A recent lawsuit against Synagro Technologies, Inc. raises important questions about the role of biosolids in PFAS contamination and the legal responsibilities of manufacturers. The case, Farmer v. Synagro Tech., Inc., No....more
In January 2025, Maine lawmakers became the first to introduce a bill restricting PFAS levels in food. The proposed bill, SB130, entitled An Act to Establish the PFAS Response Program and to Modify the Fund to Address PFAS...more
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in a wide range of consumer products since 1947, known for their strong carbon-fluorine bonds. These bonds make PFAS resistant to breakdown, earning them...more
1/6/2025
/ Clean-Up Costs ,
Contamination ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Funding ,
Hazardous Substances ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Remediation ,
Safe Drinking Water Act ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Water Supplies
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since approximately the 1950s. Although there are more than 15,000 PFAS...more
A Georgia federal court has denied a request for an injunction that would have required the defendants to pay $850 million for remediation of water sources in Georgia that are contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl...more
On October 7, 2024, two groups of plaintiffs challenged the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) April 26, 2024, rule that established Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for certain per-and polyfluoroalkyl...more
Facing bellwether trials in the Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) multi-district litigation (MDL) later this year for claims brought by public water systems due to the alleged per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)...more
On April 19, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final rule stating that two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid...more
On April 10, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has finalized the first-ever national, legally enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl...more
Judge Richard Gergel of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, the judge who is overseeing multi-district litigation concerning aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), yesterday gave final approval to...more
A federal magistrate judge has recommended that civil claims brought under the federal RICO Act be permitted to proceed to discovery in a lawsuit stemming from public drinking water contamination with per-and polyfluoroalkyl...more
10/6/2023
/ Contamination ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Liability ,
Discovery ,
Drinking Water ,
General-Business ,
Liability ,
PFAS ,
Property Owners ,
Racketeering ,
RICO
A federal magistrate judge has recommended that civil claims brought under the federal RICO Act be permitted to proceed to discovery in a lawsuit stemming from public drinking water contamination with per-and polyfluoroalkyl...more
As EPA continues to review potential regulations for PFAS contamination in drinking water, some state regulatory bodies have decided not to wait for the federal government to act. North Carolina is the latest state to...more
8/1/2023
/ Abatement ,
Clean-Up Costs ,
Contamination ,
Department of Environmental Quality ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Substances ,
North Carolina ,
PFAS ,
Responsible Party ,
Toxic Chemicals
More than a year after the Massachusetts PFAS Interagency Task Force recommended 30 steps to address PFAS contamination, Rep. Kate Hogan and Sen. Julian Cyr proposed an Act to Protect Massachusetts Public Health from PFAS, HD...more
In October 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Per- and Polyfluroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Strategic Roadmap, the stated goal of which was to, “hold polluters accountable.” Pursuant to the roadmap,...more
New York has proposed an amendment that would permit settling parties, in tort claims, to pursue contribution claims for the costs of remediating PFAS contamination. As means of encouraging settlements in civil lawsuits, New...more
Last week, the New Hampshire Supreme Court held that state law does not recognize medical monitoring as a remedy or cause of action for plaintiffs who allege that they were exposed to a toxic substance. In Kevin Brown v....more
On March 14, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first federally enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. In a move that...more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is seeking public comment on its proposal to address environmental justice, climate change and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in its National...more
On January 12, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to solicit public comments and recommendations on its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECI) set to be implemented during its...more
For the past few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been working on regulations to minimize environmental contamination due to the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in industrial and consumer...more
For many years, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been ubiquitous in American commerce and industry. That ubiquitous use, and the fact that PFAS chemicals do not break down in the environment, has led to the...more