President-elect Trump’s proposed (and aspirational) Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is the latest incarnation of a new Administration’s attempt to leave its mark on the federal government. In the November 20, 2024, Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy published an Op-ed about the DOGE effort they will lead and the three kinds of reform DOGE will pursue: regulatory recissions, administrative reductions, and cost savings. We propose that DOGE add a fourth, equally...
Archives
August 21, 2024
EPA Authors Describe Categorization Approach to PFAS to Identify Potential Candidates for Testing and Human Health Assessments
On August 18, 2024, Computational Toxicology published an article entitled “Development of chemical categories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the proof-of-concept approach to the identification of potential candidates for tiered toxicological testing and human health assessment.” Co-authored by members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure (CCTE) and Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention...
On May 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) held a webinar on “Reducing PFAS in Products: Progress and Challenges.” The webinar was the third in EPA’s series on “Pollution Prevention in Action.” Jennie Romer, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention, hosts webinars featuring businesses, Pollution Prevention grantees, and other experts about innovations and successes in implementing...
March 11, 2024
EPA Seeks Nominations for Ad Hoc Reviewers to Assist SACC with Peer Reviewing DIDP and DINP
On February 29, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested public nominations of scientific and technical experts for service as ad hoc reviewers assisting the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with the peer review of the Agency’s evaluation of the risks from di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) being conducted to inform risk management decisions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 89 Fed. Reg. 14836. EPA states that it is...
On March 1, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) announced a new webinar series, “Pollution Prevention in Action.” On the second Wednesday of the month, Jennie Romer, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention, will host webinars featuring businesses, Pollution Prevention grantees, and other experts about innovations and successes in implementing source reduction strategies to advance...
On March 8, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened a 30-day comment period on nominations for candidates to serve on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). According to EPA, there are currently 17 SACC members, with eight membership terms that will soon expire. Biographies for all candidates under consideration are available online. In addition, biographies for current SACC members are available on the SACC website. Comments on...
On February 22, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) announced that it will co-host a virtual public meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) on March 22, 2023. As stated in our February 17, 2023, blog, EPA and FDA are considering how best to update their respective oversight responsibilities for specific products in an efficient and...
February 17, 2023
EPA Announces Both EPA and FDA Seek Public Input on Modernizing Their Approach to Oversight of Certain Products
On February 15, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) announced plans to seek public input on the best approaches for updating their respective oversight responsibilities for specific products. EPA states the goal is to determine responsibilities in an efficient and transparent manner and in alignment with each agency’s...
February 14, 2023
EPA Accepting Public Comments on Candidates to Be Ad Hoc Reviewers for Draft Documents Related to Cumulative Risk Assessment under TSCA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 13, 2023, that it will accept public comments on candidates under consideration for selection as ad hoc reviewers to assist the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with peer review of two draft documents related to cumulative risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Biographies of these candidates are available on regulations.gov. If selected, candidates will serve as...
November 30, 2022
EPA’s FY 2023 Top Management Challenges Include Providing for the Safe Use of Chemicals
Under the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, each agency’s inspector general must prepare an annual statement summarizing what the inspector general considers to be “the most serious management and performance challenges facing the agency” and to assess briefly the agency’s progress in addressing those challenges. On November 29, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its report regarding EPA’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 top...