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
On January 15, 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published its “Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS)” (“Draft Risk...more
Effective February 13, 2024, prospective purchasers and ground tenants of commercial and industrial property seeking liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act...more
On Friday,19 April 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule to designate two common per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid...more
On April 12, 2024, two days after EPA issued a final rule setting standards for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in public drinking water, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concluded its...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule on Sept. 6, 2022, to designate perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), along with their structural isomers, as hazardous...more
Lara Beaven, of Inside PFAS Policy, has an excellent report on the Defense Department's motion to dismiss claims for injunctive relief against the military in the AFFF multi-district litigation continuing before Federal...more
As expected, 2023 was an expansive year for the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) at the federal level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) took (or at least proposed)...more
In the latest edition of the PFAS Primer Quarterly Update, our roundup of regulatory, litigation, and scientific actions involving PFAS. This quarter, the OMB reviews RCRA and CERCLA PFAS rules, Washington State wants more...more
Last week, Inside EPA (subscription required) reported that EPA will reopen CERCLA cleanups due to the presence of PFAS on a case-by-case basis. The article reported on the gnashing of teeth among the regulated community at...more
Yesterday, I spoke with Sarah Mattalian, an Inside EPA reporter writing a story about the suggestion by an EPA official that EPA might require additional PFAS investigations and clean up at properties that had already been...more
PFAS Chemicals: The Bad News, The Worse News, Then Perhaps Some Hope. The story of PFAS chemicals and their effects is disturbing, on many levels. Like so many “helpful” things that turn out to be evil, PFAS chemicals...more
In April 2023, the EPA issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) requesting input on the designation of seven PFAS as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and...more
The U.S. EPA published its PFAS Strategic Roadmapbooklet in October 2021 and, true to its word, has come very close to meeting most of its self-imposed deadlines to tackle the truly difficult environmental- and human-health...more
On February 13, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule amending the All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) rule took effect. Under the new rule, prospective purchasers of contaminated property can use ASTM...more
Last month, I had the pleasure of participating in a roundtable discussion regarding “Transactional Real Estate and Environmental Due Diligence” co-hosted by Primerus and Association of Corporate Counsel. I don’t know about...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
As anticipated, 2022 was another eventful year for the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) at the federal level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) took significant actions under...more
In September 2022, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the designation of two per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous chemicals under the Comprehensive Environmental Responses, Compensation,...more
Designation of PFAS as Hazardous Substances - On September 6, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively, PFAS) as “hazardous substances” under the...more
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication version of a Proposed Rule to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,...more
On August 26, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication copy of its long-awaited proposed rule to add the two most well-known and well-studied PFAS compounds—perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA)...more
In the first designation of its kind, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication proposed rule on August 26, 2022, designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid...more
On November 1, 2021, ASTM International released its revised standard for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. On March 14, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) published a Direct Final Rule that...more
Just when we environmental old-timers were just getting used to talk about PFAS concentrations in the low parts per trillion range, EPA has moved us squarely into uncharted territory. EPA has released new, interim, lifetime...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