Overview
Steptoe partner Michael Boucher was quoted in a recent Law360 article, "Chem Industry's Goals For Toxic Substance Law Face Hurdles," which explores the chemical industry's push to revise the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amid political and regulatory challenges.
The article outlines how a coalition of trade associations, the American Alliance for Innovation, is urging Congress to reauthorize the TSCA fee program and consider broader statutory changes to streamline chemical approvals.
Michael commented on the impact of the 2016 Lautenberg amendments on EPA's new chemical review process: "EPA wasn't used to publishing detailed explanations, and as soon as they realized that they had to publish a detailed explanation in all cases, it immediately created a backlog. The EPA is much more conservative now because it has to put everything in writing. And in the case of any kind of doubt, EPA is going to just make the more conservative decision."
Boucher noted that industry stakeholders may seek to reinstate a deadline for chemical approvals to address delays, a move likely to face resistance from environmental groups.
Read more at Law360 (subscription required).
