Environmental Protection Agency June 10, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, EPA gives notice of a series of teleconference meetings of the National Environmental Education Advisory Council (NEEAC). The NEEAC was created by Congress to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on matters related to activities, functions and policies of EPA under the National Environmental Education Act (the Act). 20 U.S.C. 5508(b). The purpose of this teleconference(s) is to discuss specific topics of relevance for consideration by the council in order to provide advice and insights to the Agency on environmental education.

This notice announces that pesticide related information submitted to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), including information that may have been claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI) by the submitter, will be transferred to Eastern Research Group, Inc., in accordance with the CBI regulations. Eastern Research Group, Inc., has been awarded a multiple contract to perform work for OPP, and access to this information will enable Eastern Research Group, Inc., to fulfill the obligations of this contract.

In accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of request for amendments by registrants to terminate uses in certain pesticide registrations. FIFRA provides that a registrant of a pesticide product may at any time request that any of its pesticide registrations be amended to terminate one or more uses. FIFRA further provides that, before acting on the request, EPA must publish a notice of receipt of any request in the Federal Register.

Under section 211 of the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set renewable fuel percentage standards every year. This action proposes annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel that apply to all motor vehicle gasoline and diesel produced or imported in the years 2014, 2015, and 2016. The EPA is establishing a cellulosic biofuel volume for all three years that is below the applicable volume specified in the Act, and is also proposing to rescind the cellulosic biofuel standard for 2011. Relying on statutory waiver authorities, the EPA is proposing to adjust the applicable volumes of advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel for all three years. The 2015 and 2016 proposed standards are expected to spur further progress in overcoming current constraints in renewable fuel distribution infrastructure, which in turn is expected to lead to substantial growth over time in the production and use of higher-level ethanol blends and other qualifying renewable fuels. In this action, we are also proposing the applicable volume of biomass-based diesel for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Finally, we are proposing compliance and attest reporting deadlines for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015, as well as proposing regulatory amendments to clarify the scope of the existing algal biofuel pathway.

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 30 chemical substances which were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). This action would require persons who intend to manufacture (including import) or process any of the chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this proposed rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification would provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit the activity before it occurs.