November 2014 Action Initiation List (as of 12/23/2014)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The following actions were initiated by EPA this month. Explanations of which EPA actions are included on this list and of each 

element of the table can be found at the end of this document. 

The two most recent Action Initiation Lists (AILs) can always be found at: http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/search/ail.html. But, they 

will not provide updates on the actions listed herein. Updates on priority rulemakings are available from EPA's Regulatory 

Development and Retrospective Review Tracker (RegDaRRT) on www.epa.gov/rulemaking/. 

For all rules – those that are in RegDaRRT and those that are not – you may obtain updates twice a year in EPA’s Semiannual 

Regulatory Agenda, which is accessible from these Web sites:

• EPA’s Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dockets (http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/search/regagenda.html)

• RegInfo.gov (http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain)

• Regulations.gov 

(http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=UnifiedAgenda&agency=EPA&pubperiod=200710) 

Action Initiation List – November 2014 Page 1 of 4
Action Title Stage Contact Abstract

Projected

Publication 

Date

Toxics Release Inventory 

Addition of 1-

Bromopropane

NPRM Daniel Bushman 

202.566.0743

Bushman.Daniel@epa.gov

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) periodically published its Report on 

Carcinogens (RoC) which classifies chemicals as either “known to be a 

human carcinogen” or “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” 

The RoC is a congressionally mandated scientific and public health 

document that provides data on carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, and biologic 

mechanisms. The RoC evaluations are performed by scientists from the 

NTP, other Federal health research and regulatory agencies, and nongovernment institutions. The RoC review process includes external peer 

review and public comment.

EPA reviewed the 13th edition of the NTP RoC to identify those chemicals 

that are not currently on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list and that 

have not previously been reviewed for listing. One chemical, 1-

bromopropane, was identified as a candidate for addition to the Toxic 

Release Inventory list.

12 months 

or less 

Risk and Technology 

Review for National 

Emission Standards for 

Hazardous Air Pollutants 

from the Pulp and Paper 

Combustion Sources

NPRM Kelley Spence 

919-541-3158

Spence.Kelley@epa.gov

Section 112(f)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) directs EPA to conduct risk 

assessments on each source category subject to maximum achievable 

control technology (MACT) standards, and to determine if additional 

standards are needed to reduce residual risks, to be completed 8 years 

after promulgation. Section 112(d)(6) of the CAA requires EPA to review 

and revise the MACT standards as necessary, taking into account 

developments in practices, processes and control technologies, to be done 

at least every 8 years. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air 

Pollutant (NESHAP) for the Pulp and Paper Combustion Sources (Subpart 

MM) was promulgated in 2001 and also has not been reviewed; this action 

proposes those amendments.

More than 

12 months

Trichloroethylene (TCE); 

Significant New Use Rule 

(SNUR) for Consumer 

Products 

NPRM Katherine Sleasman

202-564-7716

Sleasman.Katherine@epa.gov

Under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), EPA is proposing a 

significant new use rule (SNUR) for trichloroethylene (TCE) as identified in 

this proposed rule. The proposed significant new use is any use in a 

consumer product, with a proposed exception for use of the certain 

chemical substance in hoof polish, mirror edge sealant, film cleaner, and 

solvent degreaser. Persons subject to the SNUR would be required to notify 

EPA at least 90 days before commencing any manufacturing or processing. 

The required notification would provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate 

the intended use and, if necessary based on the information available at 

that time, an opportunity to protect against potential unreasonable risks, if 

any, from that activity before it occurs.

12 months 

or less 

Action Initiation List – November 2014 Page 2 of 4
Action Title Stage Contact Abstract

Projected

Publication 

Date

Trichloroethylene (TCE); 

Rulemaking Under TSCA 

§6(a)

NPRM Toni Krasnic 

202 564-0984

Krasnic.Toni@epa.gov

Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) provides authority for 

EPA to ban or restrict the manufacture (including import), processing, 

distribution in commerce, and use of this chemical, as well as any manner or 

method of disposal of this chemical. EPA is considering initiating TSCA section 

6 rulemaking for managing trichloroethylene (TCE).TCE is a volatile organic 

compound (VOC) that is classified as a human carcinogen. Its consumption in 

the U.S. is 255 million pounds (lbs) per year. TCE is widely used in industrial 

and commercial processes, and also has some limited uses in consumer 

products. EPA’s final risk assessment on TCE identified risks association with 

certain consumer and commercial uses. 

More than 

12 months 

Final 2014 Effluent 

Guidelines Program Plan 

(304m Plan)

Final William Swietlik 

202-566-1129

Swietlik.William@epa.gov

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to establish national technologybased regulations known as “effluent limitations guidelines and standards” to 

reduce pollutant discharges from categories of industrial facilities. EPA similarly 

establishes technology-based regulations, termed “pretreatment standards,” to 

reduce indirect pollutant discharges—those that are discharged to publiclyowned treatment works. The CWA also specifies effluent guideline planning and 

review requirements. There are different requirements for direct and indirect 

dischargers, but both specify annual review of promulgated effluent guidelines 

and pretreatment standards. One requirement is publication of an Effluent 

Guidelines Program Plan every two years. CWA section 304(m) specifies that 

the Plan must: (1) establish a schedule for the annual review and revision of 

promulgated effluent guidelines, (2) identify categories of sources discharging 

toxic or non-conventional pollutants for which guidelines have not previously 

been published (“new categories”); and 3) establish a schedule for the 

promulgation of effluent guidelines identified under (2). The CWA requires that 

the Plan undergo public review and comment before being finalized. To meet 

this requirement, EPA typically prepares a Preliminary Plan one year, takes 

public comment and then finalizes the Plan the following year. This Plan is the 

Final 2014 Plan. The Final 2014 Plan will announce EPA’s final decisions, 

actions and findings relative to those proposed in the Preliminary 2014 Plan, 

published for comment on September 17, 2014. The Final 2014 Plan will also 

announce EPA’s proposed actions and findings based on the results of the 2014 

annual reviews upon which the public will be given an opportunity to comment.

12 months 

or less 

Action Initiation List – November 2014 Page 3 of 4
What EPA Actions Appear on the AILs? 

Generally, AILs include those actions that 1) will appear in upcoming Semiannual Regulatory Agenda and 2) have been approved for 

commencement by EPA’s Regulatory Policy Officer. In rare instances, an action will not appear on an AIL before it appears in the Agenda. 

Also, keep in mind that AILs will not post immediately. You can access a given month's list roughly 20 days after the close of the month (e.g., 

the April 2014 AIL will post sometime around May 20th).

What Does Each Column in the AIL Mean?

Title: Self-explanatory.

Stage: The stage of an action describes where we are in the rule writing process, from the very beginning when a rule (or other action) is 

just an idea to the end when it is published as a final rule (or other action) in the Federal Register. For example, the Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NPRM) stage announces a proposed rule or proposed modification to an existing rule. In the AILs, the following acronyms are 

used:

• ANPRM - Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• NPRM - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• Supplemental - Supplemental NPRM 

• Direct Final - Direct Final Action

• Interim Final - Interim Final Action

• Final - Final Action

• Section 610 Review - Agency Review under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act

Contact: Provides the name, phone, and email address for the EPA staff person assigned to this rule. Additionally, if a rule is in EPA's 

RegDaRRT (www.epa.gov/rulemaking/), then a link to the rule's profile will be provided in this column.

Abstract: A brief summary of the action and its purpose. 

Projected Publication Date: Since many variables affect how long it takes to write a rule or other action, it is difficult to predict a firm 

publication date when we have just started working on an action. Therefore, we insert one of two options in the "Projected Publication Date" 

column: 1) "12 months or less" and 2) "more than 12 months." These options give you some idea of how quickly we expect to complete an 

action. 

Action Initiation List – November 2014 Page 4 of 4