March 30, 2023

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Karin F. Baron, MSPH to Speak at GlobalChem 2023

April 3-5, 2023, Washington D.C. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are proud to be sponsors of and presenting during the 2023 GlobalChem Conference. This three-day event offers authoritative speakers, in-depth sessions, and a chance to meet and reconnect with industry peers and key government representatives. Highlights from the diverse and substantive program planned for GlobalChem attendees include: The full agenda is available...
March 29, 2023

EPA Accepting Applications for the 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards

On March 27, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that its Safer Choice program is accepting submissions for its 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards. 88 Fed. Reg. 18135. The Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s specific and rigorous human health and environmental toxicological criteria. According to EPA, the Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on certified products that contain safer...
March 27, 2023

House Subcommittee Will Hold Hearing on EPA’s FY 2024 Budget Request

On March 28, 2023, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing on the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As reported in our March 22, 2023, blog item, EPA has posted the justification for its FY 2024 appropriation estimates for the Committee on Appropriations (Congressional Justification (CJ)). According to the CJ, EPA’s...
March 24, 2023

EPA’s Congressional Justification for FY 2024 Budget Includes Information on Safer Choice, EPP, and Green Chemistry Programs

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, work in the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program supports Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention (P2) under Goal 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment. The FY 2024 budget includes $29 million and 69.2 full-time equivalents...
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 21, 2023

Petition Filed to Add Cellulose Acetate to List of Chemical Substances Subject to Superfund Excise Tax

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on March 16, 2023, that it received a petition requesting that cellulose acetate (degree of substitution (DS) = 1.5-2.0) be added to the list of taxable substances under Section 4672(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. 88 Fed. Reg. 16307. The petitioner is Celanese Ltd., an exporter of cellulose acetate (DS = 1.5-2.0). According to the notice, cellulose acetate (DS = 1.5-2.0) “is made from cellulose (wood pulp) and methane. The...
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...
March 18, 2023

EPA Will Amend CDR Rule and Extend 2020 Submission Period

On March 17, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a final rule amending the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.  According to EPA, the amendments are intended to reduce the burden for certain CDR reporters, improve the quality of CDR data collected, and align reporting requirements with the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act’s (Lautenberg Act) amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  EPA...
March 16, 2023

White House OSTP Releases State of Science Report on PFAS

The National Science and Technology Council announced on March 14, 2023, that the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a state of science report on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The report was prepared by the interagency PFAS Strategy Team created by OSTP at the direction of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. It provides an analysis of the state of the science of PFAS and information that will...
March 15, 2023

EPA Announces P2 Grant for Environmental Justice through Safer and More Sustainable Products

On March 8, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $16 million for two new grant opportunities to support states and Tribes in providing technical assistance to businesses seeking to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices that advance environmental justice in underserved communities. The Request for Applications for P2 investments include the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable...