All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On September 30, 2024, Ya-Wei (Jake) Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that he will be leaving EPA to take a position with the U.S. Department of Interior’s (DOI) Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as the Assistant Director for Ecological Services. This program is responsible for how the agency conserves endangered species and many other wildlife. Li was Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs for...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 8, 2024, the availability of the final updated Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (the Standard). 89 Fed. Reg. 64915. According to EPA, the update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of...

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued final risk management rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) banning certain uses of two chemicals: chrysotile asbestos and methylene chloride. The identity of these two chemicals is less important than the process by which the EPA concluded that the banned uses of these chemicals pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment, and the nature and intrusiveness of the workplace and other restrictions the...

On May 28, 2024, comments by Lynn L. Bergeson were featured in Bloomberg Law’s article on legal challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) interpretation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). See – https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/epa-chemical-rulemaking-complicated-by-challenge-to-agency-power (subscription required)...

On May 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a plan to update, streamline, and clarify their regulations and oversight mechanisms for products of biotechnology. The Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology: Plan for Regulatory Reform under the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (the Plan) provides a roadmap for actions the agencies will take,...

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing on May 1, 2024, to review President Biden’s fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Subcommittee will hear from EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. As reported in our March 15, 2024, Monthly Federal Developments Memorandum, according to EPA’s March 11, 2024, statement on President Biden’s FY 2025 budget, the $11 billion proposed for...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has posted an April 17, 2024, memorandum regarding “Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy” from David M. Uhlmann, OECA Assistant Administrator. The Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy sets forth requirements to ensure that EPA’s enforcement program maintains and strengthens the strategic partnership between civil and criminal enforcement. According to the Policy, to promote...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 3, 2024, that it has rescheduled its public webinar to discuss the implementation of the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule (BRRR) provisions promulgated as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) final rule for 2023-2025 (the Set Rule) to April 12, 2024. 89 Fed. Reg. 23013. During the webinar, EPA intends to discuss various aspects of the BRRR program, including: All attendees must pre-register for the webinar...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 28, 2024, that it is seeking public comment on the candidates under consideration for selection as ad hoc peer reviewers to assist the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with its peer review of the Agency’s evaluation of the risks from formaldehyde being conducted to inform risk management decisions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 89 Fed. Reg. 14648. The SACC peer review will take...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on February 22, 2024, the release of a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “Inflation Reduction Act Funding for Advanced Biofuels,” for up to $9.4 million for the development of advanced biofuels. According to EPA, the funding will support “high-impact biofuel technology projects to improve the performance and reduce the cost of biofuel production technologies, scale up production systems...