15 U.S.C. § 2620: Citizens’ petitions

Summary

Anyone can ask the Administrator to start, change, or cancel a rule or order about chemical substances by filing a written petition at the Administrator’s main office. The petition must say the facts that show why the rule or order is needed. The Administrator can hold a public hearing or investigate. Within 90 days the Administrator must grant or deny the petition. If granted, the Administrator must start the proper rulemaking. If denied, the Administrator must publish the reasons. If the Administrator denies the petition or does not decide within 90 days, the petitioner can sue in federal court within 60 days. In court the petitioner gets a new review and must prove, by showing it is more likely than not, either that needed information is missing and the chemical may pose an unreasonable risk or be widely released or exposed, or that the chemical or mixture poses an unreasonable risk under its uses (ignoring costs), including to vulnerable groups. If the court agrees, it will order the Administrator to start the action. The court may allow a delay for lack of resources and can award court costs and reasonable fees if appropriate. Other legal remedies still apply.

Title 15, §2620

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

Any person may petition the Administrator to initiate a proceeding for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule under section 2603, 2605, or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title.

(b)Procedures

(1)Such petition shall be filed in the principal office of the Administrator and shall set forth the facts which it is claimed establish that it is necessary to issue, amend, or repeal a rule under section 2603, 2605, or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title.

(2)The Administrator may hold a public hearing or may conduct such investigation or proceeding as the Administrator deems appropriate in order to determine whether or not such petition should be granted.

(3)Within 90 days after filing of a petition described in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall either grant or deny the petition. If the Administrator grants such petition, the Administrator shall promptly commence an appropriate proceeding in accordance with section 2603, 2604, 2605, or 2607 of this title. If the Administrator denies such petition, the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register the Administrator’s reasons for such denial.

(4)(A)If the Administrator denies a petition filed under this section (or if the Administrator fails to grant or deny such petition within the 90-day period) the petitioner may commence a civil action in a district court of the United States to compel the Administrator to initiate a rulemaking proceeding as requested in the petition. Any such action shall be filed within 60 days after the Administrator’s denial of the petition or, if the Administrator fails to grant or deny the petition within 90 days after filing the petition, within 60 days after the expiration of the 90-day period.

(B)In an action under subparagraph (A) respecting a petition to initiate a proceeding to issue a rule under section 2603, 2605, or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title, the petitioner shall be provided an opportunity to have such petition considered by the court in a de novo proceeding. If the petitioner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court by a preponderance of the evidence that—

(i)in the case of a petition to initiate a proceeding for the issuance of a rule under section 2603 of this title or an order under section 2603 or 2604(e) of this title—

(I)information available to the Administrator is insufficient to permit a reasoned evaluation of the health and environmental effects of the chemical substance to be subject to such rule or order; and

(II)in the absence of such information, the substance may present an unreasonable risk to health or the environment, or the substance is or will be produced in substantial quantities and it enters or may reasonably be anticipated to enter the environment in substantial quantities or there is or may be significant or substantial human exposure to it; or

(ii)in the case of a petition to initiate a proceeding for the issuance of a rule under section 2605(a) or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2604(f) of this title, the chemical substance or mixture to be subject to such rule or order presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without consideration of costs or other nonrisk factors, including an unreasonable risk to a potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation, under the conditions of use.

the court shall order the Administrator to initiate the action requested by the petitioner. If the court finds that the extent of the risk to health or the environment alleged by the petitioner is less than the extent of risks to health or the environment with respect to which the Administrator is taking action under this chapter and there are insufficient resources available to the Administrator to take the action requested by the petitioner, the court may permit the Administrator to defer initiating the action requested by the petitioner until such time as the court prescribes.

(C)The court in issuing any final order in any action brought pursuant to subparagraph (A) may award costs of suit and reasonable fees for attorneys and expert witnesses if the court determines that such an award is appropriate. Any court, in issuing its decision in an action brought to review such an order, may award costs of suit and reasonable fees for attorneys if the court determines that such an award is appropriate.

(5)The remedies under this section shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, other remedies provided by law.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–182, § 19(o)(1), substituted “order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title” for “order under section 2604(e) or 2605(b)(2) of this title”. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 114–182, § 19(o)(2)(A), substituted “order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title” for “order under section 2604(e), 2605(b)(1)(A), or 2605(b)(1)(B) of this title”. Subsec. (b)(4)(B). Pub. L. 114–182, § 19(o)(2)(B)(i), substituted “order under section 2603 or 2604(e) or (f) of this title” for “order under section 2604(e) or 2605(b)(2) of this title” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(4)(B)(i). Pub. L. 114–182, § 19(o)(2)(B)(ii), substituted “order under section 2603 or 2604(e) of this title” for “order under section 2604(e) of this title” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(4)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 114–182, § 19(o)(2)(B)(iii), substituted “section 2605(a) or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2604(f) of this title, the chemical substance or mixture to be subject to such rule or order presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without consideration of costs or other nonrisk factors, including an unreasonable risk to a potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation, under the conditions of use” for “section 2605 or 2607 of this title or an order under section 2605(b)(2) of this title, there is a reasonable basis to conclude that the issuance of such a rule or order is necessary to protect health or the environment against an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1977, see section 31 of Pub. L. 94–469, set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.

§2620 Citizens’ Petitions