Your Guide to Emerging Issues in Environmental Regulation and Litigation.
As previously reported in the Environmental Law Monitor blog, the Federal Lead Action Plan launched during the Trump administration’s first term could have a positive impact in reducing lead-based drinking water risks in communities across the United States. One such region in need of assistance is the state of Illinois, which has 677,000 known lead …
The Minnesota Court of Appeals on June 8 halted – for the time being, at least – the construction of a proposed 500,000 square-foot, 84-acre hyperscale data center in Faribault, Minn. According to the court, the city of Faribault did not have enough information about the potential environmental impacts of the proposed data center when …
As we recently reported here and here, the Environmental Protection Agency has stated it is revisiting and rolling back some of its limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The prior regulations set by the EPA included the following: A Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for PFOA and PFOS. Enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels …
Between 2025 and 2026, several proposed changes to New York’s lead regulations have emerged at both the state and city levels. One of the most significant is Bill S122A, introduced last year, which directs the New York State departments of Environmental Conservation and Health to establish updated standards for lead contamination in ambient air, soil, …
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed the rescission of climate disclosure rules requiring companies to provide climate-related information in their registration statements and annual reports. The Commission’s proposal is based on its view that it lacks statutory authority to mandate such disclosures, as well as a broader policy re-evaluation aimed at returning …
In May, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to revise the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule (TTR) as well as a technical fix to the 2024 Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Rule (ER&R). By way of background, the TTR required many companies, including supermarkets, in-home AC systems, manufacturers of semiconductor chips, and transporters …
The Environmental Protection Agency will issue two new rules aimed at delaying and rescinding maximum contaminant levels in drinking water. The first one will repeal 2024 regulations that set nationwide limits on four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – GenX, PFNA, PFBS, and PFHxS. The EPA announced it will additionally restart a lengthy process to …
Recently, while speaking at a conference in Washington D.C., the Environmental Protection Agency’s head of the Office of Water, Jessica Kramer, indicated the administration is revisiting the Biden administration’s limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. The prior limits were put in place by the Biden …
The Supreme Court of Maryland recently affirmed the dismissal of three climate change lawsuits brought by state municipalities against various energy companies, finding that the claims were displaced and preempted by federal law. According to the court, “state law can’t be used to impose liability for global greenhouse gas pollution” and that, “at bottom, the …
In a January 2025 nationwide class-action suit, consumer plaintiffs alleged a leading smartwatch maker was using perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in its fluoroelastomer sports band products for its smartwatches and that it did not warn consumers of risk. The smartwatch maker then moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to …