In March 2019, a group of senators introduced legislation to classify all Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). If this bill is approved, cleanups pertaining to PFAS chemicals will be “eligible for CERCLA cleanup funds and cost recovery actions.” This motion depicts the continuing efforts to increase PFAS regulation nationwide. In November 2017, the California Office of Environmental […]

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The DC Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in a major NEPA case last month. On February 19, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued an unpublished opinion rejecting multiple petitions for review filed by environmental groups such as Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and the Sierra Club. The case centers around a 300-mile natural gas pipeline extending from Wetzel County, West […]

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On March 6, 2019, the California State Water Resources Control Board announced a “Phased Investigation Plan” for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Two different kinds of PFAS, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), are commonly used in various consumer products ranging from carpet to cookware items. Although PFOA and PFOS give these consumer products ideal waterproof and stain-resistant characteristics, these chemicals do not break down in the environment, often […]

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On February 7, 2019, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex, D-N.Y., and Senator Ed Markey, D-Mass, introduced the framework for the Green New Deal in House Resolution 109 (H. RES. 109). This proposal aims to eliminate all carbon emissions resulting from transportation, agriculture, and electricity generation within the United States. It also strives to create job opportunities and economic security along the way. Ocasio-Cortex believes that “the solutions that we have considered big […]

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