Environmental Law Advisor

Earlier this week, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a new rule designating two per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Regulators at all levels are seeking to advance climate-change related policies. Of late, municipalities have increasingly sought to “decarbonize” buildings and related infrastructure through changes to building codes and legislation like “gas bans.”

The sale of most compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) is set to be phased out in 2028 under recent energy efficiency regulations finalized by the US Department of Energy (DOE).

While environmental justice (EJ) concerns continued to drive policymaking in early 2024, EJ efforts increasingly faced headwinds coming from various and sometimes unexpected directions.

On April 10, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final PFAS drinking water rule, setting new drinking water standards for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Policy debates normally focus on substance. Is climate change real? How can business entities weigh environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their decision-making?

On March 1, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced finalized amendments to the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program (RMP) through the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule (Final Rule).

A Texas federal judge recently permitted an environmental, social, and governance- (ESG) related Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case filed by an airline pilot against his employer and its benefits plan to proceed into discovery.

One of the recent efforts to promote the circular economy has included Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that give manufacturers responsibility for managing the waste associated with their products beyond the point of sale.

The Biden Administration’s embrace of a “whole of government” approach to address environmental justice (EJ) issues occasioned litigation across the country.

The Biden Administration’s efforts to address environmental justice (EJ) concerns continue. This month, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced modifications to EPA’s Equity Action Plan.

On January 31, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued two proposed rules to facilitate the targeting of PFAS.

As we move into 2024, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concepts continue to feature prominently in policy debates.

Historically, regulations under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and related state laws divided the world into “stationary” and “non-stationary sources.” “Stationary sources” included facilities like power plants and factories and “non-stationary” sources targeted vehicles, engines, and other things that moved.

Environmental justice (EJ) issues continue to feature prominently in national headlines in 2024. Below, we unpack two Louisiana EJ-focused court decisions and outline seven takeaways for the regulated community.

Beyond being no fun, handwashing dishes wastes water. And according to a colonel from the Montana Highway Patrol, dishwashers that complete a normal cycle in one hour or less “are desirable in the bunkhouse setting.”

Climate change litigation continues in the headlines, this time with an Oregon federal court evaluating claims by 21 children that the federal government violated their constitutional right to a habitable environment.

State and local governments have weighed in at increasing frequency in past years. While some environmental issues are global in scope, local governments are progressively engaged on issues affecting climate, waste disposal, and environmental justice (EJ).

The regulated community faces a complex and evolving landscape. As we head into 2024, our team of energy, environmental, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) attorneys provide insights and guidance on how to navigate the changing environment.

2023 saw terms like “ESG,” “greenwashing,” and “circular economy” come into common use. We also saw a tsunami of other environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related developments at the international, federal, and state levels.

On October 7, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three new bills into law mandating disclosures and reporting related to greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks, and emissions reductions claims.

Environmental and energy issues were in the headlines for much of 2023.

A first-of-its-kind environmental justice (EJ) lawsuit filed by a group of Louisiana churches and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) was dismissed this week.

Everyone loves recycling. However, when it comes to plastic, questions about how recycling occurs and whether it can meaningfully occur generate a fair amount of controversy.

A recent Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii decision permitted climate-related claims against major petroleum and gas companies to proceed toward trial.