Reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) may be a little closer to reality since Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, released on February 27, 2014, a much anticipated discussion draft that would update TSCA. The Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA) keys off of Senate Bill (S.) 1009, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), which was introduced on May 22, 2013, by late Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA). Under Shimkus’s leadership, the Subcommittee has held five hearings that reviewed core sections of Title I of TSCA and the proposed Senate amendments to those sections. This column provides an overview of the discussion draft of the new, not-yet-numbered House bill, the CICA, and compares its key provisions with the Senate’s approach to TSCA reform under S. 1009.

Whatever window of opportunity exists to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act is closing. This is not only because the mid-term elections are fast approaching, or that there are too few legislative days left this session, or even that Congress is polarized and achieving passage of complicated chemical legislation seems intuitively beyond reach. It is also because of the emergence of international and state chemical management frameworks. This article is from the Environmental Law Institute’s May/June 2014 issue of ELI Forum titled “TSCA Redux: Rejuvenating a Timeworn Statute.” The publication features articles from authors representing a variety of viewpoints on the issue including Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.; Richard A. Denison, Lead Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund; Kathy Kinsey, Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs and Operations, Maryland Department of the Environment; Ann R. Klee, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety, General Electric; John Shimkus, Chair, House Environment & the Economy Subcommittee; and Tom Udall, Chair, Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health. Visit www.eli.org for more information.

Reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a little closer to happening since Representative John Shimkus (R-IL), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, released on February 27, 2014, a discussion draft updating the TSCA. The Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA) keys off S. 1009, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), which was introduced last May by the late Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA). This column highlights provisions in the discussion draft.

We offer our thoughts on what may be headed our way in 2012 with regard to reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and chemical management initiatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).

On April 14, 2011, Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 (S. 847) to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Lautenberg initiated similar legislation, S. 3209, in the 111th Congress. Below is a summary of key differences between Lautenberg's S. 847 and S. 3209.

On April 14, 2011, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011. The bill is intended to amend and modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require chemical companies to demonstrate the safety of industrial chemicals and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate safety based on the best available science. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA).