All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued on November 15, 2023, its report on EPA’s fiscal year (FY) 2024 top management challenges. OIG states that the report “summarizes what the inspector general considers to be ‘the most serious management and performance challenges facing the agency’” for FY 2024 and briefly assesses EPA’s progress in addressing those challenges. According to OIG, the management challenges include “Safeguarding...

On November 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted the following documents on the Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation: As reported in our September 13, 2022, blog item, on September 12, 2022, President Joseph Biden signed an Executive Order creating a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative to accelerate biotechnology innovation and grow America’s...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on October 12, 2023, soliciting public comment and suggestions on specific issues related to seed treated with conventional pesticides (treated seed) and paint treated with conventional or antimicrobial pesticides (treated paint). 88 Fed. Reg. 70625. According to the ANPRM, EPA is considering whether a rule under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to regulate...

The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) is holding its 31st fall conference October 11-13, 2023, in Washington, D.C. On October 12, 2023, in his remarks at the conference, David Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), stated that EPA will not pursue per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enforcement actions against farmers who used biosolids,...

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced on September 20, 2023, that together with the Texas Chemical Council, it submitted a 60-day notice of intent to file suit for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to complete manufacturer-requested risk evaluations (MRRE) for diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). ACC states that EPA failed to complete the MRREs by TSCA’s mandatory deadline of three years and...

On October 2, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 30 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners, recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacture, and the selection and use of cleaners, detergents, and other products with safer chemicals. EPA states that the Safer Choice program helps consumers and purchasers of facilities, such as schools and office buildings, find cleaning and other products containing chemical ingredients that are safer alternatives for...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 29, 2023, that it is adding ten chemicals to the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL). EPA describes the SCIL as “a living list of chemicals that EPA’s Safer Choice program has evaluated and determined meet Safer Choice criteria.” With this update, the SCIL includes a total of 1,071 chemicals that are “among the safest for their functional use.” According to EPA, the SCIL provides increased transparency...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 21, 2023, that the Office of Compliance within the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance has released an updated version of the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Analytic Tools. The tools are hosted on EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website. EPA states that the data visualization tools enable users to evaluate what is known about PFAS manufacturing, releases, and occurrence in...

On August 3, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comment on the document entitled “White Paper: Quantitative Human Health Approach to be Applied in the Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2 — Supplemental Evaluation including Legacy Uses and Associated Disposals of Asbestos” (White Paper) and related charge questions. 88 Fed. Reg. 51309. EPA states that it will be soliciting comments from expert ad hoc reviewers on the...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 8, 2023, that it is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards from companies or institutions that have developed a new green chemistry process or product that helps protect human health and the environment. EPA states that its “efforts to speed the adoption of this revolutionary and diverse discipline have led to significant environmental benefits, innovation, and a strengthened economy.” The...