All Knowledge & Insights By Date

EPA Makes Final Revisions To EPCRA Hazard Categories: On June 13, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final revisions to EPCRA Sections 311 and 312 occasioned by changes to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). 81 Fed. Reg. 38104. Under the revised HCS, chemical manufacturers and importers are required to evaluate their chemicals according to the new criteria adopted from the United Nations (UN) Globally...

On June 13, 2016, the Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report article, “TSCA Changes May Alter Pending Chemical Rules for Articles,” included comments by Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C. (B&C®). The EPA may need to conduct new analyses to support its proposed rules or the agency may need to re-propose them in light of changes the TSCA-reform bill would make to the criteria the agency should use when regulating manufactured goods, or...

EPA Extends Comment Period On RCRA Corrosive Dust Petition For Six Months: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on June 10, 2016, extended until December 7, 2016, the comment period on its April 11, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 21295) tentative denial of a petition by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) to amend regulations under 40 C.F.R. § 261.22 regarding the definition of corrosive hazardous wastes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). 81...

On June 7, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was making two draft Pesticide Registration Notices (PR Notices) available for public comment:  (1) PR Notice 2016-X:  Draft Guidance for Pesticide Registrants on Pesticide Resistance Management Labeling; and (2) PR Notice 2016-XX:  Draft Guidance for Herbicide Resistance Management Labeling, Education, Training, and Stewardship.  In its news release, EPA states that it has started a...

On June 10, 2016, Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report included comments from Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell P.C. (B&C®), speaking about the impacts of passing the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. […] “The bill's many deadlines will drive EPA activities at a frantic pace,” said Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson & Campbell. […] Among the deadlines the EPA faces in the first year of the law's...

On June 7, 2016, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), after Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) dropped the hold placed on the bill. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill on May 24, 2016, with a 403-12 roll call vote. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Reform is now only waiting for President Obama's signature, which is expected soon, based on the White House's endorsement of the bill in May. Bergeson &...

On June 2, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced an extension for the abstract submission deadline for the Bioenergy 2016 poster session. Abstract submissions were originally due June 3, 2016, but have been extended through June 10, 2016. Poster submitters will still be notified of acceptance by June 17, 2016. Abstracts must fit the following guidelines: Not exceed the maximum of 300 words;   Explain validity and technical merit of the approach;   Discuss how the poster...

On May 25, 2016, DOE published a Notice For Solicitation of Nominations in the Federal Register to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee advises DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on technical and direction issues related to the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. The Committee meets quarterly, typically for two days at a time, in Washington, D.C. and other locations. This round of applications is...