Paul Tonko: “Last May, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the first major environmental law in decades, the Frank R.…”

“Last May, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the first major environmental law in decades, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. Before this reform, it had been widely acknowledged that the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA, was broken. The law was hampered by litigation since shortly after it was passed in 1976, and was rendered almost completely ineffective. It has only been 7 months since over 400 Members voted for this reform, which requires a number of new rulemakings by the EPA. A primary motivation to reform TSCA was to remove procedural hurdles that were preventing the EPA from regulating dangerous chemicals. But the bill before us today would impose new, unnecessary obstacles in the rulemaking process, which will impede agencies that already are struggling with shrinking budgets and time constraints. Even some of the Members that had concerns with TSCA reform, myself included, would agree that it is imperative that these rulemakings go forward efficiently in order to protect public health and to give the private sector the certainty that it asks for when it supported the reform effort. Unlike 233 of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I did not vote for this bill; but I do firmly believe that the rulemakings required by this law must be done effectively and quickly. Unfortunately, the bill before us today would undermine that process.…”