The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for three chemical substances (chloro-alkanes) which were the subject of premanufacture notices. If finalized, persons who intend to import, manufacture, or process any of these chemical substances for an activity deemed a significant new use by EPA would be required to notify the agency at least 90 days in advance. Comments are due by April 11.

The Environmental Protection Agency is promulgating significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for five chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). The substances are generically known as rare earth doped complex strontium aluminate, said EPA. As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import, or process any of the chemicals for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. The final rule is effective April 7.

An interagency committee is removing five substances from its list of priority chemicals for testing under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The Interagency Testing Committee’s revises the list at least every six months. The report is used by the Environmental Protection Agency to guide its decisions on the promulgation of chemical testing regulations under Section 4(a) of TSCA. The Priority Testing List now includes two alkylphenols, 45 High Production Volume Challenge Program orphan chemicals, cadmium, a category of cadmium compounds, six non-phthalate plasticizers, 25 phosphate ester flame retardants, two other flame retardants, nine chemicals to which children living near hazardous waste sites may be exposed, and 19 diisocyanates and related compounds, said EPA. Comments on the changes are due by Feb. 24.

The Environmental Protection Agency updated its notice of arrival (NOA) 3540-1 form, said CBP in a CSMS message. Imported pesticides and devices require a NOA to be presented upon arrival as part of the Federal Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Act, said CBP. The NOA form is available (here).

The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting proposals for a total of $4 million in grant funding to establish clean diesel programs to reduce emissions from marine and inland water ports. EPA said it will award between two and five assistance agreements to port authorities for clean diesel projects that may include drayage trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and cargo handling equipment. Priority will be give to ports located in areas of poor air quality, EPA said.

The Environmental Protection Agency is updating its civil monetary penalty amounts for inflation, in a Nov. 6 final rule. The EPA is required to adjust its penalties for inflation every four years. The new penalty amounts take effect for violations committed on or after Dec. 6. The EPA made no changes to penalty amounts for Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) or Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) violations.

The Environmental Protection Agency is removing Toxic Substances Control Act significant new use rules (SNURs) on three chemical substances. EPA’s final rule, which takes effect Nov. 5, removes new use notification requirements for the following chemicals: C21-34—branched and linear, chloro; alkanes, C22-30—branched and linear, chloro; and alkanes, C24-28, chloro. Removal of the SNURs appears to be temporary, however: EPA said it plans to publish in the “near future” SNURs for these three chemicals in a separate proposed rule.

As a result of the government shutdown, the Environmental Protection Agency is extending the review periods for a number of notices submitted to the agency as part of section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act, the EPA said. The extension applies all Premanufacture Notices, Significant New Use Notices, Microbial Commercial Activity Notices and exemption notices received by the EPA on or before Oct. 1, the agency said in a notice. The review period for submissions between Oct. 1 and Oct. 16 is extended by 16 days, the length of the shutdown, the agency said.

The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing a final rule that will restrict imports of perfluorinated chemicals that could be used in carpets, it said in a press release (here). The agency finalized a significant new use rule (SNUR) (here) for the chemical Sept. 30, although the rule has yet to be published in the Federal Register. Perfluorinated chemicals were formerly used for soil and stain resistance in carpets, but have since been voluntarily phased out by the U.S. chemical industry after they were shown to persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in humans and animals, EPA said.

The Environmental Protection Agency is extending until Oct. 9 the deadline for comments on its proposed standards for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Parts of the proposed rule would impose importer recordkeeping requirements and require TSCA import certifications from importers of composite wood products. EPA issued the proposed rule in June, and originally set the comment period to end Aug. 9 (see 13060715).