PFAS in Focus: Show-Me Insights From Chris Wieberg, Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Reflections on Water Podcast
[Podcast] Catching Up on Canadian Environmental Regulation
PFAS: Increasing Regulations and Managing Legal Liability
EPA Plan Changes PFAS Outlook For Companies, Regulators
2BInformed: The Future of Fluoride in Drinking Water, the New TSCA Fees Rule, and the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 5
The Great Green North: A Discussion on Canada’s Environmental Regulations
Forever Chemicals: What They are and What is being Done to Minimize Their Impact
What are PFAS and Why Should We Care?
“Contaminants Compass” is a monthly newsletter that provides updates, legal observations and actionable tips to navigate the evolving legal challenges of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This edition discusses how...more
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent rulemakings for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have far-reaching implications for a broad range of industries, regulated entities, and regulatory bodies. First,...more
Much has been written, including in our Burns & Levinson Legal Terrain Blog, about the impact of PFAS and similar “forever chemicals” on suits by state attorneys general and private actions to obtain funds or obtain insurance...more
On April 19, 2024, just nine days after finalizing the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard for six individual per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the Agency designated PFOA and PFOS, two...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
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final rule designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), two of the most common and well-known per- and...more
On Friday, April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication version of its Final Rule (the Rule) designating two widely used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) –...more
Yet another new horizon looms for PFAS litigation. Numerous PFAS claims, like those involving deceptive trade practices due to PFAS in food packaging, seldom withstand a motion to dismiss, but the emergence of a novel...more
In the absence of federal cleanup standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in groundwater, several states have started the process of regulating PFAS in groundwater themselves. As a result, states have...more
We have probably already read (and written) too much about the challenges of dealing with “forever chemicals” in drinking water and wastewater treatment. However, recent developments hold some hope for addressing forever...more
On March 14, 2023, EPA proposed to regulate certain PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA proposed Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for PFOA and PFOS of zero. It proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS of...more
Two bills introduced in the Massachusetts legislature would ban nearly all products containing intentionally added PFAS sold or distributed in the Commonwealth by 2030, with some categories of products banned by 2026. The...more
A few hours after dinner time on Feb. 3, and approximately 20 miles following a dramatic slow-down from a speed of 50 miles per hour to about half that, a Norfolk Southern freight train consisting of 38 cars – 11 of which...more
Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) that contain PFAS was, and in some cases still is, an effective tool for fighting fires used by the military and local firefighters to contain and control fuel-fed fires....more
In mid-December 2022, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) released Draft Guidance for Investigating and Remediating PFAS Contamination in Washington State. The Draft Guidance would apply to independent...more
On November 15, 2022, in response to a challenge by 3M, the Michigan Court of Claims invalidated the drinking water MCLs and attendant groundwater standards for several PFAS substances, including PFOA (8 parts per trillion,...more
The Illinois Pollution Control Board is currently considering proposed amendments to the Illinois Part 620 groundwater regulations that would establish the first enforceable PFAS standards under Illinois law. The rulemaking...more
There is no federal drinking water standard for 1,4-dioxane, but as illustrated by a recent press release for the Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund Site in Ohio, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state...more
1,4-Dioxane is an emerging contaminant. Like “traditional” volatile organic compounds, it has the potential to volatilize and enter indoor air. This article explores why businesses should consider conducting a VI assessment...more
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released four health advisories for the group of contaminants regularly referred to as “forever chemicals”—perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Specifically,...more
A few considerations practitioners should keep in mind when dealing with contamination involving per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. The PFAS Action Act of 2021 passed in the House and was received in...more
On the 60th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carlson’s groundbreaking book “Silent Spring”, the world continues to struggle to manage the human health and environmental risks associated with newly discovered emerging...more
State drinking water, surface water, and groundwater regulations are now all in one place—through an easy-to-use, interactive map. Regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) vary by state and continue to...more
33 states have either enacted or proposed regulations regarding per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) present in Class B Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (“AFFF”) used for firefighting, or present in firefighters’ clothing...more
During the early stages of the Biden administration, efforts to regulate per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, aka “PFAS,” were largely piecemeal and driven by various proposals in Congress. Last month, however, the U.S....more