WASHINGTON  – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations from individuals who represent small businesses, small governments, and small not-for-profit organizations to provide input to a federal panel on a proposed rule by June 2019. The proposed rule seeks to reduce exposures from five persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals.  The five PBT chemicals are:

• decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE);
• hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD);
• pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP);
• phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)); and
• 2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl) phenol.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires agencies to establish a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) panel for rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The SBAR panel will include federal representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and EPA.

This is a request for Small Entity Representatives (SERs), which will be selected by the SBAR Panel to provide comments on behalf of their company, community or organization and advise the panel about the potential impacts of the proposed rule on small entities. EPA is seeking self-nominations directly from entities that may be subject to the rule requirements. Other representatives, such as trade associations that exclusively or at least primarily represent potentially regulated small entities, may also serve as SERs.

Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be received by March 22, 2018. For more information on how to apply, visit: https://epa.gov/reg-flex/potential-sbar-panel-regulation-persistent-bioaccumulative-and-toxic-chemicals-under

 More about the Small Business Advocacy Review process: http://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/faq.htm

Read this article on the EPA's website here.