Thursday, January 16, 2025

Short Takes – 1-16-25 – Federal Register Edition

Request for Information Regarding Treatment and Disposal of Elemental Mercury. Federal Register DOE request for information. Summary: “The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center and Office of Environmental Management are currently in the acquisition planning and regulatory planning stages for a potential future treatment and disposal (T&D) acquisition activity and fee rulemaking activities for elemental mercury waste. This planning supports DOE's efforts to implement the requirements of the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008, as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. DOE's Office of Environmental Management is issuing this RFI for the purpose of conducting market research in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This RFI is also being issued to potentially support a future rulemaking action that would establish a fee to provide long-term management and storage of elemental mercury. No contract solicitation is available through this RFI.”

Vinyl Chloride; Draft Scope of the Risk Evaluation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Notice of Availability and Request for Comment. Federal Register EPA notice. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of and seeking public comment on the draft scope of the risk evaluation to be conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for vinyl chloride (ethene, chloro-; CASRN 75-01-4). Under TSCA, the scope documents must include the conditions of use, hazards, exposures, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations that EPA expects to consider in conducting the risk evaluation for this chemical substance. The purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use, including unreasonable risk to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations identified as relevant to the risk evaluation by EPA, and without consideration of costs or non-risk factors.” Comments due March 3rd, 2025.

Controls on Certain Laboratory Equipment and Related Technology To Address Dual Use Concerns About Biotechnology. Federal Register BIS interim final rule – Summary: “With this interim final rule (IFR), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is revising the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to address the accelerating development and deployment of advanced biotechnology tools contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. This rule institutes new controls on certain biotechnology equipment and related technology. It further solicits public comments on the changes it implements.”

Implementation of Additional Due Diligence Measures for Advanced Computing Integrated Circuits; Amendments and Clarifications; and Extension of Comment Period. Federal Register BIS comment extension. Summary: “BIS is revising the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) in response to requests from the public to provide additional due diligence procedures regarding advanced computing integrated circuits (ICs). This interim final rule (IFR) will protect the national security of the United States and assist foundries and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (“OSATs”) companies in complying with provisions of the EAR pertaining to advanced computing ICs in the supply chain. This IFR also revises the EAR to make amendments and clarifications to the EAR for changes made to the EAR in an IFR released by BIS on December 2, 2024, “Foreign-Produced Direct Product Rule Additions, and Refinements to Controls for Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing Items,” (FDP IFR), including extending the deadline for written comments for the FDP IFR to March 14, 2025.”

Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Connected Vehicles. Federal Register BIS final rule. Summary: “This final rule, published by the Department of Commerce's (Department) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), sets forth regulations and procedures to address undue or unacceptable risks to national security and U.S. persons posed by classes of transactions involving information and communications technology and services (ICTS) that are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of certain foreign adversaries and that are integral to connected vehicles as defined herein.” Effective date: March 17th, 2025.

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