With California facing a hotter and drier future punctuated by bouts of extreme weather, state officials are moving forward with a new framework for urban water use that could require some suppliers to make cuts of 20% or...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives for 2024-2027. The list includes first-time initiatives to mitigate exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week that it would investigate the California State Water Resources Control Board (Board) after some Native American tribes and environmental groups complained the...more
Monterey County's voter-approved ban on new oil and gas wells is invalid because state law authorizes and promotes oil and gas production, the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously last Thursday. Next year, California voters...more
Municipalities, landowners, developers, and others engaged in construction activities in California have faced increasing regulatory scrutiny over alleged stormwater discharge violations in recent years, including a record...more
In the nation’s first appellate case on the issue, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that the City and County of San Francisco (City) must meet limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for...more
8/7/2023
/ Air Pollution ,
California ,
Diesel Fuel ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Inland Waterways ,
Pesticides ,
Pollution Control ,
State and Local Government ,
Toxic Chemicals
Twenty-two attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, urged a federal court this Wednesday to reject a proposed $10.3 billion settlement over contamination of U.S. public drinking water systems with...more
The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is accepting public comment through July 28 on new recommendations to expedite permits for seawater desalination plants in the state....more
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association said on Thursday that they had reached an agreement, referred to as the "Clean Truck Partnership," that gives new flexibility for...more
7/10/2023
/ Automotive Industry ,
California ,
CARB ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Contamination ,
Disclosure ,
Drinking Water ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Landfills ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pension Funds ,
PFAS ,
State and Local Government ,
Trucking Industry
Federal officials on Wednesday announced $52 million in new funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to perform two dozen projects around San Francisco Bay to restore wildlife, expand wetlands, and reduce...more
7/3/2023
/ California ,
Clean Water Act ,
Conservation ,
Cross-Border ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Rehabilitation and Restoration Plans ,
State and Local Government ,
Water Pollution ,
Wetlands ,
Wildlife Protection
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected oil companies’ challenge to court orders that currently ban hydraulic fracturing (or fracking)—the injection of high-pressure water and chemicals into the earth to release oil...more
Chemours Co., E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and Corteva, Inc. on Friday said they had reached an agreement in principle to pay $1.19 billion to settle claims that they contaminated U.S. public water systems with...more
6/5/2023
/ California ,
CARB ,
Department of Water Resources ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FBI ,
Lithium Batteries ,
Popular ,
RCRA ,
Refineries ,
State and Local Government ,
Toxic Chemicals
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to protect composting, recycling, and garbage facilities from cleanup cost liability if they receive and manage solid waste or biosolids containing PFAS compounds....more
The Biden administration proposed new regulations this Thursday that, if enacted, would aggressively limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The move stands to force major changes in the energy sector and is likely...more
In last year’s update, we provided an overview of federal and California regulatory actions designed to protect public health and the environment from the impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These actions...more
5/2/2023
/ California ,
CEQA ,
CERCLA ,
Clean Water Act ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Site Assessment ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Housing Developers ,
Office Space ,
Offshore Wind ,
PFAS ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Safe Drinking Water Act ,
State and Local Government
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering expanding the number of per- and polyfluoroalklyl substances (PFAS) compounds classified as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,...more
4/24/2023
/ California ,
CERCLA ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
PFAS ,
State and Local Government ,
State Bans ,
Storm Water ,
Wetlands
A Kentucky federal district court judge last Friday denied the state’s request to block the Biden administration’s new regulation redefining federally regulated “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) from taking effect within...more
Relying on the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to block recently adopted executive branch regulations, Congress on Wednesday approved a resolution to overturn the Biden administration’s planned protections for...more
4/3/2023
/ California ,
CERCLA ,
Clean Water Act ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Drinking Water ,
Drought ,
Joe Biden ,
PFAS ,
State and Local Government ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States
Companies that generate a billion dollars or more a year doing business in California would be required to publicly release their carbon emissions data under a bill introduced Monday by State Senator Scott Wiener. Supporters...more
The fossil fuel industry is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve a legal battle over hydraulic fracturing off the California coast — a fight companies say carries “enormous practical and legal significance.”...more
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and numerous industry associations on Wednesday filed lawsuits in Texas district court over the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ definition of...more
1/23/2023
/ California ,
Clean Water Act ,
Contamination ,
Drought ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fishing Industry ,
Natural Gas ,
PFAS ,
State and Local Government ,
Waters of the United States
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday unveiled a 2023 state budget proposal that includes significant cuts to climate investments due to an estimated budget gap of $22.5 billion for the 2023-2024 fiscal year....more
1/16/2023
/ California ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Drought ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Investment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Funding
The U.S .Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing tougher standards for fine particle pollution, sometimes known as soot. The proposed regulations announced on Friday would set maximum levels of 9 to 10 micrograms...more
1/9/2023
/ Air Pollution ,
California ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Conservation ,
Drought ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Levees ,
State and Local Government ,
US Geological Survey ,
Water Management ,
Wildfires
The Biden administration today finalized its definition of which wetlands and waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act. The rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers...more
1/3/2023
/ California ,
Clean Water Act ,
Contamination ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Improper Disposal ,
Monsanto ,
Natural Resources ,
PFAS ,
State and Local Government ,
Toxic Chemicals
Biden restores stricter environmental review of big projects under NEPA Bullet Associated Press - April 19 The Biden administration is restoring federal regulations that require rigorous environmental review of major...more