Join us at the SOCMA Summit from November 6-8 at the Loews New Orleans.
SOCMA will share a “View from Capitol Hill”, where we provide valuable insight from the nation’s capital, and how actions from Congress and the Administration impact your company.
Additionally, the SOCMA Chemical Regulations, Trade, Tax and Supply Chain, Environmental and Health & Safety Committees will meet in-person on November 8. Check out the full schedule online.
Industry Advocacy
SOCMA Meets with White House on EPA’s Risk Management Program Rule
SOCMA held a meeting with the White House on the proposed Risk Management Program (RMP) rule, which is likely to be published this year.
Wanda Smith, Halocarbon Products Corporation, and Matt Manna, Ascensus Specialties LLC joined the meeting to provide perspective for specialty and batch manufacturing.
The meeting focused on the top four concerns with RMP:
Safer Technologies and Alternatives Analyses (STAAs)
3rd Party Audits (required if there is an accidental release)
Information Disclosures (highlighting the security risks, potential CBI disclosures, and business disruptions)
Fenceline Monitoring (supported EPA’s position to not include fenceline monitoring in the proposed rule)
Additional Advocacy: Alan Dyke, ProChem, Inc recently highlighted the fundamental challenges that the specialty chemical industry faces with EPA’s current regulation. Read More
SOCMA Eyes Opportunity to Reauthorize CFATS and Trade Resilience Programs in Fall Spending Bill
With Mike Johnson (R-LA) now selected as Speaker of the House, Congress has refocused their attention to avert a partial government shutdown in November, which can be accomplished through a continuing resolution or larger spending packages.
With either of these options comes the opportunity to reauthorize programs that support member companies to maintain security and save money on costly tariffs.
CFATS Re-authorization: With the lapse of this program, more than 300 employees a month are not screened against the FBI Terrorist database. By reauthorizing CFATS, chemicals that could be used for potential terrorist activities will have better safeguards.
Trade Resilience Programs: Reinstating the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and Generalized System of preferences (GSP) programs is crucial for industry to bolster their supply chains and ease tariffs on raw material imports.
SOCMA Advocates for Reauthorization of CFATS Program in Letter to Congress
SOCMA continues to push House and Senate leadership for the swift passage of CFATS reauthorization.
In a joint letter, SOCMA urged Congress to take action and ensure the security of chemical facilities. Read More
Industry News
EPA Proposes to ban all uses of Trichloroethylene
On October 23, EPA proposed the ban of all uses of Trichloroethylene (TCE), with varying timelines for its phaseout. This comes out of the White House’s “Cancer Moonshot,” a program which has targeted many “harmful and forever” chemistries such as PFAS and Methylene Chloride (MCL).
The impact: This proposed regulation would prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for all uses. Most commercial/industrial uses will be phased out within a year of the final regulation; some uses as a processing aid will have a longer phaseout timeline. Critical use products will have a longer timeline of up to ten years with stringent exposure limits.
If your company might be affected by this regulation, email us.
PFAS Reporting Rule Finalized by EPA
The EPA released the final section of its (8)(e) PFAS reporting rule earlier this month.
Why it Matters: The rule includes a look back period that spans more than a decade. If your company has manufactured or imported anything containing PFAS since January 1, 2011, it may need to be reported.
Amy Wachs, Husch Blackwell has coordinated with SOCMA to present a 20-minute session at the Summit on November 7.
OSHA Proposed Rule – Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process
The rule would allow employees of a third party to be an authorized representatives of the employer so long as the person is reasonably necessary to conduct an effective and thorough physical inspection of the workplace by virtue of their knowledge, skills, or experience.
Why it Matters: Effectively, this proposed rule will broaden a company’s options on third parties that can accompany OSHA inspectors.
.jpg?upscale=true&width=420&upscale=true&name=iStock-1156372578%20(1).jpg)
