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The article reports on the emergence of a new trend on the regulatory front seen by the U.S. chemical industry. In recent years, the environmental initiatives of big box retailers and other downstream customers have become de facto regulatory requirements. This is a shift from the aggressive federal rules of the 1980s and 1990s that were the industry's primary concern. INSETS: States, Retailers Push to Eliminate Phthalates from Toys;First Do No Harm: Health Care Groups Align in Push for….

Reports on the redevelopment of brownfields or contaminated industrial sites in New Jersey. Creation of jobs in deteriorating cities; Relaxation of regulations on brownfields redevelopment; Problems involved in reusing contaminated sites.

Reports on the reduction in the 1997 budget of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Elimination of several positions; Concerns of businesses about the implications of the agency's budget cuts; Reduction of water pollution control programs; Launching of the Sustainable State Initiative to evaluate New Jersey's environmental regulatory process. INSET: EPA, OSHA to release NAPP findings, by J.S..

Reports on the significance of the 1996 presidential election on the chemical industry in the United States. Agenda of President Bill Clinton and Republican rival Bob Dole for environmental protection; Dole's failure to present a coherent message on the environment; Environmental policies of other candidates aside from Clinton and Dole. INSET: Campaign '96 policy spotlight..

Describes the proposed toxics use reduction (TUR) laws in several states. Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; New Hampshire; New Jersey; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; West Virginia.

The article presents news briefs on the chemical industry in the U.S. as of December 2005. Lanxess plans to consolidate its North American polybutadiene rubber production at Orange, Texas in January 2006. BASF will acquire the North American engineering plastics business of LATI Industria Termoplastici. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft white paper detailing the health and environmental risks and benefits of nanomaterials.

Focuses on the implications of the outcome of the 2004 U.S. presidential election for the chemical industry. Issues facing the chemical sector; Potential impact of the possible election of Senator John Kerry on the chemical and refining sectors in the country; Results of an online poll on environmental issues that should be prioritized by Kerry and President George W. Bush.

Reports on the lobbying efforts of chemical industry and environmental groups in New Jersey to reverse the environmental policies passed under the administration of former Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Protests of the industry against the regulatory relief and streamlining of permit approvals processes; Setback for environmental groups during the Whitman administration.

Reports on the readiness of the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standard to debut in 1994. Conditions of the standard; Drawbacks of the standard; Issues and questions raised.

Discusses David Buzzelli's philosophy on the partnership between the chemical industry and its regulators. Role as co-chair of the President's Council on Sustainable Development (PSCD); Creation of the council aimed at combining economic development with environmental protection at home; Return on investment and command-and-control response.

This article reports on the decision of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee to pass the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. The legislation would restrict the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using authority under the Clean Air Act. Representative Fred Upton said the bill will allow energy and environmental policies that create jobs.

The article reports on a study conducted by Standard & Poor's and the World Resources Institute (WRI) which found that federal climate action may not pose a major credit risk to chemical companies in the U.S.

This article focuses on the plan of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review labeling and other guidelines for flea and tick products.

The article reports on the passage of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in February 2010. Under the bill, EPA will reportedly reject certain confidential business information (CBI) claims that it had previously approved. It briefly cites section 8(e) of TSCA. Among the advocates of the EPA decision is the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA).

The article reports on the changes made to the 1976 Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA). The changes forced industry representatives, environmental officials and other stakeholders to encourage U.S. lawmakers to authorize a risk-based method for prioritizing chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), House lawmakers should recognize the impact of science on the need for TSCA reform. Meanwhile, the American Chemical Council said that a tighter federal law is better than the patchwork approach to chemicals management.

The article reports on the agreement of Invista, a subsidiary of Koch Industries to pay a civil penalty and spend up to $500 million to correct self-reported environmental violations at sites acquired from DuPont in 2004 as part of an agreement reached with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department. It cites Invista's disclosure of more than 680 violations after auditing 12 facilities it acquired from DuPont in 2004. The company maintains that DuPont is responsible for costs associated with correcting the violations.

This article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide, contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare, a finding that is a major step toward enabling the agency to regulate GHGs as pollutants using existing Clean Air Act authority. EPA is proposed the "endangerment finding," based on "rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis" of six gases. It also presents the concerns of the chemical industry to the proposal by EPA.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend its National Environmental Performance Track program to evaluate and refine it further. With the help of the said program, some regulatory requirements were removed covering companies that agreed to reduce energy use. The program has received both positive and negative feedbacks from industry groups with some claiming that it is an example of beneficial cooperation between regulated firms and regulators while others stating that it is poorly managed.

This article states that U.S. President Barack Obama's released 2010 budget proposal would reinstate the Superfund tax on oil and chemical companies beginning in 2012. Superfund taxes previously levied on oil and chemical company revenues expired in 1995, and the cleanups have since been funded by the government and companies deemed liable for the specific contaminated sites. The Obama budget also includes a large increase in funding for Environmental Protection Agency, including about $19 million to monitor and track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The article argues that the victory of Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential election and Democratic gains in Congress herald a much changed and more challenging regulatory environment for chemical makers in 2009. Progress on energy policy could be easier to achieve as both Democrats and Republicans appear to be motivated to address energy concerns. There are also reports that Obama's cabinet could include potential energy secretary candidates such as Ralph Izzo, chairman and CEO of utility PSE&G, or Ed Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania.

The article reports that the first mandatory U.S. cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric utilities took effect in September 2008 for 10 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. The program is not expected to have an immediate impact on facility operations, however, due to a miscalculation of anticipated emissions, sources say. Officials who drafted the program expected current emissions to be higher than they are, so few utilities are expected to need to purchase emission allowances.

The article reports on efforts made by regulators and the industry to close major data gaps on the toxicology of nanomaterials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to issue a report in the coming months about the human health and environmental impacts of nanomaterials. The report is expected to identify the extent of the adverse impact of nanomaterials on human health and the environment, along with indications of how best to manage risks.

The article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed an interim policy that offers reduced penalties to companies that have recently acquired regulated facilities, providing that the new owners conduct audits and disclose any environmental violations. EPA says its current policy offers reduced penalties to companies that self-audit their facilities, promptly disclose any violations, and take steps to prevent future violations.

The article reports that CropLife America has filed a petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting further examination and explanation of EPA's risk assessment for testing suspected endocrine disrupting substances, which is set for implementation on August 31, 2008. The petition asks EPA to issue policies and procedures for implementing the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) that ensure the program minimizes duplicative testing and utilizes sound science.

This article reports that a spending bill passed by U.S. Congress in December 2007 contains a mandate for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to coordinate with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in developing a federal nanotechnology environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) research strategy. Congress has directed EPA to sign a contract with the NAS Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology by March 21 2008, which will outline steps for developing and monitoring implementation of nanotech EH&S research program.

This article reports on a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by New York and 11 other U.S. states for changes it made in 2006 to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). According to New York state attorney general Andrew Cuomo, the suit seeks to restore the public's right to information on chemical hazards, despite attempts of the U.S. administration to hide it. EPA finalized rules in 2006 that raised the TRI reporting threshold from 500 lbs/year, to 5,000 lbs/year.

The article reports that the National Center for Computational Toxicology of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a list of 340 chemicals that it will evaluate using high throughput screening bioassays, or hundreds of rapid computer tests. The screening is the first of three phases in the ToxCast program of EPA, which aims to give EPA the capability to quickly test thousands of environmental chemicals for harmful effects.

The article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently released a list of 73 proposed substances it plans to test for potential to disrupt the endocrine system, which is associated with some neurological and developmental health functions. According to EPA, the substances which include acetone, atrazine, chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, permethrin, and toluene, are among those that have the most potential for exposure.

The article reports on the issuance of an executive order by U.S. President Bush to start the process for increasing automotive fuel efficiency standards, and for mandating increased alternative fuel use. The order directs agencies to coordinate on the development of possible regulatory actions to address the emissions from mobile sources that contribute to global climate change, says Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Stephen Johnson.

The article reports that the U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a lower court ruling overturning a Bush administration change to the Clean Air Act's New Source Review (NSR) program. The change would have allowed facilities to replace up to 20% of certain units without installing upgraded pollution controls as long as the equipment was functionally equivalent to the old equipment. However, the NSR change will not take effect because the Supreme Court refused to hear the administration's appeal.

The article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put off a decision on whether methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and perchlorate should be included in its drinking water contaminant candidate list (CCL). The CCL is the agency's list of chemicals that are found in drinking water at levels that pose a public health concern. The CCL is a preliminary step in establishing a drinking water standard for a specific contaminant.

The article reports on the poor progress of the environmental justice program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cited by EPA Inspector General (IG). The IG recommends that EPA require its program and regional offices to determine which activities warrant environmental justice reviews.

The article announces the move of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliberate the Air Toxics Residual Risk rule for industrial processes. The chemical industry has asked EPA to require no further action in a Clean Air Act control technology rule for air toxics emissions from production processes. Chemical facilities would have 1 to 3 years from the date of promulgation to meet these tightened requirements.

The article reports on the ruling of a U.S. federal judge that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) violated environmental laws in granting companies permits to plant genetically modified crops intended to produce experimental pharmaceutical products. USDA violated the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by not conducting the necessary environmental reviews before issuing the permits.

This article states that a U.S. federal appeals court has unanimously rejected part of Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) revisions to the New Source Review (NSR) rule, which would have allowed industrial facilities to avoid installing emission controls if the cost of the proposed construction is less than 20% of the value of the entire process unit. The ruling by the full U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a March 17 ruling by a three-judge panel of the same court, which found that EPA's 20% exemption clause violates the Clean Air Act. EPA has not said whether it will appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Clean Air Act's NSR provisions require industrial facilities to install state-of-the-art emission controls when making significant plant upgrades.

The article deals with the efforts of the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate the proposed Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) in April 2006. Information on Senators supporting the investigation are included. The impact of TRI on federal programs is emphasized. Changes suggested by legislators in TRI are stated.

The article deals with the opposition of the science advisory panel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the proposed revisions to the air quality standard for fine particles in February 2006. The panel stated that the proposal does not reflect the advisory panel's recommendations. Hence, state air quality regulators say it is unusual for the agency to not adopt the recommendations of the Clean air Scientific Advisory Committee.

This article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to streamline the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements as of October 2005. In its proposal, EPA will allow some companies the option to report emissions every two years instead of every year. EPA would also allow small businesses to forgo some reporting requirements, under the proposal. Senator Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) said the proposal will gut an environmental statute that has been successful in encouraging companies to reduce toxic emissions.

This article reports on the concern of public right-to-know activists about the National Environ Mental Policy Act (NEPA) in the U.S. NEPA requires the government to determine and make public the anticipated environmental impact of any taxpayer-funded development project. Right-to-know advocacy group OMB Watch claims, however, that the public hearings have sought input primarily from industry, and that the details about the hearings' time and location have not been made public until the last minute. Environmental groups maintain that NEPA helps protect vital national resources, such as requiring that highways be built away from wetlands areas. It says the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has already been chipping away at NEPA, including a 2001 executive order that required all NEPA reviews for energy-related projects be expedited.

Reports on a legislation proposed by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg that would give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency greater authority to require chemical companies to provide safety data for new or existing chemicals. Similarity of the legislation to the European Union's Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals testing program; Requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act; Reason for the introduction of the Lautenberg legislation.

Reports on the amount to be paid by Formosa Plastics to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of a settlement agreement over vinyl chloride charges against the company. Terms of the settlement agreement; Information on the environmental protection laws violated by Formosa Plastics.

Reports on an increase in U.S. demand for flame retardants in 2008, according to a study by The Freedonia Group. Sales growth of brominated flame retardants; Effect of environmental restrictions on a range of retardants on the flame retardant industry; Increase in the prices of flame retardants to offset rising raw material costs.

Presents information on the results of a report conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the proposed emissions trading program for in 2005. Preparation for a mercury emissions reduction rule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with the report; Inadequacy of the analysis conducted by EPA on the costs and benefits of the program; Views of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on the GAO report.

Reports on the delay in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works committee's vote on the Bush administration's Clear Skies bill, which would establish an emission trading program for mercury, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides. Decision of Senator Lincoln Chafee regarding the bill; Effect of the bill on the chemical industry; Comments on the bill.

Reports on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed changes to its Inventory Update Rule. Requirements of the rule for chemical firms; Implications of the proposed changes on certain reporting conditions according to Lynn Bergeson, partner at Bergeson & Campbell law firm.

Reports on the proposed Significant New Use Rule of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that requires manufacturers or importers of penta- and octapolybrominated flame retardants to notify EPA prior to manufacture or import effective January 1, 2005. Information on the flame retardants; Coverage of the rule; Reason EPA is monitoring the production of the flame retardants.

Stresses that chemical makers can expect little relief from volatile gas prices in the U.S. Regions that have the most expensive natural gas as of October 20, 2004; Effect of the U.S. energy and environmental policy on natural gas supply; Possible source of supply relief; Status of global natural gas trade by 2020.

Presents an update on regulations affecting the U.S. chemical industry as of September 29, 2004. Number of homes contaminated by a chemical leak at Diaz Chemical in 2003 to be bought by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Opposition of environmental groups to the exemption of facilities that have waste incinerators from the air toxic rule of the EPA; Efforts of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics group to urge cosmetic companies to remove phthalates from their products.

Focuses on the changes in the Clean Air Act New Source Review program made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as of October 2004. Reaction of environmental groups to the changes; Position of EPA Inspector General Nikki Tinsley on the impact of the changes on air quality in the U.S.; Implication of the changes for the agency's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

Reports on the fines to be sought by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against DuPont for its violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as of July 14, 2004. Allegations of the EPA against the company; Response of DuPont to the charges filed by the EPA; Significance of the complaints filed by the EPA to the obligation of chemical companies to report information about substantial risk of injury to human health and the environment.