Archives

August 15, 2023

EPA’s Spring 2023 Unified Agenda Includes PFAS Rulemakings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) spring 2023 Unified Agenda, published on June 13, 2023, includes the following rulemakings concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Prerule and Proposed Rule Stage Addressing PFAS in the Environment (RIN: 2050-AH25): On October 18, 2021, EPA released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap, building on and accelerating implementation of existing plans to address PFAS and committing to new policies to address PFAS in the environment. EPA...
December 14, 2021

EPA’s Fall 2021 Unified Agenda Includes TSCA Rulemakings

On December 10, 2021, the Biden Administration released its Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule list, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) is working on the following rulemakings under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Rulemakings at the proposed stage include: Tiered Data Reporting to Inform Prioritization, Risk Evaluation, and Risk Management Under TSCA...
March 20, 2020

EPA Announces SNPRM On Strengthening Transparency In Regulatory Science

By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 18, 2020, EPA published its supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) titled “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” in the Federal Register. Per last week’s Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) blog post, the supplemental notice proposes the following changes to the 2018 proposed rulemaking: A scope that applies to influential scientific information and significant regulatory decisions;   A modified approach to the...
November 6, 2019

House Committee Will Hold Hearing on Future of Science in EPA Rulemaking

On November 13, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. (EST), the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will hold a hearing on “Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science?  The Future of Science in EPA Rulemaking.”  The Committee will hear from the following witnesses: Panel 1 Dr. Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD); EPA Science Advisor. Panel 2 Dr....
April 23, 2018

EPA Sends Rulemakings on Science Policy and the Rulemaking Process to OMB

On April 19, 2018, the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule entitled “Strengthening Transparency and Validity in Regulatory Science.”  This new proposed rule, item 2080-AA14, has not been published in the regulatory agenda; the only information available concerning the content of this rule is its title.  On April 11, 2018, OIRA received an advanced...
July 7, 2016

EPA’s Discretion on Whether to Require Inert Ingredients Disclosure Upheld

On June 29, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Court) issued an opinion dismissing the complaint and denying the motion for summary judgment of the Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, and Physicians for Social Responsibility (CEH, et al.), and granting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) motion for summary judgment.  Background This case stems from a petition filed in 2006 requesting EPA to initiate a rulemaking to...
July 31, 2015

NGOs File Suit Regarding Inert Ingredients’ Disclosure

On June 24, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, the Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, and Physicians for Social Responsibility (Plaintiffs) sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Administrator Gina McCarthy regarding a 2014 decision by EPA not to proceed with a rulemaking to require disclosure of hazardous inert ingredients on pesticide product labels under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide...
July 19, 2011

EPA Regulatory Agenda Includes Notices Concerning Nanoscale Materials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) July 7, 2011, Regulatory Agenda includes several notices concerning nanoscale materials: Test Rule for Certain Nanoscale Materials — EPA states that it is developing a test rule under Section 4(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require manufacturers (defined by statute to include importers) and processors of the multiwall carbon nanotube described in Premanufacture Notice (PMN) P-08-199, certain clays (e.g., kaolin...
December 29, 2010

EPA Regulatory Agenda Includes Several Notices Concerning Nanoscale Materials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) December 20, 2010, Regulatory Agenda includes several notices concerning nanoscale materials: Test Rule for Certain Nanoscale Materials — EPA states that it is developing a test rule under Section 4(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require manufacturers (defined by statute to include importers) and processors of the multiwall carbon nanotube described in Premanufacture Notice (PMN) P-08-199, certain clays (e.g., kaolin...