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Alaska Community Action on Toxics v. EPA — 9th Cir. (argued August 13, 2026)

No. 25-158 Argued August 13, 2026 Published August 14, 2026; updated August 18, 2026

The Ninth Circuit considers three consolidated challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency's 2024 new-chemicals rule. Alaska Community Action on Toxics and Environmental Defense Fund say persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals—which resist breakdown and build up in living things—should not qualify for faster exemptions based on low volume or low exposure. The United Auto Workers says the agency ignored its proposal for confidential worker access to new-chemical information. The agency says it reviews exemptions individually, requires written approval before manufacture, and the union's proposal was outside this rulemaking.

Alaska Community Action on Toxics v. EPA (No. 25-158) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 13, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — Ninth Circuit:https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/13/25-158.mp3
Argument record — Ninth Circuit:https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-158&hearingDate=2026-08-13
Challenged rule — Federal Register:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-18/pdf/2024-28870.pdf
Environmental petitioners' opening brief:https://www.verdantlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/pbts-petitioner-brief.pdf
United Auto Workers opening brief:https://www.verdantlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Alaska-Community-Action-on-Toxics-v.-EPA-UAW-opening-brief.pdf
Toxic Substances Control Act § 5 — U.S. House:https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title15-section2604
PBT chemicals — EPA:https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/policy-statement-new-chemicals
Premanufacture notices — EPA:https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/basic-information-review-new
Article III standing — Constitution Annotated:https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S2-C1-1/ALDE_00013375/
Opinion search — Ninth Circuit:https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/

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