The State of California has always been a leader in regulating chemical ingredients contained in products sold in the state (think Prop 65), and it has turned its sights towards per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). There are already laws on the books banning the sale or distribution of PFAS-containing food packaging and children’s products, and
Megan Baroni
I am an environmental attorney in Robinson+Cole’s Environmental and Utilities Group. I have worked with manufacturers, both big and small, on environmental compliance, risk management, and litigation matters for my entire career. My full firm bio can be accessed here.
As an environmental lawyer, I never want to be a roadblock to our client’s goals. I strive to understand the business of our manufacturing clients – what do you make and how do you make it? I want to know your objective, and I want to help you get there. Regulatory requirements and potential legal liabilities can sometimes seem daunting, but I help our clients develop an understanding of the requirements and all of the potential options so that we can create practical and cost-effective solutions to accomplish the objective. I work with management as well as the people who make our clients’ products every day, and I enjoy every part of it. It’s a good day for me when I can put on my hard hat and walk the factory floor.
EPA Power Plant Ruling Could Have Broader Effects for Industry
Below is an excerpt of an article co-authored with Jon Schaefer and published in Industry Week on July 8, 2022. Jon focuses his practice on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and safety, permitting, site remediation, and litigation related to federal and state regulatory programs.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision that the…
EPA Establishes New Health Advisories for PFAS
Earlier this month, EPA set new lifetime health advisories for four per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – in some instances at levels lower than those that can be detected through laboratory testing. The new health advisories are listed below:
| PFAS | Health Advisory (in parts per trillion) |
| PFOA (perflurooctanoic acid) | 0.004 ppt |
| PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) |
SEC Proposed Rule on Climate-Related Disclosures: A Look at Scope 3 Emissions Reporting Requirements
True to its word, the SEC released its proposed rule, The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors, last week. The rule would require companies to disclose a wide variety of climate-related information, including information about climate-related risks that are reasonably likely to have material impacts on its business and/or its consolidated financial…
SEC Scrutiny of Climate Change Disclosures on the Rise
While we await the SEC’s proposed rules regarding mandatory climate change disclosures (signaled to be coming as soon as next Monday, March 21), the SEC has been digging in to company filings to scrutinize how, if at all, its registrants are addressing climate change. As we previously reported, the SEC took a number of…
2022 Environmental, Health, and Safety Outlook for Manufacturers
Last week, Jeff kicked off our 2022 outlook for manufacturers, covering corporate compliance and litigation. This week, I am turning to the environmental, health, and safety issues that may occupy the minds and the time of manufacturers in 2022.
1. Emerging Contaminants
We have been talking about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for so long…
Supreme Court Halts Implementation of OSHA ETS
Thank you to my colleagues Jonathan Schaefer and Abby Warren for their contributions to this post.
We take a break from our regularly scheduled “2022 outlook” programming to bring you breaking news on the seesaw that is the enforcement of OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regarding COVID-19 vaccination or testing. As we previously reported, it…
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Two Federal Vaccine Mandates
Thank you to Jonathan Schaefer for this post. Jon focuses his practice on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and safety, permitting, site remediation, and litigation related to federal and state regulatory programs.
On December 21, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court took its first step into the fray over federal vaccine mandates. As we have previously …
Sixth Circuit Revives OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
Thank you to Jonathan Schaefer for his contributions to this post. Jon focuses his practice on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and safety, permitting, site remediation, and litigation related to federal and state regulatory programs.
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted a stay of OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)…
OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
Thank you to Jonathan Schaefer for his contributions to this post. Jon focuses his practice on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and safety, permitting, site remediation, and litigation related to federal and state regulatory programs.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that OSHA issued its long-anticipated COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary…