The public comment period recently closed on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) January 2025 draft assessment evaluating potential human health and environmental risks associated with the disposal and land application...more
Washington state has joined the growing list of states addressing the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in biosolids that are widely used in farming. With Governor...more
Update: EPA will now accept public comments on its Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluoroctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) until August 15, 2025. Interested parties may submit comments at...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has extended the public comment period for the Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) (“Draft...more
The regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remains a critical issue in US environmental policy, with significant implications for water quality, biosolids management and state-level regulatory authority. On...more
Despite having over 130 years of collective environmental law experience, Verrill’s environmental group is very cautious in making predictions about the future. But sometimes we identify a trend that seems so obvious that we...more
On January 14, 2025, the EPA released for public comment a risk assessment report evaluating the potential risks associated with land application and land disposal of biosolids containing two types of PFAS, PFOA and PFOS....more
On January 14, 2025, EPA released for public comment its Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS). This draft risk assessment evaluates potential human...more
Stakeholder Meeting Facilitation for Issues Related to PFAS and Biosolids: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has issued a December 2024 Report titled: ...more
On November 14, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the release of EPA’s third annual progress report on EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, and the report indicates a growing focus on PFAS-related enforcement and...more
The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (“PEER”) filed in June a Judicial Action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (“Court”) arguing that the United States Environmental Protection...more
Lara Beaven of Inside PFAS Policy reports that Maine farmers have joined litigation against the Environmental Protection Agency for not yet regulating the presence of PFAS in sewage sludge. The plaintiffs in that litigation...more
The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (“PEER”) filed a Clean Water Act citizen suit action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the United States Environmental Protection...more
On May 8, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published its final rule designating two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) — specifically, perfluorooctanoic acid (“PFOA”) and...more
Maine wastewater treatment plants are currently facing intense challenges concerning disposal of their sewage sludge, also called “biosolids.” This is a fast-moving issue getting significant coverage in the media and...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and City of Dixon, Missouri, entered into a January 23rd Complaint and Consent Agreement/Final Order (“CA”). See Docket No. CWA-07-2022-0117. The CA provides that...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published the 9th Biennial Report titled: Biosolids Biennial Report No. 9 (“Report No. 9”) ...more
The United States Composting Council (“USCC”) recently issued a document titled: PFAS Positioning and Guidance Statement (“Statement”)...more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently signaled a path forward on its roadmap to address PFAS contamination, something industry, water suppliers, and wastewater treatment operators, to name a few, have been...more
Inside EPA reports today on the concerns of water suppliers needing to remove PFAS from drinking water. Among other things, PFAS removal results in residuals, or what you and I might call sludge, that won't be going the...more
Bloomberg Environment reports that Maine Governor Janet Mills is about to sign legislation banning the land application of biosolids in Maine unless those biosolids are determined to be free of PFAS. Practically speaking,...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published a February 2021 document titled: Biosolids Biennial Report No. 8 (“Report”) - The Report addresses the reporting period 2018-2019. ...more
In early 2020, the Alabama Environmental Management Commission promulgated rules establishing procedures by which the Department of Environmental Management will regulate land application of eligible non-hazardous by-product...more
As the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), Congress, and state regulatory agencies continue to push forward with per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) regulations, the Maine Department of...more
The final rule strives to take advantage of information technology, allowing resources to be used more efficiently and effectively, and giving the EPA, states and the public better access to key data. Implementation will...more