The Environmental Protection Agency settled a civil case over illegal imports and sales involving four U.S. vehicle importers and a Chinese manufacturer, the agency said on April 7. Those Texas-based companies imported and sold “more than 4,000 uncertified off-road recreational vehicles" using "the brand name Hammerhead between 2007-2011.” The U.S. companies, Geason Enterprises, GE Ventures, Hammerhead Off-Road, and TJ Power Sports, along with the Shanghai Howhit Machinery Manufacture, agreed to pay $560,000 in civil penalties. The imports lacked the necessary certifications and the sales violated the Clean Air Act, the EPA said. “EPA discovered the violations during inspections of imported vehicles at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, the Port of Dallas, the Port of Chicago, and Hammerhead’s warehouse in Dallas,” said the agency (here).
The Environmental Protection Agency intends to issue final regulations on formaldehyde in wood flooring “late this year,” it said in an update posted to its website (here). The agency received a “large number” of comments on its proposed rule (see 13060715), and is “carefully considering the comments in developing the final rule,” it said. Trade associations criticized importer certification requirements and the lack of a de minimis level in comments following the publication of the proposed rule in 2013 (see 13101816). EPA also posted a questions and answers section to its website (here) in response to concerns from consumers prompted by media reports of excessive formaldehyde in wood sold by Lumber Liquidators (see 1503260020).
The Environmental Protection Agency is revoking a significant new use rule (SNUR) on two metal salts of complex inorganic oxyacids, in a final rule that takes effect May 26 (here). The agency is removing the restrictions because it has received test data that show the two chemicals have low toxicity, it said.
The Environmental Protection Agency is revising its Standards for Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, in a final rule that takes effect May 15 (here). The amended regulations tighten emissions standards for wood heaters, eliminate exemptions “over a broad suite” of residential wood combustion devices, “strengthen” test methods, and “streamline” the certification process, it said. EPA is also adding a new subpart to its regulations for New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces. Tougher emission standards will be phased in over two stages, in 2015 and in 2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency is extending until June 26 the period for comments on its proposed new Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for certain long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (LCPFAC), as well as the agency's proposed elimination of an exemption from reporting requirements for perfluoroalkyl sulfonate imported in carpets (here). Comments on the Jan. 21 proposed rule were originally due March 23 (see 1501200010).
The Environmental Protection Agency is asking for comments by April 8 on ways it can streamline its regulations, it said in a March 9 Federal Register notice (here). EPA began a retrospective review of its regulations in 2011, and seeks more comments as part of its ongoing review. This latest request for input is focused on “how the agency can promote regulatory modernization through business-process streamlining facilitated by improved technology,” said EPA.
The Environmental Protection Agency is changing the name of its long-standing Design for the Environment (DfE) program, it said in a March 6 Federal Register notice (here). The Safer Choice program, as it will now be known, will operate under nearly the same standards as DfE, with an additional label for fragrance-free products, according to documents posted on the EPA website (here). Revised labels that reflect the program’s new name are also being created for consumer products and for industrial and institutional products, said EPA (here). Comments on the changes are due May 5.
The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing a significant new use rule (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for a heat transfer fluid that is currently the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) (here). As a result of the SNUR, persons planning to manufacture, import, or process Pentane, 1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoro-4-(1,1,2,3,3,3- hexafluoropropoxy) for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule are to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. The final rule takes effect April 6.
The Environmental Protection Agency is promulgating significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 27 chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) (here). As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import, or process any of these 52 chemicals for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule are to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. The final rule takes effect April 3.
The Environmental Protection Agency is granting a partial exemption from chemical processing and use reporting requirements for six biodiesels. The agency’s direct final rule adds the following substances to the “low current interest list”: Tallow, Methyl Ester: CASRN 61788-61-2; Soy Oil, Methyl Ester: CASRN 67784-80-9; Canola Oil, Methyl Ester: CASRN 129828-16-6; Fatty acids, corn oil, Me esters: CASRN 515152-40-6; Fatty acids, C16-18 and C-18-unsaturated, Me esters: CASRN 67762-38-3; and Fatty acids, C14-18 and C16-18 unsaturated, Me esters: CASRN 67762-26-9. The partial exemptions take effect March 30, unless EPA receives comments in opposition in the next 30 days.