Effective as of yesterday, July 8, 2024, two widely used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are deemed hazardous substances under the Comprehensive...more
In response to the perceived threat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose to public health and the environment, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Michael Regan established the Executive Council on...more
On September 28, 2023, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance ("OECA") released a memorandum announcing its new Climate Enforcement and Compliance Strategy....more
Since early 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency has pursued authority to establish a rule designating PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,...more
Though environmental justice (EJ) has been a cornerstone of the Biden Administration, it lacks federal enforcement laws. Executive orders and responses from federal agencies have shaped U.S. enforcement of EJ issues....more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement arm intends to focus the Agency’s remediation and cost-recovery efforts under the federal Superfund law on manufacturers of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and...more
On August 17, 2023, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) released its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECI) for FY 2024-2027, which include addressing exposure to PFAS as an enforcement...more
After less than a month on the job EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) Chief David Uhlmann this week released a memorandum outlining EPA's National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs) for the...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) enforcement office started off the year with important announcements that change the federal environmental compliance landscape. Civil penalties prescribed by environmental...more
On July 1, 2021, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) issued a memorandum to all EPA Regional Offices urging the offices to increase cleanup program enforcement under the Comprehensive Environmental...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“USEPA”) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (“OECA”) released July 1, 2021 guidance establishing a process on which it will rely upon to advance its’ Environment Justice...more