EPA’s Regulatory Agenda Includes TSCA Section 8(a) Nanomaterials Rule with TBD Effective Date

On July 20, 2017, the Trump Administration published its Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.  The Agenda includes a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) item (RIN 2070-AJ54) concerning the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a) reporting rule for nanoscale materials.  According to the Agenda item, the final rule effective date is “To Be Determined” (TBD).  The January 12, 2017, final rule requires one-time reporting for existing discrete forms of certain nanoscale materials, and a standing one-time reporting requirement for new discrete forms of certain nanoscale materials.  As reported in our May 12, 2017, blog item, on May 12, 2017, EPA published a Federal Register notice delaying the effective date of the January 12, 2017, rule’s reporting requirements from May 12, 2017, to August 14, 2017.  EPA published a draft guidance document entitled “Guidance on EPA’s Section 8(a) Information Gathering Rule on Nanomaterials in Commerce” on May 16, 2017.  Comments on the draft guidance were due June 15, 2017.  While the publication of draft guidance within four months of promulgation of the final rule is an achievement, the draft guidance does not significantly expand upon that which is already known, or make the rule clearer or easier with which to comply.  More information regarding the draft guidance is available in our May 16, 2017, memorandum, “EPA Seeks Comment on Draft Guidance for Nanoscale Materials Reporting Rule.”  More information on the final rule is available in our January 12, 2017, memorandum, “EPA Promulgates Final TSCA Reporting and Recordkeeping Rule for Nanoscale Materials.”