Archives

April 14, 2023

EPA Will Hold Virtual Preparatory Meeting for SACC Review of Draft Documents Related to Cumulative Risk Assessment under TSCA

 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a virtual public preparatory meeting for the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) members, ad hoc reviewers, and the public to comment on and ask questions regarding the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions to be used for the May 8-11, 2023, review of two draft documents related to cumulative risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). As reported in our March 1,...
March 22, 2023

EPA Releases Congressional Justification for FY 2024 Budget

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted the justification for its fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriation estimates for the Committee on Appropriations (Congressional Justification (CJ)). According to the CJ, EPA’s FY 2024 budget includes $470.7 million and 1,677 full-time equivalents (FTE) for Objective 7.1, “Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety.” The CJ includes the following target dates for actions under the Toxic Substances Control Act...
March 20, 2023

Senate Committee Will Hold Hearing on EPA’s Proposed FY 2024 Budget

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on March 22, 2023, on the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The only listed witness is EPA Administrator Michael Regan. As reported in our March 14, 2023, blog item, the budget requests over $12 billion in discretionary budget authority for EPA, a $1.9 billion or 19 percent increase from the FY 2023 enacted level. Highlights of the FY 2024...
February 13, 2023

EPA Will Hold Third and Final TSCA Engineering Initiative Webinar on February 28, 2023

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 23, 2023, that the New Chemicals Program will hold a webinar on February 28, 2023, on EPA’s process for assessing the potential risks of new chemicals under Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the types of data EPA considers in this assessment. EPA states that specifically, the upcoming webinar will cover commonly missed information in Section 5 submissions and how EPA evaluates environmental...
December 11, 2022

EPA Seeks Participants for Small Business Review Panel on Carbon Tetrachloride and TCE Risk Management Rulemaking

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on November 30, 2020, that it is inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profits to participate as Small Entity Representatives (SER) to provide advice and recommendations to two Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panels.  One Panel will focus on EPA’s development of a proposed rule to address unreasonable risks identified in EPA’s recently completed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation for...
November 2, 2022

EPA Provides Report to Congress on Its Capacity to Implement Certain Provisions of the Lautenberg Act

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided a report to Congress on its capacity to implement certain provisions of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg Act). The report provides point-in-time estimates of EPA’s current estimated capacity and resources needed to implement the 2016 Lautenberg Act amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA states that it recognizes its responsibility to identify and implement...
September 9, 2022

EPA Webinars Will Kick off Public Engagement and Outreach on Risk Management under TSCA

 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 8, 2020, a “broad public engagement and outreach effort” to discuss how EPA will approach the rulemaking process to address unreasonable risks found in final Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) chemical risk evaluations.  After issuing the first two final risk evaluations, methylene chloride and 1-bromopropane, EPA states that it “is moving into the risk management phase and is hosting a robust...
September 9, 2022

EPA Publishes Draft Scope Document for D4 for Public Comment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 8, 2021, the availability of the draft scope of the risk evaluation to be conducted for octamethylcyclotetra-siloxane (D4). 86 Fed. Reg. 50347. As reported in our October 7, 2020, blog item, through the American Chemistry Council’s Silicones Environmental, Health, and Safety Center, Dow Silicones Corporation, Elkem Silicones USA Corporation, Evonik Corporation, Momentive Performance Materials, Shin-Etsu Silicones of...
August 29, 2022

Registration Opens for EPA NAMs Conference and CompTox Chemicals Dashboard Training

On August 25, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that registration was open for the 2022 Conference on the State of the Science on Development and Use of New Approach Methods (NAM) for Chemical Safety Testing. EPA notes that there will be limited availability in person at EPA headquarters in Washington, DC, on October 12-13, 2022, and a virtual option will also be available. Conference topics include: EPA asks that attendees register for the NAMs...
August 20, 2022

EPA Collaborates with Unilever to Advance Non-Animal Approaches for Chemical Risk Assessment

On August 19, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a collaborative agreement with Unilever to explore better ways to assess chemical risks associated with consumer products. According to EPA, this agreement builds on prior cooperation between EPA and Unilever regarding New Approach Methods (NAM), “which are a promising alternative to conventional toxicity testing that are intended to reduce reliance on the use of animals.” EPA states that the collaboration...