On January 21, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed the start of a new action plan under the Toxic Substances Control Act that focuses to expedite the review of new biofuels and chemicals which can be used to displace higher GHG emitting fossil fuels.
According to the EPA, the New Chemicals Division of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention has implemented rigorous, coherent, and efficient methods for evaluating risk and implementing measures to mitigate, as suitable, for substitute products for petroleum fuels and fuel additives that use biobased or waste-derived supplies to convert biomass into biofuel. According to the EPA, the program supports both the Renewable Fuel Standard and the agency’s 2021 Climate Adaptation Action Plan.
Michal Freedhoff, the administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention said that over 30 biofuels premanufacture notifications have been received by the EPA, according to the agency (PMNs). Those notifications collectively detail ambitions to produce over 800 MMgy of advanced biofuels.
With the purpose of using the best available research while developing a uniform and efficient review process, NCD has organized a specialized team to work on the assessment of PMNs for biobased or waste-derived feedstocks used to produce transportation fuel alternatives. NCD has created a consistent method for reviewing biofuel PMNs, according to the EPA. All biofuel PMNs will be reviewed by the same specialized staff as part of this procedure.
NDC will also produce a single report for biofuel PMNs that incorporates the six distinct risk evaluations that PMNs generally undergo. NDC shall adopt suitable mitigation measures to address any potential for excessive risk detected in a timely and consistent way with TSCA consent orders and substantial new use guidelines for risk management activities (SNURs).