New ESG regulations are expected to have a significant impact on disclosure and governance obligations for EU and non-EU companies alike, including extensive sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements on...more
12/11/2024
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Mines ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hague Convention ,
Infrastructure ,
Pollution Control ,
Shell Oil
As noted in previous editions of The Climate Report, in recent months, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), Federal Highway Administration ("FHA"), and California Air Resource Board ("CARB") have imposed...more
The White House revealed its latest strategy to address PFAS, and the EPA extended the reporting deadline for its PFAS reporting rule....more
9/18/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Final Rules ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Manufacturers ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Statutory Deadlines ,
Strategic Planning ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
In what appears to be a new pathway for PFAS litigation, California plaintiffs recently filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of BIC razors stemming from disclosures the company made under Maine's PFAS law, which were...more
5/30/2024
/ Class Action ,
Contamination ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Manufacturers ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Toxic Chemicals
On April 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") finalized four rules to regulate pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. EPA's stated goal was to provide a framework on which power plants can rely for...more
On April 19, 2024, EPA announced its highly anticipated final rule designating two polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS")—perfluorooctanoic acid ("PFOA") and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid ("PFOS")—as "hazardous substances" under...more
4/22/2024
/ CERCLA ,
Contamination ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Final Rules ,
Groundwater ,
Hazardous Substances ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Superfund ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Exposure
On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") announced its highly anticipated final National Drinking Water Regulation ("NPDWR") for six per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"), which establishes...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") finalized the strictest-ever emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. On March 29, 2024, EPA announced new emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles for model years 2027...more
With Assembly Bill A3556C, New York joins a growing list of states considering or enacting broad bans on the sale and distribution of products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS")....more
4/1/2024
/ Environmental Policies ,
Importers ,
Industrial Products ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Manufacturers ,
New York ,
PFAS ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") announced new stringent emissions standards for automobiles, which the Biden administration has deemed the "strongest-ever vehicle pollution standards" in U.S. history....more
The Situation: In 2019, Congress amended the Toxic Substances Control Act ("TSCA") to require the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to promulgate a reporting rule on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"). EPA...more
12/12/2023
/ Contamination ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Importers ,
Manufacturers ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Retroactive Application ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
"Green Day" in the UK -
As part of its "Powering Up Britain" strategy, the UK government has published a series of documents setting out its vision for the UK's transition to net zero and the strengthening of UK energy...more
In Short -
The Development: On May 25, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision inSackett v. EPA, providing new insight into whether wetlands qualify as "waters of the United States" subject to regulation...more
In Short -
The Situation: The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has issued proposed rules to limit carbon dioxide ("CO2") emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants (the "Proposed Rules")....more
In April, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") proposed the strictest pollution standards for cars and trucks to date. In particular, EPA has proposed new greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions standards for...more
The proposal would also make per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS") and certain persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemical substances ("PBTs") ineligible for exemptions available under the Toxic Substances Control...more
The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") is proposing stringent carbon dioxide emissions standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants....more
The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has announced a new proposed rule that would strengthen the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants ("NESHAP") for Coal- and Oil- Fired Electric Utility Steam...more
4/10/2023
/ Air Pollution ,
Clean Air Act ,
Coal-Fired Generation ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Infrastructure ,
MATS ,
Mercury ,
NESHAP ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Plants ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Toxic Exposure
On March 14, 2023, the EPA took a step toward imposing federal limits on certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency...more
Interim Update on Biden Administration Climate Change Initiatives -
The last edition of the Climate Report discussed President Biden's signing, on his first day in office, of an instrument for the United States to re-join...more
On June 25, 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ("ECJ") delivered a judgment (C24/19) clarifying that orders and circulars of EU Member States that regulate the installation and operation of wind turbines...more
On July 16, 2020, the White House Council on Environmental Quality ("CEQ") finalized the first major overhaul of its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") in nearly 40 years. The final...more
Climate Change Regulatory Issues & Updates -
CEQ Finalizes Overhaul of NEPA Regulations and Narrows Consideration of Climate Change Effects -
The amendments have the potential to reduce National Environmental Policy...more