Comment Period Extension for TSCA Fees Rule Reporting

For Release: May 26, 2020

EPA is extending the comment and reporting period on the preliminary lists of manufacturers (including importers) subject to fees associated with EPA-initiated risk evaluations under TSCA. The new due date will be June 15, 2020. The agency is extending the comment period in response to stakeholder feedback and to allow companies additional time to report, or self-identify, as to whether they are a manufacturer subject to fees for the next 20 TSCA risk evaluations.

EPA intends to finalize the scope documents for the next 20 risk evaluations this summer and will publish the final list of fee payers no later than concurrently with the final scopes.

Find instructions for reporting under the TSCA Fees Rule: https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/instructions-how-complete-self-identification-and-other-certifications-cdx-epa-initiated.

Learn more about TSCA fees: https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees.

Background

In January, the agency published preliminary lists of businesses that manufacture (including import) the 20 chemicals prioritized for risk evaluation in December of 2019 in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0677. Under the TSCA Fees Rule, manufacturers (including importers) of each chemical are responsible for paying the fee associated with EPA-initiated risk evaluations. 

During this public comment period, manufacturers (including importers) of these 20 high-priority chemicals must report to EPA and identify whether they are manufacture (including import) these chemicals. 

In March, the agency announced its plan to initiate a new rulemaking process to consider proposing exemptions to the current rule’s self-identification requirements associated with EPA-initiated risk evaluations for manufacturers that:

• Import the chemical substance in an article;
• Produce the chemical substance as a byproduct; and
• Produce or import the chemical substance as an impurity.

Additionally, EPA will exercise its enforcement discretion regarding the self-identification requirement for the three categories of manufacturers that the agency intends to propose an exemption from certain requirements in the TSCA Fees Rule.

Learn more about EPA’s plan to reduce TSCA fees burden and the no action assurance: https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/information-plan-reduce-tsca-fees-burden-and-no-action-assurance.