Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act
The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is a law passed by the 114th United States Congress and signed into law by US President Barack Obama in 2016. Administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates the introduction of new or already existing chemicals, the Act amends and updates the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that went into force in 1976.
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| Other short titles |
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|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act, and for other purposes. |
| Nicknames | Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2016 |
| Enacted by | the 114th United States Congress |
| Effective | December 18, 2016 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 114-182 |
| Statutes at Large | 130 Stat. 448 |
| Legislative history | |
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History
Senators David Vitter and Frank Lautenberg introduced a TSCA reform bill as S. 1009[1] on May 22, 2013, co-sponsored by a number of other senators at the United States House Energy Subcommittee on Environment and Economy.[2] After Senator Lautenberg died, Senator Tom Udall sponsored Senate bill 697 in 2015, to amend and re-authorize TSCA, called the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.[3][4] The House then passed H.R.2576, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015, and was referred to the Senate.[5]
Congress passed a reconciled version of the reform bill with bipartisan support in June 2016. On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.[6] Lawmakers and industry groups were largely supportive of the new law, while environmental advocates offered more mixed reactions.[7]
Changes to TSCA
| TSCA as reformed by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act | TSCA pre-reform |
|---|---|
| Mandatory duty on EPA to evaluate existing chemicals with clear and enforceable deadlines | No duty to review, no deadlines for action |
| Chemicals assessed against a risk-based safety standard | Risk-benefit balancing standard |
| Unreasonable risks identified in the risk evaluation must be eliminated | Significant risks might not be addressed due to cost/benefit balancing and no mandate to act |
| Expanded authority to more quickly require development of chemical information when needed | Testing on existing chemicals required lengthy rulemaking |
References
- S. 1009 at Congress.gov
- To reauthorize and modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act, and for other purposes, S.B. No. 1009 March 22, 2013.
- "All Bill Information (Except Text) for S.697 - Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act". congress.gov. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- "Vitter takes his Chemical Safety bill to House committee hearing". The Advocate. Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-03.
- "H.R.2576 - TSCA Modernization Act of 2015". Library of Congress. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Barack Obama: "Remarks on Signing the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act," June 22, 2016". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.
- "The president just signed a law that affects nearly every product you use". Washington Post. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
External links
- Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act as amended (PDF/details) in the GPO Statute Compilations collection
- Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act as enacted (PDF/details) in the US Statutes at Large
