Environmental Protection Agency July 2, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Bacillus velezensis strain 11604 in or on all food and feed commodities when used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. BioConsortia, Inc., submitted a petition to the EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Bacillus velezensis strain 11604 under FFDCA when used in accordance with this exemption.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve state implementation plan (SIP) revisions from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD or "District") to address Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") requirements related to the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or "standards"). These revisions concern emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOX) from boilers, gas turbines, and miscellaneous (misc) combustion units and reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for major sources of NOX in the portion of the Sacramento Metro, CA, nonattainment area that is subject to SMAQMD jurisdiction. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of and soliciting public comment on a framework for expanding interagency collaboration to improve the communication and knowledge base within the federal family to fully consider potential adverse impact of pesticides on efficacy of human and animal drugs. In particular, the use of antifungal and antibacterial pesticides, that can potentially lead to resistance in human and animal pathogens and may compromise the effectiveness of medically important antibacterial and antifungal drugs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") is hereby providing notice of a proposed prospective purchaser settlement agreement between EPA and prospective purchaser Wilmington Woburn Industrial, LLC ("Settling Party"), which has an agreement to acquire the property located at 51 Eames Street in Wilmington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, encompassing approximately 50 acres ("Property"), from Olin Corporation ("Contract"), embodied in an Administrative Agreement for Payment of Response Costs by Prospective Purchaser ("Settlement Agreement"). The proposed Settlement Agreement, EPA Region 1 CERCLA Docket No. 01-2024-0015, pertains to the Olin Chemical Superfund Site in Wilmington, Massachusetts ("Site") and the Property, which is a portion of the Site. The proposed Settlement Agreement is entered into pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended ("CERCLA," also known as the Superfund law), and the authority of the Attorney General of the United States to compromise and settle claims of the United States. On September 28, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered the Consent Decree in United States of America and Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. American Biltrite Inc., et al. case (1:23-cv-11044), in which American Biltrite Inc., NOR-AM Agro LLC, Olin Corporation, and Stepan Company ("Settling Defendants") agreed to implement the remedy selected in the Record of Decision issued by EPA for the Site on March 30, 2021 ("Record of Decision"). The proposed Settlement Agreement requires the Settling Party to provide full cooperation, assistance, and access to persons authorized to conduct response actions at the Property, including Settling Defendants' implementation, under EPA oversight, of the remedy embodied in the Record of Decision in accordance with the Consent Decree. The proposed Settlement Agreement also requires the Settling Party to perform certain remedial design and remedial action activities pursuant to the Contract in coordination with Settling Defendants and in accordance with the terms of the Consent Decree and associated Statement of Work. Under the proposed Settlement Agreement, the Settling Party will make a payment to EPA of $73,202.39 as well as pay EPA for future costs in supporting, developing, implementing, overseeing, or enforcing the Agreement. The Settling Party consents to and will not contest the authority of the United States to enter into this proposed Settlement Agreement or to implement or enforce its terms. The Settling Party recognizes that this proposed Settlement Agreement has been negotiated in good faith and that this Agreement is entered into without the admission or adjudication of any issue of fact or law.