, SNAcs and SNURs are aggressive. Based on a December webinar the council held, interested parties will be involved in a Web conference, face-to-face meetings and consultations beginning this year and throughout 2016, she said....

Thursday, April 2, 20151:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (EDT) This webinar has occurred.  For copies of presentation materials contact chad.howlin@lawbc.com.  On February 9, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the “Enforcement Guidance for the Hazard Communication Standard’s (HCS) June 1, 2015, Effective Date” (Guidance). The Guidance offers important insights into OSHA’s HCS enforcement...

The Acta Group (Acta®) is pleased to offer to GlobalChem attendees a complimentary 30-minute private session on March 3 with Acta professionals and Acta’s South Korean-based affiliate, SHES Chemical Consulting (SHES), to answer questions relating to K-REACH, European REACH, TSCA, or other Asian chemical notification/regulation programs, as requested. This service is offered free of charge, provides an excellent opportunity to maximize your attendance at GlobalChem, and is...

March 12, 20152:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (EDT) This webinar has occurred.  For copies of presentation materials contact chad.howlin@lawbc.com.  Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to host a complimentary webinar on recent compliance and enforcement issues regarding the importation of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2014 revisions to its Notice of Arrival (NOA)...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®), a global scientific and business consulting firm offering a full range of support services for the process of obtaining approvals to market industrial chemicals, biocides, and chemical products with offices in Washington, D.C., Beijing, China, and Manchester, UK, has been named to the shortlist of candidates for two Chemicals Northwest 2015 Awards: “Chemical Services Provider Award,” and “Business Improvement...

The Environmental Law Institute will host a complimentary webinar, “Neonicotinoids and Colony Collapse Disorder: Regulating and Product Stewardship in the Face of Uncertainty,” on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (EST). The webinar is open to the public but registration is required. Fraught with both scientific uncertainty and the potential for significant agricultural and ecological consequences, the debate over neonicotinoid regulation is at...

March 12, 20152:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (EDT) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to host a complimentary webinar on recent compliance and enforcement issues regarding the importation of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2014 revisions to its Notice of Arrival (NOA) form (EPA Form 3540-1), coupled with EPA’s increasing scrutiny of pesticide imports, indicate that this...

REGISTER FOR ABLC 2015 by Friday, February 13, 2015, for discounted rates. The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference 2015 (ABLC 2015), to be held March 11-13, 2015, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., 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 development, R&D leaders, strategic partners, financiers, equity analysts,...

Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report sought insight from James V. Aidala for the February 4, 2015 story “EPA Proposal to Increase New Chemical Fees Has Been Tried Before, and Failed.” Jim Aidala, a senior government consultant with Bergeson & Campbell P.C., told Bloomberg BNA that the proposal to increase the premanufacturing notices fee is a routine request included in Executive Office budget requests. Aidala formerly served as an assistant administrator for the...

On January 16, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a petition from the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) to add “biodiesel” as a chemical category for partial reporting exemption at 40 C.F.R. Section 711.6(b)(2)(iv) under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule and will be proceeding with a direct final rule to be published later in January. The approved biodiesel category on the partial reporting exemption list will include the...

Comments made by Lynn Bergeson were published by Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report in an article about recent and continuing efforts to pass a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform bill. Federal preemption of state chemical regulation purposely was not addressed in a widely circulated draft revision of S. 1009 that never was introduced, and the preemption issue remains a challenge, Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C., told Bloomberg BNA in an...

Comments made by Jane S. Vergnes, Ph.D., were featured in a Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report article covering the initial determination by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that additional data are needed to establish that six chemicals submitted for inclusion as active ingredients in the over-the-counter sunscreen monograph using the Time and Extent Application processes are generally recognized as safe and effective.   The decisions show the bar to get...

Inside EPA featured comments made by Lynn L. Bergeson in an Inside EPA article on issues impacting TSCA reform: Lynn Bergeson, of the Washington, DC, firm Bergeson & Campbell, noted that the “rights of states need to be part of the discussion on preemption in reform talks during the next Congress,” adding that the importance of the issue “cannot be overestimated’ in securing approval of a TSCA reform bill.”...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to announce the addition of Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., to our firms as Senior Policy Advisor. Dr. Engler is a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is one of the most widely recognized experts in the field of green chemistry, having served as senior staff scientist in EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and leader of EPA’s Green...

B&C Senior Policy Advisor Richard Engler, Ph.D., was quoted in a BNA Daily Environment Report article discussing the best ways to reduce or eliminate the use chemicals of concern by companies and regulators: “Understanding the functional use of a chemical is vital to maximizing the sustainability of a solution to a particular problem,” Richard Engler, who served as leader of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Chemistry Program prior to joining the law...

Inside EPA included comments made by Lynn L. Bergeson at the keynote address of the Chemical Watch U.S. Regulatory Summit discussing “the prospects for more substantive U.S. legislative change following the recent mid-term elections.” Lynn Bergeson stated that the “’rights of states need to be part of the discussion on preemption in reform talks during the next Congress,’ adding that the importance of the issue ‘cannot be overestimated’ in securing approval of a TSCA reform...

The attorneys, scientists, and regulatory professionals of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are proud to have authored Global Chemical Control Handbook: A Guide to Chemical Management Programs, recently released by the American Bar Association. Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of B&C and President of Acta, provided the guiding vision for this comprehensive desk reference book as editor and co-author. Reflecting on the work of her colleagues, and...

**REMINDER** Webinar Presented by Bloomberg BNAWednesday, December 10, 20141:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EST) For more information and to register, visit NAFTA Members’ GHS Programs: A Comparative Analysis. The cost of the webinar is $299, which includes a CD recording of the webinar, or $224 for the webinar only. CPE and CLE credits are available. While the United Nations’ (UN) Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) model...

This webinar has occurred.  For copies of presentation materials contact chad.howlin@lawbc.com.  Thursday, December 4, 2014Two webinars optimized for EU and U.S. participants EU-focused: 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (EST)/11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (GMT)U.S.-focused: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (EST)/6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (GMT) The Toxic Chemicals Control Act (TCCA) of 1991 — the key law addressing the basic management of industrial chemicals — will be divided, as...

Webinar Presented by Bloomberg BNAWednesday, December 10, 20141:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EST) While the United Nations’ (UN) Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) model provides a backbone for hazard communications, it is only a tool for other nations to utilize, adopt, and amend as appropriate for their country-specific needs. There are substantial differences among the approaches taken by Canada, Mexico, and the United States in GHS...

Comments by Lynn L. Bergeson were featured in an article by Chemical Watch that discussed the likelihood that the U.S. EPA’s initiatives will come under increased scrutiny in Congress when Republicans take control of both chambers next year. “’Given Senator Inhofe’s strong views on EPA, it would not surprise me if he took direct aim at many EPA initiatives, starting with, but by no means ending with, climate change,’ said Lynn Bergeson of the law firm Bergeson...

REMINDER Join Gradient and Bergeson & Campbell for a webinar and online discussion series regarding the scientific, legal, and business implications brought on by the widespread implementation of GHS principles. Major changes for chemical manufacturers and importers are in store on June 1, 2015, when the key provisions of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (“HazCom” 2012) take effect. HazCom 2012, which mandates alignment with...

Chemical Watch quoted Lynn L. Bergeson in a November 12, 2014, article about the effects of a Republican-controlled Congress. “’Given the Republican gains in the Congress, one scenario would be a strong effort to push through the Udall-Vitter proposal,’ said Lynn Bergeson of the law firm Bergeson & Campbell. If Mr Inhofe becomes the chair of the EPW Committee, ‘trying to make discussion, using this proposal as a starting point, makes sense’, she said.”...

Article Featured in Industrial Biotechnology Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and Of Counsel with the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), Charles M. Auer of Charles Auer & Associates, LLC, and Oscar Hernandez, Ph.D. of Oscar Hernandez & Associates, LLC, have published “Creative Adaptation: Enhancing Oversight of Synthetic Biology Under the Toxic Substances Control Act” in...

SAVE THE DATE Thursday, December 4, 2014Two webinars optimized for EU and U.S. participantsEU-focused: 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (EST)/11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (GMT)U.S.-focused: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (EST)/6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (GMT) The Toxic Chemicals Control Act (TCCA) of 1991 — the key law addressing the basic management of industrial chemicals — will be divided, as of January 1, 2015, into two regulatory schemes: South Korea’s newly minted chemical...

New ABA book edited by Lynn L. Bergeson, Global Chemical Control Handbook, Announced at Conference ChemCon the Americas 2014 brought together an international audience of over 200 industry, regulatory, and policy leaders in Chicago, Illinois, October 27-31, 2014, to go in-depth on virtually every major chemical regulatory issue worldwide. Speakers included Mike Rasenberg of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Dr. Jeffrey Morris of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dan...

Join Gradient and Bergeson & Campbell for a webinar and online discussion series regarding the scientific, legal, and business implications brought on by the widespread implementation of GHS principles. Major changes for chemical manufacturers and importers are in store on June 1, 2015, when the key provisions of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (“HazCom” 2012) take effect. HazCom 2012, which mandates alignment with the...

Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report quoted Lynn L. Bergeson in an October 31, 2014 article on silicon carbide. “Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C., which has tracked global developments of policies and regulations for nanotechnologies, said IARC’s conclusions about carbon nanotubes reflect the state of the science as it exists today and are thus necessarily limited. ‘The good news is there is no data at this time to suggest carbon nanotubes cause...

Inside EPA quoted an October 23, 2014, email commentary from Bergeson & Campbell P.C.® discussing the effectiveness of the Toxic Substances Control Act Work Plan. The Work Plan “reflects a certain nimbleness and elasticity in the program, features that are essential to the success of any chemical assessment process,” said the email. “The update also speaks favorably of the Work Plan’s ability to accommodate new information and recalibrate on an ongoing basis. . . ....

On October 21, 2014, the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) submitted petitions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting that biodiesel fuel manufacturers be granted the same Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) exemptions that petroleum-based diesel manufacturers already receive. BRAG made its petitions through two mechanisms allowed under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) rules. BRAG’s petitioning of EPA was reported in the Bloomberg BNA Daily...

The October 24, 2014, Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report featured comments from Lynn L. Bergeson about the restructuring of the EPA’s registration division. “Lynn Bergeson, head of the law firm Bergeson & Campbell, told Bloomberg BNA that the impetus for these moves was likely to make sure the division meets its statutory deadlines to issue registrations. ‘I think the decision to reorganize was driven entirely by EPA’s desire to ensure more people are working on registration...

Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report quoted Lynn L. Bergeson in an October 20, 2014, story that explored the outcome of a Republican held Senate. “ ‘There are signs the House will remain engaged, suggesting that 2015 could be the year for TSCA reform,’ said Bergeson. ‘How extensive the reform, whether it will address all the TSCA issues that have been discussed for years, whether it will stem the tide of state chemical-specific measures and whether consumer confidence will be...

Bloomberg BNA Chemical Regulation Reporter featured comments on the use of nanoengineered chemicals by Lynn L. Bergeson in an October 16, 2014, article covering a webinar on nanotechnology issues offered by the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA). “Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C., who participated in the A&WMA’s webinar, pointed to an example of a beneficial use of a nanoengineered chemical. The day of the webinar, the EPA...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are proud to be sponsors, presenters, and/or exhibitors at a select number of special events this Fall that will present focused education and guidance on key issues: WEBINAR — Regulation of Nanotechnology: Practical Information for Industry, Researchers and Other Stakeholders, October 16, 2014, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EDT) This webinar, presented by the Air & Waste Management Association...

Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report featured comments by Lynn L. Bergeson in an October 8, 2014 story regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent withdrawal of a reporting rule regarding nanoscale materials that it submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) four years ago, and the significant new use rule (SNUR) it proposed the same day as the withdrawal (RIN No. 2070-AJ54). ‘‘ ‘Some of us had speculated that EPA had given up the ghost,’...

Lynn L. Bergeson was quoted in Law360 discussing the recently released proposals to update the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). “‘Electing to eliminate any preemptive effect virtually assures the propagation of inconsistent, random state and local chemical regulations,’ Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell PC, said. ‘The patchwork approach to state and local regulations is the nemesis of the business community and a key driver for TSCA reform.’ Bergeson...

Chemical Watch quoted Lynn L. Bergeson discussing California’s influence on US and world regulatory programs: ” ‘In a word, size matters,’ said Lynn L. Bergeson. ‘California’s economy is the eighth largest in the world if it is compared to those of whole countries, and it accounts for 13% of US gross domestic product (GDP). The state has a rich, and well-deserved, reputation as a trendsetter. Its approach to the regulation of volatile organic...

The benefits of forming or joining a chemical industry consortium go well beyond responding to test rules or other regulatory programs forcing coordination and cooperation among market competitors. B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) assists a number of companies that are working together within formal trade groups to achieve industry-wide goals that single companies could not accomplish on their own. These include addressing misperceptions regarding chemical products,...

October 22-24, 2014, San Francisco, California With the Draft Initial Priority Product Work Plan by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) now released, it is important for manufacturers, importers, and retailers of consumer products in the categories listed by DTSC in the Work Plan to understand and address any issues. The upcoming Safer Consumer Products Summit, of which Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is a proud sponsor, will bring together DTSC...

The September 19, 2014, Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report featured comments by Lynn L. Bergeson regarding the collapse of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform talks, specifically efforts to revise the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (S. 1009). Bergeson “told Bloomberg BNA the collapse of the bipartisan Senate discussions on TSCA reform was disappointing but not surprising. ‘Stakeholders can be encouraged by the late rally in the legislative cycle, and perhaps by whatever...

Wednesday, October 1, 20141:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EDT) This webinar has occurred.  For copies of presentation materials contact chad.howlin@lawbc.com.  Speakers include well-recognized experts on these complex issues: Jeff Dawson, Senior Scientist, Chemist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Health Effects Division and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) Senior Scientist Susan H. Youngren, Ph.D., and Senior Government...

October 28 – 30, 2014, Chicago, Illinois Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is proud to once again be a sponsor of and program advisor to ChemCon, the premier global chemical control conference offering the most authoritative speakers, most in-depth sessions, and broadest global perspective on existing and emerging chemical regulatory schemes. Highlights from the diverse and substantive program planned for Chicago include: The full agenda is available online. In addition to the...

Chemical Watch quoted Lynn L. Bergeson in response to Senator Boxer’s (D-CA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) counterproposal to the Chemical Security Improvement Act (CISA) sponsored by Senator David Vitter (R-LA). Bergeson said of the issue “I do not give Senator Boxer’s bill, or any other TSCA reform measure much hope given the lateness of the session, the lack of alignment on key measures in the bill, and the polarisation on matters generally in Congress. Whether...