The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a significant update to its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)1, automatically adding nine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals subject to…
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/ Business Organizations, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts
An issue of great importance to all construction project parties, including design professionals and contractors, is pending before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC). In the matter of Trustees of Boston University…
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/ Civil Procedure, Commercial Law & Contracts, Construction Law
On December 19, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft health-based recommendations for levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water bodies. These draft recommendations…
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/ Administrative Law, Environmental Law, Health, Toxic Torts
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…
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/ Environmental Law, Health, Toxic Torts
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…
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/ Agriculture, Environmental Law, Health, Toxic Torts
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…
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/ Civil Procedure, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts
The fashion industry is facing a major regulatory shift as states implement bans on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles and apparel. PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” persist in the environment,…
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/ Consumer Protection, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts
On November 20, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced its new initiative—The Tackling Emerging Contaminants Initiative (Initiative). This Initiative is funded by a portion of President Biden’s $50 billion…
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/ Environmental Law, Health
Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule to revoke most food crop tolerances for chlorpyrifos, a pesticide extensively used in agriculture. This decision comes after the US Eighth Circuit Court of…
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/ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Environmental Law, Science, Computers, & Technology
On November 8, 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (the Court) issued a decision in the matter of Admiral Insurance Company, et al. v. Tocci Building Corporation, et al., No. 22-1462 (1st Cir. 2024). The appeal…
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/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Construction Law, Insurance
The State of Maine, through the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is seeking proposals from experienced environmental consulting firms for a comprehensive statistical analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances…
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/ Environmental Law, Health
A Nevada state court handed down a monumental verdict in a case involving alleged contamination of an “alkaline water” health drink, with a jury awarding $5 billion in punitive damages. This decision follows a series of trials…
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/ Civil Remedies, Consumer Protection, Business Torts, Health, Products Liability
On October 14, 2024, a class of thousands of hospitals, physician groups and other healthcare providers filed a proposed settlement in a twelve-year antitrust lawsuit against the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) network. BCBS has…
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/ Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Civil Remedies, Health, Insurance
A federal judge in the Northern District of California dismissed in part a consumer class action, finding that plaintiffs’ total organic fluorine testing was insufficient to demonstrate that defendant’s product contained per-…
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/ Consumer Protection, Environmental Law, Science, Computers, & Technology
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…
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/ Administrative Law, Environmental Law, Science, Computers, & Technology
