Exiger Regulatory Roundup, Episode 8

Distilling this week’s 17,095 alerts into the 23 alerts that you care about

Mary Kopczynski, CEO of RegAlytics, breaks down this week’s hot regulatory topics, exclusively for Exiger.

• Regulator of the Week: FDA
• Topic of the Week: Clean Energy
• World Bank: Water Resilience
• MAS: Financing for Decarbonization
• Malaysia: Shariah Compliance Carbon Exchange
• UK/Germany: Renewable Hydrogen
• UK: First Battery Strategy
• Canada: Battery Innovation Roadmap
• ICE: Japanese Impact Bonds
• Senate: China Bottleneck on Supplies
• US House: Carbon Dividend Trust Fund
• Senate: Hydroelectric Dams
• CA DOI: Catastrophe Modeling
• CT: Exxon Suit Stands
• CHIPS: 2nd Funding Opportunity
• CHIPS: Bottleneck Alert Mechanism
• US: Shutdown Averted
• Biden: 1st President on Picketline
• Other Interesting Alerts

Regulator of the Week: FDA

The Regulator of the Week is the FDA!  They are jumping on the AI bandwagon. They wrote a paper about policy considerations for pharmaceutical development rules and AI.  They want your thoughts.  Are they on track?  Are they missing anything?  Have they gone too far? This open request was actually supposed to be due May 1^st, but they decided to extend it to this November.  There’s currently only 42 comments, so this is truly an opportunity to be heard.

Request for Information: Discussion Paper: Artificial Intelligence in Drug Manufacturing

Topic of the Week: Clean Energy

The Topic of the Week is CHIPS. No, not the crunchy delightful salty snack of your dreams. I’m of course talking about Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS, get it?) and Science Act enacted by Congress last summer, which provides roughly $280 billion in new funding to the manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States. 

World Bank: Water Resilience

The topic of the week is Clean Energy.  Actions came from all corners so the best way I can organize this is to go from global to US to the states.  Starting with a study by the World Bank, talking about scaling up financing solutions for energy and noting that Dominica has raised its hand and has aggressively pursued being the first climate resilient nation.  It’s an impressive study – walking through how Dominca’s total devastation after Hurricane Maria in 2017, led it to completely transform its infrastructure.  So, if you’re in the mood to hear a heart-warming, hope-filled success story, take a look at Dominica.

Infographic: Scaling Up Finance for Water

Scaling Up Finance for Water: a World Bank Strategic Framework and Roadmap for Action

Dominica’s Journey to Become the World’s First Climate Resilient Country

MAS: Financing for Decarbonization

And speaking of financing clean energy, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, alongside McKinsey, put out a paper on developing more effective carbon markets for the purposes of financing global climate change.

MAS and McKinsey Explore the Use of High-Integrity Carbon Credits to Accelerate and Scale the Early Retirement of Asia’s Coal-Fired Power Plants

MAS’ Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel Discuss Possible Financing Mechanisms to Better Support Decarbonisation of the Energy, Aviation and Maritime Transport Sectors

Malaysia: Shariah Compliance Carbon Exchange

And this one I thought was impressive: Bursa Malaysia, which is a major exchange, launched trading on the world’s first Shariah-compliant voluntary carbon exchange.

World’s First Shariah Compliant Voluntary Carbon Exchange Starts Trading; Bursa Carbon Exchange Will Next Offer Renewable Energy Certificates

UK/Germany: Renewable Hydrogen

Moving on to the UK, Germany, and Canada, some of our closest allies, UK and Germany signed an agreement to accelerate the development of an international hydrogen industry, with the idea being that hydrogen will the alternative, net zero fuel of the future.

U.K. and Germany Partner to Further Advance Hydrogen Developments

UK: First Battery Strategy

Also this week, the U.K. Battery Strategy Taskforce had its inaugural meeting.  The Taskforce is focused on building out the first battery strategy for the UK. 

Government Holds First Taskforce for the U.K. Battery Strategy

Canada: Battery Innovation Roadmap

Likewise, in Canada, a series of regulators announced a $500,000 federal investment in building a battery innovation roadmap that charts Canada’s capacity to develop, commercialize and scale up a sustainable domestic battery innovation ecosystem.

Canada Invests in Battery Innovation Roadmap

ICE: Japanese Impact Bonds

Another interesting public private partnership is one between ICE, the Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange, and The Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan (GPIF), the world’s largest pension fund.  ICE conducted an impact assessment of the impact bonds in funds portfolio, which covered various impact categories from emissions reduction and renewable energy generation to social impact, including job creation. It is a fascinating look at the metrics around ESG, the carbon markets and what to expect in our future.

The Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan Uses ICE for Impact Bond and Avoided Emissions Assessment of Its Portfolio

Senate: China Bottleneck on Supplies

Back in Congress, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to examine opportunities to counter China’s control of critical mineral supply chains.  Catch that transcript if you’re watching this carefully.

Manchin Questions Witnesses on Ending Reliance on China for Critical Minerals

Barrasso: President Biden’s Agenda is a Transition From American Strength and Independence to American Weakness and Dependence

US House: Carbon Dividend Trust Fund

There were also two introduced bills – one House, one Senate.  Well, to be clear, there were a lot more than two, but these two caught my eye.  The House proposed to create a Carbon Dividend Trust – it seems like it would be similar to the one Alaska has for oil, where Americans would get paid personally for advancements in clean energy.

House of Representatives Bill HB5744: Create a Carbon Dividend Trust Fund for the American People in Order to Encourage Market-Driven Innovation of Clean Energy Technologies and Market Efficiencies Which Will Reduce Harmful Pollution and Leave a Healthier, More Stable, and More Prosperous Nation for Future Generations (118th Congress) (I)

Senate: Hydroelectric Dams

The Senate proposed an IRS Amendment that would provide incentives to build hydroelectric dams.

Senate Bill SB2994: Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Support Upgrades at Existing Hydroelectric Dams in Order to Increase Clean Energy Production, Improve the Resiliency and Reliability of the United States Electric Grid, Enhance the Health of the Nation’s Rivers and Associated Wildlife Habitats, and for Other Purposes (118th Congress) (I)

CA DOI: Catastrophe Modeling

Digging into the states, California: hosted it second Catastrophe Modeling and Insurance Workshop to address climate-intensified wildfire risks. This is a trend across all insurance providers – trying to really understand the price of pollution and climate change so that if they’re left holding the bag, they are pricing it correctly.

Commissioner Lara Statement on the Success of the Second Catastrophe Modeling and Insurance Workshop

CT: Exxon Suit Stands

Connecticut: Big big case with ExxonMobil was removed to state court.  What does that mean?  It means Exxon was trying to argue that federal law trumped given that they are a global organization, but the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit confirmed that Connecticut’s beef with ExxonMobile should stay in Connecticut.  And this is a trend, JUUL’s cases got removed to state court, the opioid cases got removed to state court, so large corporations really can’t close their eyes to the state laws.  And even if corporations aren’t weren’t REQUIRED by federal law to avoid pollution, it doesn’t mean they won’t be held accountable for these new state laws popping up, demanding accountability for pollution. Attorney General Tong Statement on Second Circuit Win Affirming Connecticut Case Against ExxonMobil Belongs in State Court

CHIPS: 2nd Funding Opportunity

What else do you need to know this week?  The much anticipated second funding round of CHIPS for America was announced by the Department of Commerce. It’s open to projects with capital investment of below $300 million – so the smaller ones — involving the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for semiconductor materials and manufacturing equipment.

Webinar: Dedicated Supply Chain Notice of Funding Opportunity

Biden-Harris Administration Announces CHIPS for America Funding Opportunity to Strengthen Semiconductor Supply Chains

CHIPS: Bottleneck Alert Mechanism

Commerce has also launched an updated Semiconductor Alert Mechanism to be administrated by the International Trade Administration to detect and assess bottlenecks in our semiconductor supply chains and reduce chokepoints.

Commerce Updates Semiconductor Alert Mechanism

US: Shutdown Averted

Last but not least, President Biden had a busy week. He signed House Bill 5860, which kept the government open.  Woohoo!

House of Representatives Bill HB5860: Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (118th Congress) (F)

Biden: 1^st President on Picketline

But even more notably, he made history by being the first U.S. President to ever join a union strike picket line.

Remarks by Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States, at United Auto Workers Picket Line

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre En Route Wayne County, Michigan

Other Interesting Alerts

Agency	Title
California Department of Justice; California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General	Attorney General Bonta Announces Settlement to Protect Environmental Justice Communities in West Oakland
Congressional Research Service	Overview of the General Service Administration: Acquisition Services and Real Property Management
Congressional Research Service	China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative: Economic Issues
Congressional Research Service	U.S.-China Trade Relations
Congressional Research Service	U.S.-Singapore Relations
Congressional Research Service	Semiconductors and the CHIPS Act: the Global Context
Congressional Research Service	Restricting TikTok (Part I): Legal History and Background
Congressional Research Service	China Primer: Illicit Fentanyl and China’s Role
Congressional Research Service	Restricting TikTok (Part II): Legislative Proposals and Considerations for Congress
Federal Communications Commission	Cybersecurity Labeling for Internet of Things
Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection	Blog by Lesley Fair: Could PrivacyCon 2024 be the Place to Present Your Research on AI, Privacy, or Surveillance?
Federal Trade Commission; Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection	FTC Seeks Research Presentations for Privacycon 2024
General Services Administration	MAS Sales Reporting Portal Training
General Services Administration	Alliant 2 DPA Training
General Services Administration	8 (a) STARS III GWAC DPA Training
General Services Administration	BMO Overview and DPA Training
General Services Administration	HCaTS Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA)
International Brotherhood of Teamsters	Teamsters to NHTSA: Say No to Cruise Origin
Kentucky Office of the Governor	Ascend Elements, SK Ecoplant to Build $65.8 Million Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facility in Hopkinsville, Creating 60 Full-Time Jobs
Kenya Ministry of Health	1st African Union Manufacturers Marketplace Meeting Sets Stage for Vaccine Access Progress
Michigan Office of the Governor	Governor Whitmer Announces Nel Hydrogen to Build Gigafactory in Plymouth Township, Bringing 517 Jobs and $400 Million Investment to Michigan
New York Office of the Governor	Governor Hochul Announces 23 New Certified Climate Smart Communities
New York Office of the Governor	Partnership to Streamline Clean Energy Financing
Securities and Exchange Commission	Order Instituting Cease and Desist Proceedings, Making Findings, and Imposing a Cease and Desist Order: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
Securities and Exchange Commission	SEC Charges Hydrogen Vehicle Co. Hyzon Motors and Two Former Executives for Misleading Investors
Securities and Exchange Commission	SEC Complaint: Hyzon Motors Inc., Craig M. Knight, and Max C.B. Holthausen
Texas Office of the Governor	Governor Abbott Announces Historic $240 Million for Texas Seaports
U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs	President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Invests $10 Million in Tribal Fish Hatcheries
U.S. Defense Acquisition Regulations System	Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Replacement of Fluorinated Aqueous Film Forming Foam
U.S. Defense Acquisition Regulations System	Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education
U.S. Department of Defense	Federal Acquisition Regulation: Rerepresentation of Size and Socioeconomic Status
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mentalhealth.gov	HHS Launches Climate and Health Outlook Portal to Identify Counties at Risk of Climate-Related Hazards
U.S. Department of Homeland Security	Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List
U.S. Department of Labor	Efforts by Certain Foreign Countries to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor, Identify Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Forced or Indentured Child Labor in the Production of Goods in Foreign Countries, etc.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs	Department of Labor Announces Annual Worst Forms of Child Labor Report, Launches Updated, Redesigned Tools to Combat Labor Abuses
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary	Biden-Harris Administration Awards Nearly $94M to Train, Prepare Diverse Workforce for Good Jobs Created by ‘Investing in America’ Agenda
U.S. Department of the Treasury	Treasury Sanctions Transnational Procurement Network Supporting Iran’s One-Way Attack UAV Program
U.S. Executive Office of the President	Biden – Harris Administration Hosts First-Ever White House Climate Resilience Summit and Releases National Climate Resilience Framework
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement	HSI Tampa, Ft. Myers Region Partners Stand up Task Force to Combat ‘Modern Day Slavery’ of Human Trafficking, and Child Exploitation
U.S. International Trade Administration	Meeting: Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness
U.S. International Trade Administration	Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order: Pure Magnesium in Granular Form From the People’s Republic of China
U.S. Senate	Senate Bill SB2986: Prohibit the Issuance of an Interim or Final Rule (118th Congress) (I)
World Bank Group	Climate Action Game Changers: the Solar Story