CPSC Will Hold Public Hearing on Its Agenda and Priorities for FYs 2020 and 2021

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a March 19, 2019, Federal Register notice announcing that it will hold a public hearing on May 1, 2019, to receive views from all interested parties about the CPSC’s agenda and priorities for fiscal years (FY) 2020, which begins on October 1, 2019, and 2021, which begins on October 1, 2020.  CPSC seeks comment on the following questions:

1. What are the priorities CPSC should consider emphasizing and dedicating resources toward in the FY 2020 Operating Plan and/or the FY 2021 Congressional Budget Request;
2. What activities should CPSC consider deemphasizing in the FY 2020 Operating Plan and/or the FY 2021 Congressional Budget Request;
3. What retrospective review of rules should CPSC consider in the FY 2020 Operating Plan and/or the FY 2021 Congressional Budget Request; and
4. The CPSC’s programs will align with the strategic goals outlined in the CPSC’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. The CPSC’s FY 2020 Budget Request is based on four agency priorities:  (1) focusing CPSC’s resources on the highest-priority consumer product safety risks; (2) continuing to support import surveillance by operating, maintaining, and developing the Risk Assessment Methodology system to identify and stop noncompliant imported products from entering the U.S. marketplace; (3) emphasizing collaboration, outreach, and education by engaging all stakeholders through forums, advisory groups, seminars, webinars, technical stakeholder-to-government discussions, and workshops; and (4) expanding the sources and types of data analysis used to identify and assess hazards and inform solutions to address identified hazards.  CPSC requests comments on the priorities as presented in the FY 2020 Budget Request.  CPSC also requests comments on whether it should consider making any changes or adjustments to its proposed or ongoing safety standards activities, regulation, and enforcement efforts in FYs 2020 and 2021.  Comments are welcome on whether particular action items should be higher priority than others, should not be included, or should be added to the FY 2020 and/or FY 2021 agendas.

CPSC’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan notes that CPSC “is the only agency with mission responsibility for addressing unreasonable risks associated with human exposure to nanotechnology in consumer products.”  Given CPSC’s size and budget, partnering with a wide range of government, academic, and private sector entities to research the implications of nanomaterial use in consumer products is a key element to achieving mission success.  CPSC states that future work will focus on developing robust test methods to determine and characterize human exposure to nanomaterials from consumer products; characterizing and understanding consumer use of products containing nanomaterials; and providing support to manufacturers, especially small businesses, by developing approaches to testing products to determine release of, and potential for exposure to, nanomaterials.  According to CPSC’s FY 2020 Budget Request, CPSC intends to establish or maintain three collaborations with other organizations to work on nanotechnology research or issues affecting consumer products in FYs 2019 and 2020.  Requests to make oral presentations and written comments are due April 17, 2019.