On April 11, 2013, the EPA released draft final vapor intrusion guidance (“Guidance”) for assessing and mitigating vapor intrusion pathways from subsurface sources to indoor air.  The Guidance presents EPA’s current recommendations for identifying and considering key factors when assessing vapor intrusion, making risk management decisions, and implementing mitigation measures pertaining to this potential human…
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In December 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) adopted a new policy setting forth the conditions on which the agency will consider providing CERCLA bona fide prospective purchaser (BFPP) protection to tenants who lease formerly or currently contaminated property.  Previously, such protections were only available to purchasers of such property.  Although the EPA will continue…
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By Michael Einhorn and Tiffany Hedgpeth In PCS Nitrogen Inc. v. Ashley II of Charleston, the Fourth Circuit (“Court”) affirmed the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina’s rulings addressing CERCLA liability at a former fertilizer manufacturing site.  In doing so, the court outlined legal standards for multiple CERCLA issues.  Significantly, the Court…
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Sequestration budget cuts (“budget cuts”) went into effect on March 1, 2013.  These budget cuts required EPA to cut approximately $425 million from its $8.3 billion annual budget, or about 5%.  In a February 6, 2013 letter, Lisa Jackson, then-Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), identifies to Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) the specific…
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On March 18, a New York federal district court held that a company seeking to recoup the response costs it incurred cleaning up contamination at a former chemical plant initially may maintain state law claims as well as a cost recovery claim under CERCLA § 107 MPM Silicones LLC v. Union Carbide Corp., N.D.N.Y., No….
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A pharmaceutical waste hauling bill, AB 1442 (Wieckowski), was chaptered into law on September 29, 2012 and went into effect on January 1, 2013.  AB 1442 amends California’s Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA),[1] to define “pharmaceutical waste” and permit its transportation by generators or common carriers, provided that certain requirements are met. Prior to AB…
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By Tiffany Hedgpeth and Michael Einhorn On March 15, 2013, the Ninth Circuit held in Chubb Custom Ins. Co. v. Space Systems/Loral, Inc., Case No. 11-16272, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 5198 (9th Cir., March 15, 2013), that the insurer Chubb Custom Insurance Company (“Chubb”) could not maintain its Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act…
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By Clare Bienvenu and Mary E. Wilke The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (“DTSC”) recently issued its ninth draft of the Green Chemistry Initiative regulations (“Regulations”) with the final rules expected later this year.  The following are six key changes set forth in the ninth draft: (1) companies are only required to make changes…
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ELG is pleased to announce that it has confidentially resolved all claims arising out of Todd Tholke v. Sailing Vessel Energy Team AC45, Civ. No. 12-05162, Northern District of California.  The case involved local sailor Todd Tholke’s salvage and rescue of the Energy Team AC45, a 45-foot twin-hulled America’s Cup World Series racing catamaran.  Unbeknownst…
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On October 9, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition of Solutia, Inc. and Pharmacia Corporation to review a March 6, 2012 ruling by the Eleventh Circuit which affirmed a grant of summary judgment and held that parties subject to a consent decree are limited to filing claims for contribution under CERCLA § 113(f),…
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