News Releases from Headquarters›Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)

EPA Seeks Input for Potential Rule Banning or Restricting the Use of N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and Methylene Chloride for Use in Paint and Coating Removal

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 that will explore risk reduction in the use of NMP and methylene chloride for paint or coating removal.

This panel will focus on the agency's development of a proposed rule to reduce the risk of NMP and methylene chloride in paint and coating removal as appropriate to reduce risks posed for their occupational or consumer use.

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 (SBA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and EPA.

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

SERs provide advice and recommendations to the panel. The SERs participate in consultations with the SBAR Panel via telephone, webinar, or in person in one or two meetings and are given an opportunity to submit written comments to the Panel. Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be received by April 10, 2015.

Nominate yourself as a Small Entity Representative: http://www.epa.gov/rfa/tsca-6a-paint-remover.html

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