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Lynn L. Bergeson has been named one of the ten "Most Highly Regarded Individuals" in the world in the field of environmental law by Who's Who Legal in its 2014 compendium. This is the third year Ms. Bergeson has been named in the top ten list of individuals recognized as the most highly regarded by clients and peers, and the tenth year she has been listed in the publication overall. In addition to listing Ms. Bergeson among the top ten, Who's Who Legal 2014...
AUSTRALIA Australia Publishes Ninth Tranche Of IMAP Assessments: The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) published for public comment the ninth tranche of human health and environmental assessments for chemicals identified as part of the Stage One implementation of the Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritization (IMAP) Framework. NICNAS states that it seeks comments where information that has the...
On July 7, 2014, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a petition requesting that EPA commence a Special Review for the neonicotinoid pesticides, including six specific active ingredients (dinotefuran, acetamiprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam), based on the risk that NRDC believes this class of compounds poses to honey bees and native bees. In the petition, NRDC alleges that neonicotinoids "may...
July 14, 2014
Presidential Memorandum Creates Federal Strategy to Promote Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators
On June 20, 2014, President Obama issued a Presidential memorandum entitled "Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators." The memorandum creates a Pollinator Health Task Force, which will be co-chaired by the U.S. Department Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Task Force will develop a National Pollinator Health Strategy, which includes a Pollinator Research Action Plan, Public Education Plan, and public-private...
The OSPAR Commission's (OSPAR) Harmonized Offshore Chemical Notification Format (HOCNF) is of paramount importance for a wide range of personnel, including chemical manufacturers and product manufacturers whose products are used on an offshore oil platform. Despite its significance, many in the U.S. are largely unaware of its role in the petrochemical community. We describe the program generally below focusing on the interrelations with other chemical programs, including the Registration,...
July 2, 2014
China in Talks to Join the OECD System for the Mutual Acceptance of Data in Assessment of Chemicals
It has recently been reported that China is in discussions with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to become a provisional adherent to the Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) system. This would require China to accept data from safety testing of chemicals from participating countries generated under the MAD conditions and to establish a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliance monitoring program. If China were to become a provisional adherent to the MAD system, this...
July 2, 2014
EPA’s Supplemental Distribution Enforcement Actions Are Buzzing: How to Avoid Getting Stung
Wednesday, July 23, 20141:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (EDT) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made good on its intent to focus enforcement efforts on Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) supplemental distribution, resulting in several settlements with significant penalty assessments. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) recently issued a memorandum discussing the enforcement actions, the regulatory requirements for supplemental...
July 1, 2014
Learn How to Pre-Screen New Chemicals Using EPA’s Models and Methods at Sustainable Futures Training
Co-hosted by the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and George Washington University (GWU) August 5-7, 2014, at the GWU Campus in Washington, D.C. ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: During this hands-on three-day workshop, you will learn about a variety of tools, methods, and models that can be used to assess the hazard and potential exposure of chemicals. Methods addressed will include hazard and risk screening for human...
On June 26, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the nutrition label and serving sizes. The meeting was attended by interested parties both in Washington, D.C. and via webcast. The Acting U.S. Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H., gave the opening remarks stating the importance of these changes in relation to the Surgeon General's national prevention strategy started in June 2011. FDA has posted...
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stepped-up its enforcement initiatives and recently settled two cases with companies that market plastic lumber and related products. FTC alleged that these companies misled consumers in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) in their marketing materials regarding the environmental attributes of their products. Specifically, these cases hinge on claims related to the recycled content and post-consumer content of their products....