In a groundbreaking decision, a federal district court has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the “unreasonable risk” it found to be posed by the fluoridation of drinking water. The order came...more
Largely out of public view, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been ramping up enforcement of its “backstop” efficiency standard and sales prohibition regarding general service lamps, including incandescent bulbs. After...more
On May 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a joint plan to identify areas of ambiguity, gaps, or uncertainty in...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy, announced last week by David Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA),...more
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed a district court’s dismissal of environmental plaintiffs’ claim that shrimp trawlers require either a Section 404 or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System...more
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a group of New Jersey herring fishers’ challenge to a long-standing key administrative law doctrine—the “Chevron doctrine.” It could be the next term’s most consequential case. The Chevron...more
For several years, Congress has considered legislation to support nature-based greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the agriculture and forestry sectors. That legislative vision recently became law through the Consolidated...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeks public comment on a proposed expansion of EnergyGuide labeling requirements to new product categories, and a requirement to include repair...more
What Happened: EPA activated its Emerging Viral Pathogens guidance to permit limited claims that certain registered pesticides are effective against the monkeypox virus.
Who’s Impacted: Manufacturers and distributors of...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: DOE finalized rules to apply the 45 lumens per watt “backstop” efficiency standard to general service lamps and to include five categories of specialty incandescent lamps, incandescent...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: DOE finalized rules to apply the 45 lumens per watt “backstop” efficiency standard to general service lamps and to include five categories of specialty incandescent lamps, incandescent...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: DOE proposed to apply the 45 lumen per watt “backstop” efficiency standard to general service lamps, which would effectively prohibit the manufacture, distribution, and sale of most...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: EPA has indefinitely extended its activation of the emerging viral pathogens guidance for antimicrobial pesticides, permitting registrants with a pre-qualified “emerging viral pathogen...more
Key Takeaways -
• What happened: EPA announced that it will retract the temporary amendments to Pesticide Registration (“PR”) Notice 98-10, originally issued by EPA in March 2020. These amendments were intended to provide...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: DOE issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to adopt revised definitions of general service lamps and general service incandescent lamps, which would impose strict energy efficiency standards...more
Congress and the Biden Administration recently have taken substantial steps toward facilitating land-based solutions to global climate change, including measures specifically focused on agriculture. These actions would...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: Citing recently revised CDC guidance suggesting that the risk of surface transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is “generally considered to be low,” EPA announced that it is no longer...more
A federal court has ordered EPA to make extensive changes to its Chemical Data Reporting rule (CDR) with respect to asbestos reporting. While the ruling in ADAO v. Wheeler is limited to CDR reporting of asbestos, it sets the...more
Key Takeaways:
What Happened: EPA settled with Electrolux for nearly $7 million in connection with the import of household appliances with antimicrobial-treated air filters that were not registered under the federal...more
Key Takeaways:
• What Happened: EPA announced a new and expedited review process for surface disinfectant products with residual anti-viral efficacy claims of up to 24 hours, as well as a new category of “supplemental”...more
Inventory Reset reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seems like years ago, because it was – Form A’s were due February 7, 2018 for manufacturers and October 5, 2018 for processors. Companies are now likely...more
B&D’s Carbon Markets Roundup covers domestic and international developments related to carbon pricing and related regulatory programs aimed at regulating or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite—or perhaps because...more
B&D’s Carbon Markets Roundup covers domestic and international developments related to carbon pricing and related regulatory programs aimed at regulating or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite—or perhaps because...more
Key Takeaways -
What Happened: EPA proposed to exempt certain biotechnology-derived plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs) from FIFRA registration and FFDCA tolerance requirements....more
If Joe Biden is elected President, and the Democrats win control of both the House and Senate, the new Administration could potentially use the Congressional Review Act (“CRA” or “Act”) to reverse recent and still-to-come...more