Natural Resource Damages & Environmental Justice
Environmental Agencies, Superfund Cleanups, and Managing Enforcement Actions
What are PFAS and Why Should We Care?
Volatile Times in Vapor Intrusion Regulation: A Legal and Technical Update
In a unanimous decision issued on April 7, 2025 in In re Appeal of the N.J. Dep’t of Environmental Protection’s Denial of Request for Adjudicatory Hearing, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that the Department of...more
Retail leasing attorneys face particular challenges when it comes to managing environmental liability, in large part because of the misconception that prospective commercial tenants cannot be held legally responsible for...more
In general, environmental law seeks to protect public health and the environment by providing for liability, compensation, cleanup, and emergency response to the release or disposal of hazardous substances. And more...more
This week’s highly anticipated decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal in Qualex-Landmark Towers Inc v 12-10 Capital Corp, 2024 ABCA 115 [Qualex] limits the application of Orphan Well Association v Grant Thornton Ltd, 2019...more
Because the courts have interpreted the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq., as a strict liability statute holding owners in the chain of title liable...more
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) in late February 2024 announced an update to its Guidance for Evaluating Soil Vapor Intrusion in the State of New York. For the first time, the Soil Vapor/Indoor Air Decision...more
One of the primary goals of bankruptcy law is to provide debtors with a fresh start by imposing an automatic stay and allowing for claims of reorganizing debtors to be discharged. In environmental law, a primary goal is to...more
Imagine it’s August 2024 and you just got the dreaded news from a colleague that a government agency suspects that there are hazardous substances on a new property your company just bought. Even worse, your colleague just...more
On December 15, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule recognizing ASTM E1527-21 as the new standard for performing a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (“ESA”)....more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") adopted an updated standard of practice for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments on December 15, 2022. The updated standard adds more refined investigation and...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“U.S. EPA”) has revised the standards by which real property purchasers, lessees and environmental professionals should conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (“Phase I...more
It's been just almost two months since the historic Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act) was signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 10, 2022. Based on pervasive television...more
Partner Jane Borthwick Story talks about EPA Superfund sites, sorting out a company’s responsibilities related to a cleanup, how previous transactions can relate to liability, and the value of a long-term relationship with...more
Abstract - Determining the amount of restoration needed to compensate the public for injury to natural resources is central to estimating natural resource damages (NRDs). Formal restoration scaling methods have not...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of rulemaking to adopt a new national standard for Phase I environmental site assessments. While the EPA had hoped to adopt the new Phase I standard more...more
As a general rule, the law will not allow plaintiffs to sit on legal rights indefinitely. Superfund actions are no exception. The 6th Circuit recently applied this principle, finding a declaratory judgment of liability...more
A growing concern in many mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is the potential for environmental risks. Whether you are looking to acquire a manufacturing site or even just a tract of land for future construction, some...more
For many years, it has been standard practice for prospective purchasers and even tenants to conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (“ESA”) before acquiring a new property interest. This is for two important reasons:...more
Spent lead ammunition at outdoor shooting ranges remains a significant environmental topic, as accumulated lead can pose a threat to human health and the environment if best management practices are not implemented in a...more
As covered in my previous post, the ASTM International (ASTM) released a revised standard for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESAs) – ASTM E1527-21. While the E1527-21 standard has been available...more
On December 1, 2021, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (“VDEQ”) announced via a notice on its Brownfields website that it stopped accepting applications for Bona Fide Prospective Purchase (“BFPP”) and other...more
An important lesson on contracting with environmental consultants recently came out of a federal district court in California in Golden Gate Way, LLC v. Enercon Services, Inc., 20-cv-03077-EMC (N.D. Cal. Nov. 18, 2021)....more
On November 1, the American Society for Testing and Material’s (ASTM) released a revised standard for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESAs). ...more
Given the current demand for downtown properties, borrowers are acquiring contaminated properties like never before. Against this backdrop, lenders should become familiar with the basics of environmental laws imposing...more
Actualmente cursan en el Congreso de la República de Colombia dos proyectos de ley que pretenden modificar o derogar la Ley 1333 de 2009. Por un lado se encuentra el Proyecto de Ley 146 — Senado "Por la cual se modifica la...more