Short Takes – 1-6-25

Implementing Statutory Addition of Certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Beginning With Reporting Year 2025. Federal Register EPA final rule. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating the list of chemicals subject to toxic chemical release reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). Specifically, this action updates the regulations to identify nine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that must be reported pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020 NDAA) enacted on December 20, 2019. As this action is being taken to conform the regulations to a Congressional legislative mandate, notice and comment rulemaking is unnecessary.”  Effective date: February 5^th, 2025.

Diisodecyl Phthalate (DIDP); Risk Evaluation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Notice of Availability. Federal register EPA notice. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of the final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP). 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, without consideration of costs or non-risk factors, including unreasonable risk to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations identified as relevant to the risk evaluation by EPA, under the conditions of use. EPA used the best available science to prepare this final risk evaluation and determined, based on the weight of scientific evidence, that DIDP poses unreasonable risk to human health. Under TSCA, EPA must initiate risk management actions to address the unreasonable risk.”

Trump is pondering a shake-up of NASA and its programs. TheHill.com commentary. Pull quote: “However, the reason NASA has several centers spread out across the country is that it increases congressional support for its programs. If a House member or senator is not moved by a love of science or beating the Chinese back to the moon, he or she might be motivated by the jobs and contracts created by a NASA center in their district or state. They will fight tooth and nail against closing such a source of votes.”

What is HMPV? CDC ‘monitoring’ reports of spiking cases in China. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““We can expect that existing surveillance systems will rapidly detect any increase in HMPV cases in the U.S.,” a CDC spokesperson said. “CDC will continue to monitor and provide important updates to the public.””

GOP Homeland Security chair: Drone bill a top priority in next Congress. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““We know that Chinese nationals have operated drones inside of our country. We still need transparency on this issue and we’re not getting it. My Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act that grants authority to local and state law enforcement to take down drones needs to be passed,” Green captioned the post.”

Louisiana Person Is the First U.S. Bird Flu Death, Health Officials Say. MedPageToday.com article. Pull quote: “Health officials have said the person was older than 65, had underlying medical problems, and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. They also said a genetic analysis suggestedopens in a new tab or window the bird flu virus had mutated inside the patient, which could have led to the more severe illness.”