New proposals now circulating in Congress would significantly weaken the nation’s primary chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act. Draft legislation in both the House and Senate, the draft Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act and the House Proposal to Amend TSCA, would reduce industry fees that fund chemical reviews, narrow the scope of health protections, and accelerate approvals for new chemicals with less scrutiny. These changes would undercut the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to evaluate risks and restrict dangerous substances before they reach our homes, workplaces, and waterways.
For communities like ours, this debate is not abstract. Environmental health is deeply local. We live in a region defined by agriculture, coastal waters, redwood forests, and working landscapes. Our economy and quality of life depend on clean water, healthy soil, and safe air. When federal safeguards are weakened, the downstream impacts are felt in places like the Russian River watershed, Sonoma Valley farms, and 101 corridor neighborhoods already burdened by wildfire smoke and cumulative pollution exposure.
The Toxic Substances Control Act was modernized in 2016 after decades of bipartisan recognition that the original 1976 law failed to protect public health. The update strengthened EPA’s authority to review chemicals already in commerce and to require safety findings before new chemicals enter the market. It also created a fee system so that chemical manufacturers help pay for the cost of safety assessments rather than leaving taxpayers to shoulder the burden.
The new discussion draft in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee would revise that fee structure and adjust implementation timelines. At the same time, a House proposal described by EWG would limit EPA’s ability to require comprehensive data and could fast track approvals for new chemicals. In practice, this could mean fewer resources for scientific review and greater reliance on incomplete data.
That shift comes at a time when science is increasingly clear about the links between toxic exposures and chronic disease. PFAS, or forever chemicals, have been detected in drinking water systems across California. Microplastics are now found in human blood and breast milk, globally. Farmworkers, firefighters, and marginalized communities face disproportionate exposure to hazardous compounds. Rolling back federal authority would make it much harder to address these threats.
Sonoma County has seen firsthand how environmental health intersects with climate resilience. After repeated wildfire seasons, we understand the compounding effects of smoke, heat, and infrastructure strain. Adding weakened chemical oversight to that mix increases risks to our county’s children, seniors, and medically vulnerable residents. It also places additional pressure on local governments that may be forced to fill regulatory gaps with limited resources.
Strong chemical policy is a preventive policy, it reduces contamination before it occurs, lowers cleanup costs, and protects ecosystems that buffer us from climate impacts. When chemicals contaminate groundwater or accumulate in soil, remediation is expensive and often incomplete. Prevention is both fiscally responsible and morally imperative.
Environmental stewardship has long been a core value in Sonoma County. From protecting working woodlands to advancing renewable energy and sustainable agriculture, our community has shown that economic vitality and environmental protection go hand in hand. Federal law should reinforce that leadership, not undermine it.
As Congress debates changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act, residents of Sonoma County should pay close attention. Decisions made in Washington will influence what chemicals enter commerce, how rigorously they are reviewed, and who bears the cost of protecting public health. We deserve a system that prioritizes science, transparency, and precaution.
Now is the time to defend strong chemical safeguards. Our water, our health, and our local economy depend on it.
