Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final
fees rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), ensuring that
resources are available to the Agency to complete chemical reviews and
actions in a timely, transparent manner while maintaining high
scientific standards.
"With today's action EPA has once again met another important
milestone under TSCA," said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
"This rule will provide resources needed to support the valuable work
EPA does to review chemicals for safety, manage risk as required, and
make chemical information available as appropriate."
"The SBA Office of Advocacy was pleased to be able to work with EPA
and the SBA Office of Size Standards to develop the fees rule for the
administration of the Toxic Substance Control Act and to be able to
assist the agency in revising the small business definition to ensure
that the maximum number of small businesses can benefit from a reduced
fee amount," said Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy
Acting Chief Counsel Major L. Clark III.
These fees collected from chemical manufacturers will go toward
developing risk evaluations for existing chemicals; collecting and
reviewing toxicity and exposure data and other information; reviewing
Confidential Business Information (CBI); and making determinations in
a timely and transparent manner with respect to the safety of new
chemicals before they enter the marketplace. Under the final rule,
affected businesses will begin incurring fees on October 1, 2018.
Small businesses will be eligible to receive a substantial discount of
approximately 80% on their fees.
The fees rule is the last of four framework rules under the Frank R.
Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Act, incorporating input
received through public meetings and comment periods. During fiscal
years 2019-2021 the Agency will work to track costs and will use that
information to adjust future fees, if appropriate. As required by law,
EPA will evaluate and readjust, if necessary, the fees every three
years.
Additionally, EPA will host a series of webinars focusing on making
TSCA submissions and paying fees under the final rule. The webinars
will be held on October 10, October 24, and November 7.
Learn more about the webinars and register to attend.
https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/webinars-tsca-administration-fees-rule
Background on The Trump Administration's Lautenberg Act Accomplishments
The Trump Administration through its work at EPA has undertaken many
implementation activities which have enabled the agency to meet its
statutory responsibilities under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical
Safety for the 21st Century Act which amends the Toxic Substances
Control Act, the Nation's primary chemicals management law.
EPA has already met critical initial deadlines from the Lautenberg
Act, including issuing the framework rules on existing chemicals
prioritization, risk evaluation,
existing chemicals inventory by the first-year anniversary of the Act
on June 22, 2017.
On the second-year anniversary of the Lautenberg Act, EPA issued:
- Mercury Use Reporting Rule with deadlines and requirements to assist
in updating the inventory of mercury supply, use, and trade in the
United States.
- Alternative Testing Strategy to promote the development of
alternative test methods to reduce vertebrate animal testing. On March
7, 2018, EPA released the draft strategy for public comment.
- Guidance on Generic Names to allow EPA to share more information
with the public about the structure of chemicals while protecting CBI.
- Policy on Assigning Unique Identifiers to better publicly track
information on chemicals while protecting CBI.
Guidance on Expanding CBI access to states, tribes, and local
governments; health and environmental professionals; and first
responders.
For more information on TSCA implementation, visit:
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/frank-r-lautenberg-chemical-safety-21st-century-act-5