By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 7, 2023, that the upcoming 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony will be held October 2, 2023, and the Partner and Stakeholder Summit will be held October 3-4, 2023. EPA states that during the Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony, it will recognize the 2023 Safer Choice Partners of the Year “for their outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, selection and use of products that meet the Safer Choice program’s stringent health and environment standards.” The Partner and Stakeholder Summit is a two-day meeting that will include informational sessions, panelist discussions, and networking opportunities with a focus on dialogue and developing solutions, which will help advance the Safer Choice program. Both events will be held at the Cooperative Plaza Conference Center in Arlington, Virginia, with virtual attendance options available. The events are free to attend, but registration is required. Registration is now open.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On August 29, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced that through the funding opportunity entitled “Accelerating Innovations in Biomanufacturing Approaches through Collaboration Between [the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)] and the DOE BETO funded Agile BioFoundry (ABF),” researchers will collaborate with the ABF consortium’s synthetic and bioengineering research projects. BETO and NSF have selected the following projects:

• Enabling Scalable Redox Reactions in Biomanufacturing (University of California, Irvine, and University of California, Davis): This project will enhance the carbon and energy efficiency of a biomanufacturing process by upgrading carboxylic acids into precursors for biofuels and chemicals used in industry. The goal is to create a more efficient process for carboxylic acid reduction that does not release any carbon into the atmosphere. The team will work to identify the principles necessary to enhance efficiency in the enzymes used in the process. Through outreach efforts, the researchers will provide hands-on exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields for largely Hispanic populations and women, both groups underrepresented in science and engineering.
   
• A Synthetic Biology Toolbox for Studying Bacterial Transporters (University of Wisconsin -- Madison): This project will develop and use tools to close knowledge gaps surrounding transporters in Gram negative bacteria to facilitate the development of superior biomanufacturing hosts. Specifically, they will work to identify proteins that enhance the uptake of nutrients into the cells of microbes and the removal of toxic products. The work will enable the development of superior biomanufacturing microbial hosts and support translational research. Activities that teach biomanufacturing concepts to K-8 students and recruitment of underrepresented researchers will broaden the impacts of the work.
   
• Leveraging the Unique Metabolism of Megasphaera elsdenii for Metabolic Engineering to Medium and Long Chain Organic Acids for Use in Jet Fuels and Biomaterials (University of Georgia): The project will work to increase understanding of the metabolic pathways that allow the microorganism Megasphaera elsdenii to produce hexanoic acid, that can be engineered to create sustainable aviation fuel among a host of other products. Understanding how octanoic acid is created in this organism will enable scientists better to convert plant sugars to longer chain molecules and will provide paths for alternative approaches to bioprocessing. The team will recruit students from underrepresented groups and create classroom resources for use in elementary schools.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On August 3, 2023, the Joint Subcommittee on Environment, Innovation, and Public Health Sustainable Chemistry Strategy Team (Sustainable Chemistry ST) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) published a report entitled Sustainable Chemistry Report: Framing the Federal Landscape. As reported in our January 19, 2021, memorandum, the fiscal year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included the text of the bipartisan Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2019. It established an interagency working group led by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to coordinate federal programs and activities in support of sustainable chemistry. The report establishes the federal landscape and provides a high-level overview of relevant topical areas around sustainable chemistry. The Sustainable Chemistry ST notes that it is a state of science report that includes gaps and opportunities for the federal government. Following the report, the Sustainable Chemistry ST will develop a strategic plan for how the federal government can leverage these opportunities to make significant progress in addressing the identified data gaps.
 
The report includes the following definition of sustainable chemistry:

 
Sustainable chemistry is the chemistry that produces compounds or materials from building blocks, reagents, and catalysts that are readily-available and renewable, operates at optimal efficiency, and employs renewable energy sources; this includes the intentional design, manufacture, use, and end-of-life management of chemicals, materials, and products across their lifecycle that do not adversely impact human health and the environment, while promoting circularity, meeting societal needs, contributing to economic resilience, and aspiring to perpetually use elements, compounds, and materials without depletion of resources or accumulation of waste.
 

More information and an insightful commentary are available in our August 28, 2023, memorandum.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On August 1, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first five product and service categories chosen for the expansion of its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations). EPA notes that this action supports the broader effort announced last year to expand the Recommendations by assessing additional standards and ecolabels. EPA states that later in 2023, it anticipates announcing the standards and ecolabels that pass the assessment and will be included in the Recommendations. EPA plans to consider additional product and service categories as resources allow.
 
EPA states that its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program’s Recommendations help U.S. federal government purchasers identify private sector standards and ecolabels to meet sustainable acquisition goals and mandates. They currently include more than 40 private sector environmental performance standards and ecolabels in over 30 purchase categories. The five product and service categories are:

• Food Service Ware (e.g., containers, cutlery, and dishware);
• Healthcare;
• Laboratories;
• Professional Services; and
• Uniforms and Clothing.

According to EPA, the expansion of the Recommendations is a key step toward implementing President Biden’s Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, as well as the accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan. EPA notes that the plan set ambitious goals, such as achieving net-zero emissions from federal procurement by 2050, maximizing the procurement of sustainable products and services, including products made with safer chemical ingredients.
 
As reported in our November 7, 2022, blog item, in November 2022, EPA launched the process to expand the Recommendations, inviting representatives of private sector environmental performance standards and ecolabels to apply for potential assessment and inclusion in the Recommendations, resulting in the five product and service categories announced on August 1, 2023. EPA notes that representatives of standards and ecolabels within any of the selected product and service categories above who have not yet applied may contact EPA at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to request information on eligibility and how to participate. EPA plans to announce additional product and service categories as resources allow.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On July 24, 2023, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act to strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred program. According to Klobuchar’s July 24, 2023, press release, the bill would:

• Strengthen markets for farmers while also supporting well-paying manufacturing jobs;
• Allow the Secretary of Agriculture to set acceptable price premiums under the program;
• Require each federal agency to increase their procurement of biobased-only contracts or biobased volume purchased under those contracts; and
• Improve reporting of biobased products that are purchased through online federal procurement systems.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On June 30, 2023, EuropaBio announced that it “set[] in stone the first European recommendations on biomanufacturing with the publication of its Biomanufacturing Policy Summit 2023 report.” On March 15, 2023, EuropaBio hosted its inaugural Biomanufacturing Policy Summit in Brussels, “marking the first major milestone from its newly established Biomanufacturing Platform.” The Summit captured priorities of 80 industry leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of cross-sectoral biomanufacturing for Europe’s future. The recommendations include:

• Recognizing cross-sectoral biomanufacturing within high-level European strategies, such as the European Union (EU) Industrial Strategy, Pharma Strategy, Bioeconomy Strategy, and Green Deal Industrial Plan;
• Creating targets for increasing biomanufacturing within the EU economy, supported by policy strategies that identify and recognize its economic, social, and environmental contributions across sectors;
• Coordinating at a policy level the alignment between research and development (R&D) focus, industrial priorities, and commercial applications toward delivering sustainable products and processes through biomanufacturing;
• Recognizing and addressing critical points and vulnerabilities within biomanufacturing value chains to improve European competitiveness;
• Aligning legislation to address unintentional barriers to biomanufacturing scale up for Europe;
• Positioning regulatory frameworks and resources for product rather than process-driven criteria to increase agility and accelerate Europe’s green transition;
• Recognizing Europe’s improved resilience resulting from biomanufacturing capacity for healthcare preparedness and supply chain resilience across sectors;
• Supporting the uptake of European innovation converted into value-added businesses and economic development and incentivizing investment into start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to scale-up biomanufacturing within Europe;
• Creating a skills pathway for biomanufacturing and advanced manufacturing to ensure access to critical re-skilling and up-skilling in all European countries; and
• Ensuring a global level playing field for transition to sustainable biomanufacturing processes and products.

According to EuropaBio, the recommendations from the Summit will underpin its growth of the Biomanufacturing Platform, working with industry across sectors to ensure that it receives the visibility and recognition required.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The July 2023 issue of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Chemical Safety and Biosafety Progress Report includes a summary of the April 2023 meeting of the Party on the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (WP-HROB). During the meeting, WP-HROB agreed on next steps for preparing several consensus documents: “Environmental Considerations for Risk/Safety Assessment for the Release of Transgenic Plants” (led by the WP-HROB Bureau); “Revised Biology of Wheat” (led by Australia and the United States), both expected for publication in 2023; “Biology of the Mosquito Anopheles gambiae” (led by Australia, the African Union Development Agency -- New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), and the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI)); and “Photoautotrophic Micro-algae for Biomass Production” (led by Canada and the United States). In addition, WP-HROB agreed on two proposals for new projects on the biology of mosquitoes, Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles stephensi (led by the United Kingdom, Brazil, and AUDA-NEPAD).
 
Three projects jointly developed by WP-HROB and the Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds (WP-SNFF) were reviewed at a joint session in April 2023:

• Revision of the OECD Council Recommendation on the safety of recombinant DNA organisms (2006), for which a revised draft was provisionally agreed for most provisions. A progress report will be delivered at the Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee (CBC) meeting in July 2023;
• Enhanced information exchange on new breeding techniques, for which a first set of information has been collected from delegations through a questionnaire; and
• The proposal on the “Safer-Innovation-Approach” in biotechnology, which was formally approved by WP-HROB in follow-up to a two-year pilot project.

The OECD Product Database, containing information on genetically engineered plant varieties approved for cultivation or use in foods and feeds, continues to be updated. A total of 393 entries of 26 crops, flowers, and trees are now available in the system, keeping pace with new information provided by OECD member countries, as well as a number of non-members.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On June 27, 2023, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced the release of a new action plan intended to “rapidly and equitably expand biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and job training programs in the United States.” According to OSTP, biomanufacturing “is a critical aspect of advanced manufacturing that can drive new, sustainable alternatives across industries” and “can unlock new solutions in health, climate change, clean energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security.” OSTP states that the action plan will help propel continued investment in the bioeconomy and maintain America’s leadership in this sector by preparing more Americans for these jobs and build a diverse pipeline that includes women, people of color, people living in rural communities, and others underrepresented in emerging fields.
 
The action plan includes the following core recommendations, along with select new and ongoing actions that the Biden Administration is taking and will take -- in collaboration with employers, unions; state, local, and Tribal governments; high schools; institutions of higher education; industry associations; and other stakeholders:

• Expand and diversify the talent pool for biotechnology and biomanufacturing jobs and careers to promote innovation and advance equity;
• Strengthen worker-centered sector strategies and other partnerships between employers, labor organizations, community colleges, and other training providers to grow and diversify the bioworkforce;
• Develop and rigorously evaluate innovative approaches to education and training for biotechnology and biomanufacturing jobs and careers, scaling and promoting those found to be most effective;
• Partner with state, local, and Tribal governments, education and training providers, bioscience associations, unions and other worker-serving organizations, and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the promise and potential of careers in the bioworkforce; and
• Improve data and analytic capacity and cross-sector collaboration to advance equity and support effective workforce development -- including the development of industry-recognized credentials and competency models.

According to OSTP, the Biden Administration is already beginning to implement the action plan by taking the following actions:

• The National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take action to expand partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI);
• The U.S. Department of Education will create cross-sector collaborations through the Unlocking Career Success Initiative and launch a professional learning series focused on bioworkforce needs and the role of K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions;
• The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is prioritizing advanced manufacturing, including biomanufacturing, in key grant programs, such as the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula grant;
• The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) will support a National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals pilot program designed to attract high school students into biopharmaceutical manufacturing career pathways; and
• NSF, in partnership with DOL, DOC, and other agencies, will convene a forum to build alignment on recognized competency models, development of new competency models where needed, and exploration of credentialing mechanisms for the bioworkforce.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on May 30, 2023, that the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio) will hold a webinar on June 14, 2023, on “Perspectives on Engineered Catalyst Design and Forming.” ChemCatBio is a consortium of eight DOE national laboratories overseen by BETO. According to BETO, the performance evaluation, and ultimate commercial adoption, of next-generation catalyst materials requires the development of strategies to prepare complex engineered catalysts suitable for operation in commercially relevant reactor configurations and scales. To leverage the fundamental advancements ChemCatBio has made in catalyst technology, BETO states that the consortium recently implemented a new vision to address risks by focusing on process integration and fuel production with engineered catalysts.
 
In the webinar, Bruce Adkins (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), Frederick Baddour (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), and Matthew Greaney (Clariant) will present critical considerations for the “engineered” catalyst; an industrial perspective on catalyst design and forming; and ChemCatBio’s industry-informed capabilities that support the transition to more commercially relevant catalyst forms. The webinar will end with a question and answer session.

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 By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has launched a new, comprehensive web page dedicated to one of its priority subprograms, Renewable Carbon Resources (RCR), which helps develop RCR technologies and creates strategies for bioenergy and bioproducts production. In its May 19, 2023, announcement, BETO states that RCR supports applied research and pilot-scale projects for the production, harvesting/collection, supply logistics, storage, and preprocessing of biomass and wastes to feedstock. According to BETO, RCRs are carbon-based resources generated through photosynthesis (plants and algae) or through waste generation (non-recycled portions of municipal solid waste, biosolids, sludges, plastics, and carbon dioxide and industrial waste gases). The subprogram aims to optimize responsibly the use of each of these resources using sustainability indicators such as land-use changes, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, resource conservation, wildlife habitat, fire mitigation, food security, social well-being, and water, soil, and air quality.
 
The newly launched RCR web page is organized around the following activities:

• Production and sourcing;
• Logistics;
• Feedstock-conversion interface;
• Waste management technologies;
• Environmental remediation; and
• Carbon management.

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