Herb Estreicher, James Votaw, and David Fischer Quoted in Chemical Watch Article on Petition Seeking Rule Changes to Speed TSCA New Chemical Reviews

Keller and Heckman attorneys Herb Estreicher, James Votaw, and David Fischer were quoted in the Chemical Watch article, “Industry seeks rule changes to speed TSCA new chemical reviews.” The article centers around a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed by Keller and Heckman LLP on behalf of unnamed companies on November 11, 2022. The petition, signed by Herb, James, and David, seeks to update EPA’s rules governing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) new chemical reviews, and offers a list of proposed changes, including a general requirement for EPA to grant pre-submission meetings requested by the submitter. “We would expect EPA to consider the petition during its development of [TSCA] section 5 rulemaking, which we understand had been under consideration and is long overdue,” said David. In a cover letter submitted with the petition, Herb, James, and David state that without “significant changes” to the program, “coalition members will continue to face avoidable roadblocks and delays in bringing in new, innovative and sustainable chemistries to the marketplace.” The article mentions how the petition was submitted under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which requires EPA to decide within a “reasonable time,” but does not set a specific deadline. 

To read the full article and more about the petition, please click here (subscription required).