On March 14th, U.S. EPA released its advanced pre-publication notice of proposed rulemaking which, if finalized, will establish for the first time national drinking water standards for PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA). While many states have adopted drinking water standards, the U.S. EPA has yet to establish any national drinking water standards
Supreme Court Adopts Major New “Functional Equivalent Test” for Discharges under Clean Water Act
On April 23rd, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling interpreting the breadth and scope of the Clean Water Act in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. The central issue was whether the Clean Water Act requires a permit when pollutants originate from a point source but are conveyed to navigable waters by
Trump Administration Redefines Federally Protected Waters
What action was taken?
On January 23rd, the Trump Administration released the final version of the rule which defines which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. The new rule is called the Navigable Waters Protection. It replaces the prior Obama Administration rule referred to as WOTUS- “Waters of the United States.”
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IRS Will Soon Decide Fate of Brownfields in Opportunity Zones
On February 14, 2019, the IRS will hold a public hearing on its regulations governing Qualified Opportunity Zones. The public comment period closed on December 28, 2018. The IRS is expected to finalize regulations soon after the public hearing.
One of the most notable comments received during the public comment period on the IRS regulations