Environmental Agencies, Superfund Cleanups, and Managing Enforcement Actions
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
The overturning of the “Chevron Doctrine” is already making waves. The US Air Force is refusing to comply with an EPA clean-up order, claiming federal regulators lack authority. In brief, here is the timeline of events: •...more
On Friday, April 26, 2024, Michigan Supreme Court Justices accepted a briefing from the Homebuilders Association of Michigan in support of a manufacturer’s challenge to the State’s maximum containment levels for certain per-...more
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced its final rule designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as hazardous substances under Section 102(a) of...more
On April 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its long-awaited final rule designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), including their salts and structural isomers,...more
The designation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as hazardous substances will likely result in litigation over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Comprehensive...more
Join Kelley Drye for a seminar on the latest regulatory developments that are likely to usher in expansive new liability for the release and remediation of some of the most widely utilized per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...more
On March 12, 2024, the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) approved the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) proposal to amend the Land Recycling and Remediation Standards Act regulations...more
We have been closely monitoring the progress of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) proposed rule to designate perfluorooctanic acid (“PFOA”) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (“PFOS”), two per- and...more
This week Judge Gergel tentatively approved the $1.2 billion settlement between DuPont (and related companies) and water suppliers now dealing with the fact that EPA and many States have concluded that the most minute...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
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is rolling out a robust enforcement program aimed at wastewater treatment plants and other wastewater operations for potential contamination based on Section 301 of the Clean Water Act...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
The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a long-anticipated proposal to designate two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law known as the Comprehensive...more
In recent years, there has been no shortage of interest and commentary dedicated to a group of chemicals known collectively as PFAS. As one example, the potential designation of certain PFAS — PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctanoic...more
In support of the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Board) efforts to investigate and evaluate the public health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the San Francisco Regional Water Quality...more
New Hampshire, like many northeast states, is pursuing a concerted regulatory and litigation approach to address contamination from emerging contaminants in the so-called PFAS suite of chemicals, (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently announced two major developments regarding the agency’s efforts to address and regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). As part of USEPA’s PFAS...more