Senate Environment and Public Works Committee members largely agreed Wednesday that a Republican proposal to reform the nation’s chemical safety law still needs work.
Amending the Toxic Substances Control Act again has been a top priority for chemical industry groups eager to revisit 10-year-old amendments that mandate EPA determine the safety of each new chemical before it enters the market — a process plagued by delays.
A discussion draft EPW Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) released last week focused largely on narrowing that review process, so that manufacturers could see faster approvals and more predictable agency reviews. Democrats said they weren’t involved and environmental groups voiced opposition.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), during a hearing on the proposal, described it as an early offering primed for improvement. “This discussion draft is the starting point for our legislative process,” he said. Capito missed the hearing because of illness, lawmakers and aides said.
