Congress Just Passed a Huge Environmental Law

It may have gotten lost in all the election news, but a substantial piece of legislation has just managed to clear Congress: A massive overhaul of federal laws regulating chemicals sold in the US is headed to President Obama's desk for his signature—the first such update in 40 years. Some coverage:

• Science looks at the specific new regulatory powers granted to the EPA.
• The number of chemicals the EPA has issued regulations on, under the old rules: Just five. UPI explains.
• Bloomberg sees a related problem: The agency gets more authority to review products, but may not have the resources to follow through. Consider this line: "By the time EPA finishes work on the chemicals it has prioritized, the children of today’s children will have been exposed to them—probably for years."
• More on the nuts and bolts from the Washington Post, which calls it "the most sweeping environmental measure to pass Congress in a quarter-century." Of note: It has the support of both the chemical industry and many (but not all) environmental groups.

• Industry groups were OK with it because they prefer one federal law as opposed to a "patchwork" of different ones in states, notes the Wall Street Journal.
• Politico credits a "perfect storm" of circumstances for the measure (called the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act), including growing consumer concern over kids' toys and even furniture.
• One big opponent: Rand Paul, as a separate Washington Post story details.
• The environmental group EWG lays out why it doesn't think the law is strong enough here.
• But a New York Times editorial says it's about time this happened.

(More FDA stories.)