§ 6633. Interagency Committee on Chemical Management

(a) Creation. There is created the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management in the State to:

(1) evaluate chemical inventories in the State on an annual basis;

(2) identify potential risks to human health and the environment from chemical inventories in the State; and

(3) propose measures or mechanisms to address the identified risks from chemical inventories in the State.

(b) Membership. The Interagency Committee on Chemical Management shall be composed of the following eight members:

(1) the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets or designee;

(2) the Secretary of Natural Resources or designee;

(3) the Commissioner of Health or designee;

(4) the Commissioner of Labor or designee;

(5) the Commissioner of Public Safety or designee;

(6) the Secretary of Commerce and Community Development or designee;

(7) the Secretary of Digital Services or designee; and

(8) the Secretary of Transportation or designee.

(c) Powers and duties. The Interagency Committee on Chemical management shall:

(1) Convene a citizen advisory panel to provide input and expertise to the Committee. The citizen advisory panel shall consist of persons available to the Committee on an as-needed basis to provide the following expertise:

(A) one individual with expertise in toxicology;

(B) one individual with expertise in environmental health;

(C) one individual with expertise in maternal and child health;

(D) one individual with expertise in industrial hygiene or occupational health;

(E) one individual with expertise in human health and environmental risk assessment;

(F) one individual with expertise in manufacturing products or processes located in Vermont and subject to Vermont recordkeeping and reporting requirements;

(G) one individual with expertise in retail sales located in Vermont;

(H) one individual associated with a small business located in Vermont and subject to Vermont recordkeeping and reporting requirements;

(I) one individual associated with an academic institution with expertise in chemical management or chemical policy;

(J) one individual with expertise in environmental law;

(K) one individual with expertise in public policy, with a focus on chemical policy; and

(L) one individual with expertise in development and administration of information reporting technology or databases.

(2) Monitor actions taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. chapter 53, and notify relevant State agencies of any EPA action relevant to the jurisdiction of the agency.

(3) Annually review chemical inventories in the State in relation to emerging scientific evidence in order to identify chemicals of high concern not regulated by the State.

(4) Develop written procedures, guidance, and other resources that are necessary and appropriate to carry out the functions of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management.

(d) Assistance. The Interagency Committee on Chemical Management shall have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of the Agency of Natural Resources, the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the Department of Health, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Labor, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and the Agency of Digital Services.

(e) Report. On or before December 15, 2020 and biennially thereafter, the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management shall report to the Governor and make recommendations regarding the actions of the Committee in accordance with this section. Copies of the report shall be submitted to: the Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy, on Health and Welfare, and on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs and the House Committees on Natural Resources, Fish, and Wildlife, on Human Services, and on Commerce and Economic Development. The provisions of 2 V.S.A. § 20(d) regarding expiration of required reports shall not apply to the report to be made under this section. The report shall include:

(1) a summary of chemical use in the State based on reported chemical inventories;

(2) a summary of identified risks to human health and the environment from reported chemical inventories;

(3) a summary of any change under federal statute or rule affecting the regulation of chemicals in the State; and

(4) recommended legislative or regulatory action to reduce risks to human health and the environment from regulated and unregulated chemicals of emerging concern.

(f) Meetings.

(1) The Secretary of Natural Resources or designee shall be the Chair of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management.

(2) The Secretary of Natural Resources or designee shall call the first meeting of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management to occur on or before July 1, 2019.

(3) A majority of the membership of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management shall constitute a quorum.

(g) Authority of agencies. The establishment of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management shall not limit the independent authority of a State agency to regulate chemical use or management under existing State or applicable federal law. (Added 2019, No. 75, § 1, eff. June 19, 2019.)