15 U.S.C. § 2082: Interim cellulose insulation…

Summary

Beginning after the 60-day period that started on July 11, 1978, the General Services Administration’s cellulose insulation spec HH–I–515C (as it stood on February 1, 1978) becomes the interim federal safety standard for cellulose insulation. The Consumer Product Safety Commission may make only technical, nonsubstantive edits during a 45-day window starting July 11, 1978, and must publish the interim standard in the Federal Register at the end of the 60 days. The interim rule requires that any cellulose insulation sold or used by consumers have a flame spread rating of 0 to 25, using the rating method in HH–I–515C. Makers and private labelers must place a clear, easy-to-read notice on each container saying the product meets the federal minimum flammability test but that the tests are done in a lab and may not match real home conditions. The interim standard is enforced like any other consumer product safety rule until a final standard is made or the Commission revokes it. Courts may only review whether the Commission’s initial edits were technical and nonsubstantive. If the Commission finds the interim rule does not protect the public enough, it will write a final rule under the usual rulemaking process but must allow oral presentations as well as written comments. The Commission must fold any later GSA changes to flame or corrosiveness tests into the interim standard after giving notice, publishing proposed amendments, allowing 30 days for comment, and completing actions within specified time limits unless the change is unnecessary or unduly burdensome. Federal agencies must tell the Commission right away if they learn of violations. The Commission must report to Congress: an enforcement plan within 45 days after July 11, 1978, and then reports every 6 months (including test results from at least 25 manufacturers in the first report and 50 more in the second). The Commission can require independent third‑party testing for certification, may grant waivers, and may make rules to carry out these duties. Money is authorized as needed for fiscal years 1978–1981.

Title 15, §2082

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Applicability of specification of General Services Administration; authority and effect of interim standard; modifications; criteria; labeling requirements

(1)Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), on and after the last day of the 60-day period beginning on July 11, 1978, the requirements for flame resistance and corrosiveness set forth in the General Services Administration’s specification for cellulose insulation, HH–I–515C (as such specification was in effect on February 1, 1978), shall be deemed to be an interim consumer product safety standard which shall have all the authority and effect of any other consumer product safety standard promulgated by the Commission under this chapter. During the 45-day period beginning on July 11, 1978, the Commission may make, and shall publish in the Federal Register, such technical, nonsubstantive changes in such requirements as it deems appropriate to make such requirements suitable for promulgation as a consumer product safety standard. At the end of the 60-day period specified in the first sentence of this paragraph, the Commission shall publish in the Federal Register such interim consumer product safety standard, as altered by the Commission under this paragraph.

(2)The interim consumer product safety standard established in paragraph (1) shall provide that any cellulose insulation which is produced or distributed for sale or use as a consumer product shall have a flame spread rating of 0 to 25, as such rating is set forth in the General Services Administration’s specification for cellulose insulation, HH–I–515C.

(3)During the period for which the interim consumer product safety standard established in subsection (a) is in effect, in addition to complying with any labeling requirement established by the Commission under this chapter, each manufacturer or private labeler of cellulose insulation shall include the following statement on any container of such cellulose insulation: “ATTENTION: This material meets the applicable minimum Federal flammability standard. This standard is based upon laboratory tests only, which do not represent actual conditions which may occur in the home”. Such statement shall be located in a conspicuous place on such container and shall appear in conspicuous and legible type in contrast by typography, layout, and color with other printed matter on such container.

(b)Scope of judicial review

Judicial review of the interim consumer product safety standard established in subsection (a), as such standard is in effect on and after the last day of the 60-day period specified in such subsection, shall be limited solely to the issue of whether any changes made by the Commission under paragraph (1) are technical, nonsubstantive changes. For purposes of such review, any change made by the Commission under paragraph (1) which requires that any test to determine the flame spread rating of cellulose insulation shall include a correction for variations in test results caused by equipment used in the test shall be considered a technical, nonsubstantive change.

(c)Enforcement; violations; promulgation of final standard; procedures applicable to promulgation; revision of interim standard; procedures applicable to revision

(1)(A)Any interim consumer product safety standard established pursuant to this section shall be enforced in the same manner as any other consumer product safety standard until such time as there is in effect a final consumer product safety standard promulgated by the Commission, as provided in subparagraph (B), or until such time as it is revoked by the Commission under section 2058(e) of this title. A violation of the interim consumer product safety standard shall be deemed to be a violation of a consumer product safety standard promulgated by the Commission under section 2058 of this title.

(B)If the Commission determines that the interim consumer product safety standard does not adequately protect the public from the unreasonable risk of injury associated with flammable or corrosive cellulose insulation, it shall promulgate a final consumer product safety standard to protect against such risk. Such final standard shall be promulgated pursuant to section 553 of title 5, except that the Commission shall give interested persons an opportunity for the oral presentation of data, views, or arguments, in addition to an opportunity to make written submissions. A transcript shall be kept of any oral presentation. The provisions of section 2058(b), (c), and (d) of this title shall apply to any proceeding to promulgate such final standard. In any judicial review of such final standard under section 2060 of this title, the court shall not require any demonstration that each particular finding made by the Commission under section 2058(c) of this title is supported by substantial evidence. The court shall affirm the action of the Commission unless the court determines that such action is not supported by substantial evidence on the record taken as a whole.

(2)(A)Until there is in effect such a final consumer product safety standard, the Commission shall incorporate into the interim consumer product safety standard, in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, each revision superseding the requirements for flame resistance and corrosiveness referred to in subsection (a) and promulgated by the General Services Administration.

(B)At least 45 days before any revision superseding such requirements is to become effective, the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall notify the Commission of such revision. In the case of any such revision which becomes effective during the period beginning on February 1, 1978, and ending on July 11, 1978, such notice from the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall be deemed to have been made on July 11, 1978.

(C)(i)No later than 45 days after receiving any notice under subparagraph (B), the Commission shall publish the revision, including such changes in the revision as it considers appropriate to make the revision suitable for promulgation as an amendment to the interim consumer product safety standard, in the Federal Register as a proposed amendment to the interim consumer product safety standard.

(ii)The Commission may extend the 45-day period specified in clause (i) for an additional period of not more than 150 days if the Commission determines that such extension is necessary to study the technical and scientific basis for the revision involved, or to study the safety and economic consequences of such revision.

(D)(i)Additional extensions of the 45-day period specified in subparagraph (C)(i) may be taken by the Commission if—

(I)the Commission makes the determination required in subparagraph (C)(ii) with respect to each such extension; and

(II)in the case of further extensions proposed by the Commission after an initial extension under this clause, such further extensions have not been disapproved under clause (iv).

(ii)Any extension made by the Commission under this subparagraph shall be for a period of not more than 45 days.

(iii)Prior notice of each extension made by the Commission under this subparagraph, together with a statement of the reasons for such extension and an estimate of the length of time required by the Commission to complete its action upon the revision involved, shall be published in the Federal Register and shall be submitted to the appropriate Congressional committees.

(iv)In any case in which the Commission takes an initial 45-day extension under clause (i), the Commission may not take any further extensions under clause (i) if each committee referred to in clause (iii) disapproves by committee resolution any such further extensions before the end of the 15-day period following notice of such initial extension made by the Commission in accordance with clause (iii).

(E)The Commission shall give interested persons an opportunity to comment upon any proposed amendment to the interim consumer product safety standard during the 30-day period following any publication by the Commission under subparagraph (C).

(F)No later than 90 days after the end of the period specified in subparagraph (E), the Commission shall promulgate the amendment to the interim consumer product safety standard unless the Commission determines, after consultation with the Secretary of Energy, that—

(i)such amendment is not necessary for the protection of consumers from the unreasonable risk of injury associated with flammable or corrosive cellulose insulation; or

(ii)implementation of such amendment will create an undue burden upon persons who are subject to the interim consumer product safety standard.

(G)The provisions of section 2060 of this title shall not apply to any judicial review of any amendment to the interim product safety standard promulgated under this paragraph.

(d)Reporting requirements of other Federal departments, agencies, etc., of violations

Any Federal department, agency, or instrumentality, or any Federal independent regulatory agency, which obtains information which reasonably indicates that cellulose insulation is being manufactured or distributed in violation of this chapter shall immediately inform the Commission of such information.

(e)Reporting requirements of Commission to Congressional committees; contents, time of submission, etc.

(1)The Commission, no later than 45 days after July 11, 1978, shall submit a report to the appropriate Congressional committees which shall contain a detailed statement of the manner in which the Commission intends to carry out the enforcement of this section.

(2)(A)The Commission, no later than 6 months after the date upon which the report required in paragraph (1) is due (and no later than the end of each 6-month period thereafter), shall submit a report to each committee referred to in paragraph (1) which shall describe the enforcement activities of the Commission with respect to this section during the most recent 6-month period.

(B)The first report which the Commission submits under subparagraph (A) shall include the results of tests of cellulose insulation manufactured by at least 25 manufacturers which the Commission shall conduct to determine whether such cellulose insulation complies with the interim consumer product safety standard. The second such report shall include the results of such tests with respect to 50 manufacturers who were not included in testing conducted by the Commission for inclusion in the first report.

(f)Compliance with certification requirements; implementation; waiver; rules and regulations

(1)The Commission shall have the authority to require that any person required to comply with the certification requirements of section 2063 of this title with respect to the manufacture of cellulose insulation shall provide for the performance of any test or testing program required for such certification through the use of an independent third party qualified to perform such test or testing program. The Commission may impose such requirement whether or not the Commission has established a testing program for cellulose insulation under section 2063(b) of this title.

(2)The Commission, upon petition by a manufacturer, may waive the requirements of paragraph (1) with respect to such manufacturer if the Commission determines that the use of an independent third party is not necessary in order for such manufacturer to comply with the certification requirements of section 2063 of this title.

(3)The Commission may prescribe such rules as it considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.

(g)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated, for each of the fiscal years 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (c)(2)(D)(iii). Pub. L. 110–314, § 235(c)(3), substituted “the appropriate Congressional committees” for “the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives”. Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 110–314, § 235(c)(5), substituted “the appropriate Congressional committees” for “the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives”. 1994—Subsecs. (c)(2)(D)(iii), (e)(1). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Energy and Commerce” for “Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Congressional Statement of Findings and Purpose Pub. L. 95–319, § 2, July 11, 1978, 92 Stat. 386, provided that: “(a) The Congress finds that—“(1) existing Federal, State, and local laws and

Regulations

are insufficient to protect the consumer from improperly manufactured cellulose insulation; “(2) an unreasonably large quantity of cellulose insulation is being distributed that does not meet minimum safety standards; “(3) an urgent need exists for the expedited setting of interim mandatory Federal standards for the manufacture of cellulose insulation; and “(4) such standards are reasonably necessary to eliminate or reduce an unreasonable risk of injury to consumers from flammable or corrosive cellulose insulation. “(b) It is the purpose of the Congress in this Act [enacting this section, amending section 2068 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 2051 and 2082 of this title] to provide an interim mandatory safety standard for cellulose insulation manufactured for use as a consumer product.”

§2082 Interim Cellulose Insulation Safety Standard