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December 21, 2016

EPA Amends Procedures for TSCA Section 6 Rulemaking

Lynn L. Bergeson Carla N. Hutton

On December 21, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule regarding procedures for rulemaking under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the Federal Register.  Under TSCA Section 6, EPA has the authority to address risks from chemical substances, and Section 6 includes procedures that EPA must follow.  As amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, TSCA no longer mandates certain procedural requirements, and this rulemaking removes the regulations specifying those procedures. The final rule is effective on the date of publication, December 21, 2016.

The final rule appears to amend the Section 6 procedural requirements such that they align with the amended requirements under new TSCA.  While the procedural simplifications in new TSCA were a useful change that should better enable regulatory action on existing chemicals, EPA will need to exercise care in its future rulemaking to meet the procedural requirements that remain in Section 6, as well as satisfy the relevant provisions in Section 26.  More information regarding this final rule is available in our memorandum TSCA:  EPA Amends Procedures for TSCA Section 6 Rulemaking.