On December 20, 2022 3M, Inc. announced it would discontinue manufacturing of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) by the end of 2025. 3M is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of PFAS, accounting for $1.3 billion in annual sales revenue. 3M plans to scale down its PFAS manufacturing prior to the 2025 discontinuation date. PFAS…
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The Supreme Court heard oral argument in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency on October 3, 2022. Sackett involves property owners challenging an EPA compliance order determining that a property on which the Sacketts intended to build a home was a wetland as defined in the Clean Water Act (CWA). Sackett v. U.S. Env’t Prot. Agency,…
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On December 9, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule restricting the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). In a prepublication document, the EPA proposed the restriction of HFCs in refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, foam blowing, and aerosols by 2025. The restriction would only apply if more environmentally friendly alternatives are available. According…
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In State ex rel. Stein v. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., the North Carolina Supreme Court considered whether two companies spun off from E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”) could avoid personal jurisdiction in cases regarding claims involving the release of PFAS by asserting that those companies had never done business…
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In Carson v. Monsanto Company, No. 21-10994 (11th Cir. 2022), the Eleventh Circuit ruled on July 12, 2022, that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (“FIFRA”) did not preempt a failure to warn claim brought under Georgia law. Plaintiff’s failure to warn claim arose from claims of malignant fibrous histiocytoma that he alleges was…
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On January 27, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, which was meant to develop policies to combat climate change. Exec. Order No. 14008, 86 Fed. Reg. 7,619 (January 27, 2021). One such policy set forth in Section 208 of the Order sought to: “pause new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or…
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On August 12, 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $369 billion in spending on climate action. The Act introduces a “waste emissions charge,” which makes companies who produce, transport, or store oil and gas pay for methane that leaks from their facilities into the atmosphere. The charge will start at $900.00 per…
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The Supreme Court recently decided a case related to the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era regulatory scheme that would apply to the energy industry across the country. The main holding of the opinion in West Virginia v. EPA focused on the degree to which an administrative agency may assert power over the states, and by…
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On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new drinking water health advisories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The EPA also announced $1 billion in funding to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water. PFAS have been linked to infertility, thyroid problems, and several types of cancer. Since the…
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On May 5, 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland and EPA Administrator Michael Regan released a memorandum entitled: “Actions to Advance Environmental Justice.” The memorandum from the Office of the Attorney General announces three actions to “secure environmental justice for all Americans.” First, the Justice Department issued a comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy to guide the…
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