TSCA Reform Center
The TSCA Reform Center tracks legislative and regulatory activities aimed toward reforming the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Reform Center monitors and reports on important trends that influence policy development at both the federal and state level.
On June 22, 2016, after years of prior efforts, bipartisan TSCA reform legislation (H.R. 2576) was enacted as Pub. L. No. 114-182. This law made significant changes to TSCA and provides new authority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize, review, and regulate existing chemical substances. In addition to changes to EPA’s authority under TSCA, the legislation requires EPA to take a number of actions to implement modernized TSCA.
Keller and Heckman has the largest chemical regulatory practice in the United States. The next few years promise to be an exciting and challenging period in the history of U.S. chemical regulation. As always, Keller and Heckman is on the forefront of developments and prepared to provide legal counsel in this area.
Key Resources
TSCA Reform Center Resources
- Senators Tell Trump Administration TSCA Reform Implementation is Critical
- TSCA Modernization Act White House Signing Ceremony
- H.R. 2576 Implementation Chart
- President Obama Signs H.R. 2576 Into Law
- Republican Commentary on H.R. 2576
- Democratic Commentary on H.R. 2576
- Comparison of TSCA Proposals on Schedule for Implementation
- Comparison of House and Senate Proposals on Preemption
- TSCA Reform Approved
- Senate Committee Passes Amended TSCA Reform Bill, S. 697
- Attorneys General Letter to Senators Inhofe and Boxer
- House Report on H.R. 2576 TSCA Modernization Act of 2015
- TSCA Reform 2015: A Tale of Two Bills
- Senate Committee Report
- TSCA Hearing February 26 Provides Preview of Coming Attractions
- EPA Announces End of TSCA Inventory Correction Policy NEW!
- EPA Proposes Changes to TSCA Fee Rule
- EPA Announces Plan to Re-Open TSCA Active-Inactive Inventory Reporting Period to Allow Companies to Correct CBI Claims for Chemical Identity and Submit CBI Substantiations
- EPA Releases Fall 2020 Regulatory Agenda, Forecasting a Busy Year Ahead for TSCA
- TSCA CDR Deadline Extended to January 29, 2021
- EPA Publishes Lists of Manufacturers Subject to TSCA Risk Evaluation Fees
- EPA Proposes Landmark Rule Setting General Requirements and Procedures for Guidance Documents
- EPA Releases Final Rule Amending Small Manufacturer Definition for Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements under TSCA Section 8(a)
- COVID-19 Unsympathetic to TSCA Compliance
- EPA Relaxes TSCA Fee Self-Identification Requirement
- EPA Finalizes TSCA CDR Rule
- EPA Releases Final TSCA § 8(b) CBI Substantiation and Review Plan Rule - Action Likely Required
- Reporting Period Begins for EPA Preliminary Lists of Manufacturers Subject to TSCA Risk Evaluation Fees
- Updated EPA "Working Approach" to New Chemical Determinations
- December 10, 2019 EPA New Chemicals Public Meeting Presentation
- EPA Releases Draft Risk Evaluations for Two More of the "First Ten Chemicals" - 1,4 Dioxane and Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster (HBCD)
- EPA Issues Memorandum Formally Initiating TSCA Inventory "Inactive" Chemical Designation Period
- EPA Releases Final Rule on TSCA User Fees
- EPA Releases Proposed User Fee Rule for Administration of TSCA
- EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Mercury Reporting Rule to January 11, 2018
- Don't Forget TSCA CBI Substantiations are Due September 19th
- EPA Publishes Final Inventory "Reset" Rule, Sets Reporting Dates
- EPA Finalizes TSCA Inventory Reset Rule
- EPA Issues TSCA Proposal for Prioritization of Chemicals for Risk Evaluations
- EPA Issues Proposal for TSCA Chemical Risk Evaluation
- TSCA Import Certification Requirements Amended
- EPA to Require Up-Front Substantiation of All Non-Exempt CBI Claims
- EPA Issues Proposal on TSCA Inventory "Reset"
- EPA Issues 3 New Notices Taking Action under Amended TSCA
- EPA Invites Public Comments on Candidates for Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals
- Announcement and Implications of First 10 Chemicals to Undergo Risk Evaluation
- Several TSCA Rulemakings Pending OMB Review
- EPA Sends TSCA Prioritization Risk Review Rule to OMB
- EPA Extends Comment Period on SNUR Proposal
- EPA Announces Deadline Extension for 2016 TSCA CDR Submissions
- EPA Notice 8/26/2016 - Mercury Compounds; Prohibition of Export
- Chemical Safety Advisory Committee Minutes No. 2016-02
- EPA Issues Short-Term Implementation Measures under the Lautenberg Act
- EPA Notice 8/26/2016 - Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals; Establishment of a Federal Advisory Committee
- EPA announces peer review meeting on August 15 and 16, 2016 on the draft document guidelines for human exposure assessment
- EPA announces public meetings on August 9 and 10, 2016 for input on the processes for risk evaluation, and chemical prioritization for risk evaluation under the amended TSCA
- Implementation of Modernized TSCA Begins
- June 30 EPA Webinar on TSCA Implementation
- EPA Launches a New Chemical Safety Advisory Committee for TSCA
- New TSCA Chemical Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) Now Active
- March 3, 2016 EPA draft risk assessment for 1-Bromopropane
- Current status of EPA's assessments of existing chemicals under the TSCA Work Plan Program and related documents
- List of the Work Plan Chemicals
- EPA Proposes Information Collection Rule for Manufacturers and Processors of Existing Nanomaterials
- 2012: EPA Identifies 7 Initial Work Plan Chemicals for 2012 Risk Assessment
- 2010: EPA Issues Eleventh Hour "Action Plans" for Classes of Chemicals
- Enrolled Bill
- May 24, 2016 House Passed Legislation
- Rules Committee Print 114-54 Text of House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2576, TSCA Modernization Act of 2015 May 20, 2016.
- Negotiated Conference Bill HR 2576
- EPA Administrator McCarthy's Letter to Congress
- House Passes TSCA Modernization Act, What's Next
- House TSCA Modernization Act Gains Unanimous Bipartisan Support in Subcommittee, But More Work to be Done
- TSCA Modernization Act Hearing - June 3, 2015
- A Tale of Two Bills
- Senate-Passed Legislation, December 17, 2015
- House TSCA Modernization Act Amended May 12, 2015
- Udall-Vitter Bill
- Boxer-Markey Bill
- Senator Boxer Releases Confidential TSCA Reform Proposal
- 2014 House Discussion Draft (CICA)
- 2013: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Holds Hearing on TSCA Reform
- 2013: U.S. House of Representatives Initiates Series of Hearings to Discuss the Toxic Substances Control Act
- 2013: Dual Column Integrated Presentation of TSCA and CSIA
- TSCA Modernization and The Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013 - Webinar Presentation
- A Copy of the Chemical Safety Improvement Act Legislation
- 2013: Summary – Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013
- The Committee Mark-up of Senator Frank Lautenberg's Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 - Webinar Presentation
- 2013: Safe Chemicals Act Reintroduced in Identical Form
- 2012: Summary of the Committee Mark-up of S. 847
- 2012: Final Amendment to Safe Chemicals Act, S. 847
- 2011: Summary of Proposed Changes to Safe Chemicals Act
- Senate Holds Hearing on Safe Chemicals Act of 2011
- Bipartisan Meetings on The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011
- 2011: Safe Chemicals Act of 2011: The Official Start of TSCA Reform Efforts in the New Congress
- Lower Expectations for TSCA Reauthorization in 2011
- 2010: Environment and Public Works Subcommittee Hearing on "TSCA and Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals: Examining Domestic and International Actions"
- 2010: The Long Road to TSCA Reform
- 2010: March 17: Senate Hearing on Children's Health
- 2010: March 9: Senate Hearing on Business Perspectives on TSCA
- 2010: Tuesday March 9th: Senate Hearing on TSCA
- 2010: Environmental Council of States Offers Recommendations for TSCA Reform
- 2010: Thursday February 4th: Senate Hearing on TSCA
- A Different Strategy for 2010 TSCA Reform
- 2009: New Poll Suggests Bipartisan Support for TSCA Modernization
- 2009: Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing on "Prioritizing Chemicals for Safety Determination"
- 2009: Will TSCA Sink or Swim?
- 2009: TSCA Inventory Needs to be Sustained, Not Depleted
- Kid-Safe Chemicals Act of 2008
- 2005: GAO "Options" Report
- GAO Comparison of TSCA and REACH