Category: Regulatory Developments

CDR Exemption List Amended!

A final rule was published in the March 29, 2016 Federal Register that amends the list of chemical substances that are partially exempt from reporting processing and use information under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.

OSHA’s Issues Final Rule on Silica

On March 24, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez announced a long-awaited final rule to improve protections for workers exposed to respirable silica dust. The rule is expected to save more than 600 lives annually and to prevent more than 900 cases of silicosis.

Bill Would Block Regulation of Converted Race Cars

The 629-page proposal the EPA/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published (July 13, 2015, Federal Register (FR)) to set Phase II GHG emissions and fuel-efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles contained a few short paragraphs from the EPA that caused a major uproar in the auto racing community.

States Begin to Adopt Portions of Definition of Solid Waste Rule

It’s been over a year since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its long-awaited final rule revising regulations affecting recycling of hazardous materials under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Known as the 2015 Definition of Solid Waste rule (2015 DSW rule), this final rule exempts certain hazardous secondary […]

Environmental Groups Send a Letter to the EPW Concerning CCR Rule

Scores of national and state-based environmental groups sent a letter to the leadership of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) expressing their opposition to a bill that would negate many aspects of EPA’s rule governing disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) from electric utilities.

States Ask Supreme Court to Stay EPA’s MATS

The attorneys general (AGs) of 20 states have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) because the Agency had no legal authority to promulgate them. The AGs base their argument on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Michigan v. EPA (2015), in which a 5–4 majority ruled that the […]

No Chemicals Added in RMP Proposal

There are several significant revisions in EPA’s proposal to amend its Risk Management Program (RMP) affecting approximately 12,500 facilities holding threshold quantities of regulated chemicals. There are also several significant omissions.

Final Rule Released to Simplify Lead Paint Program Training

In an effort to cut the cost of complying with EPA’s lead-based paint (LBP) program, the Agency has issued a final rule simplifying refresher training under the lead renovation, repair, and paining (RRP) rule and removed the jurisdiction-specific certification and accreditation requirement under the LBP activities rule in states where the Agency implements that rule. […]