July 14, 2020

Lynn L. Bergeson, Charles M. Auer, and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., “What Lies Ahead for the Next Four Years of TSCA?,” Chemical Watch, July 14, 2020.

The Frank R Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is four years old. While to some 22 June 2016 seems like yesterday, the past four years have been transformational. The US EPA has worked hard, been timely and done well in thoughtfully implementing the changes.  Anniversaries tend to inspire reflection on the past, and this year was no exception. The Environmental Law Institute, Bergeson & Campbell and the George Washington University Milken Institute...
June 1, 2020

Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA-Initiated TSCA Risk Evaluations: Who Is on the Hook for Fees Has Changed,” Washington Watch, Summer 2020.

Under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authority to collect fees from chemical manufacturers and importers to defray a portion of the EPA costs associated with risk evaluation efforts. The fees are quite substantial and who pays them has been the subject of considerable debate and uncertainty. This column addresses issues that have caused confusion and anxiety for industry stakeholders regarding the self-identification criteria,...
April 1, 2020

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Chemical Importers are on the Hook for TSCA Risk Evaluation Fees,” Elements, the Magazine of Chemicals Northwest, Spring 2020.

Is your company potentially liable for a share of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) $1,350,000 fee for developing a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation? This is a hot topic these days, given EPA’s notice dated January 27, 2020, identifying the “preliminary lists” of manufacturers, including importers, of the 20 chemical substances that EPA has designated as “high-priority” substances for risk evaluation and for which fees will be charged. Stakeholders are...
August 25, 2019

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Protecting Confidential Business Information: An Evolving Challenge,” International Chemical Regulatory Law Review, Volume 2, Issue 2, Summer 2019.

The concept of confidential business information (CBI) is sometimes considered at odds with the concept of the ‘right-to-know.’ When Congress amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 2016 throughenactment oftheFrankR.LautenbergChemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg), it wasmindful ofthe public’s growing interestin knowing more about the identity of chemicals to which they may be exposed, but equally mindful of a business’ legitimate interest in protecting highly...