Legal Corner

Sunny Slope Water Company Shifts Contamination Costs to Polluters

Sunny Slope Water Company Shifts Contamination Costs to Polluters

March 22, 2023 at 8:35 am 0 comments

By Ken Sansone Across the country, water suppliers are discovering harmful contaminants in their water source and facing the question of how to pay for cleanup. While the supplier, the contaminant and the impacted community vary from case to case, one solution has proved effectiveRead More

In 2016, DC Water issued a unique $25 million Environmental Impact Bond, the proceeds of which went to green infrastructure projects to reduce the flow of stormwater into the Potomac River.

PFAS is Lining Up to be the Most Expensive Environmental Hazard in History

March 15, 2023 at 7:00 am 0 comments

By Michael DiGiannantonio The U.S. EPA has released its proposed maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) – two common types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Under the proposed MCLs, drinking water utilities across the country would be forcedRead More

Federal Judge Denies Attempt by 3M to Evade PFAS Accountability

Federal Judge Denies Attempt by 3M to Evade PFAS Accountability

March 8, 2023 at 3:52 pm 0 comments

By Michael DiGiannantonio A federal district judge rejected 3M’s summary judgment arguments that the company should be treated as a government contractor and given immunity from being held liable for damages caused by PFAS produced by the company. The court explained that the Defendants, “asRead More

Republican-led states sue EPA over WOTUS rule

Republican-led states sue EPA over WOTUS rule

February 27, 2023 at 9:42 am 0 comments

A group of two dozen Republican-controlled states is suing the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the Biden administration’s Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that the group is calling an overreach that could end up harming ranchers, farmers and homeowners. On Dec. 30, EPARead More

Q&A: Environmental attorneys weigh in on PFAS lawsuits

Q&A: Environmental attorneys weigh in on PFAS lawsuits

December 19, 2022 at 6:15 am 0 comments

When it comes to drinking water contaminants like per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), many water industry associations, including the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation, do not think that water utilities should be left with the cleanup bill. Instead, they are lobbyingRead More

Recent court rulings favor plaintiffs in PFAS multidistrict litigation

Recent court rulings favor plaintiffs in PFAS multidistrict litigation

November 21, 2022 at 8:47 am 0 comments

By Seth Mansergh & Nancy Mortvedt Manufacturers of aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) have been attempting to reduce their liability from the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their products for many years. The health effects from PFAS exposure are getting a lotRead More

California school district files lawsuit over contaminated drinking water

California school district files lawsuit over contaminated drinking water

April 14, 2022 at 2:30 pm 0 comments

SL Environmental Law Group recently announced that its client, Ballico-Cressey School District in Ballico, California, has filed a lawsuit against Dow Chemical and Shell Oil, sellers of pesticides that contained the chemical 1,2,3 trichloropropane, known as “TCP.” The lawsuit claims that these products have contaminatedRead More

Legal Corner: A Guide to Valuing Water Rights in Colorado

Legal Corner: A Guide to Valuing Water Rights in Colorado

February 18, 2022 at 10:15 am 0 comments

By Susan M. Ryan With population growth, increased environmental concerns, and a greater demand for water for residential, commercial and industrial projects, understanding water rights ownership and regulation is important for anyone evaluating water rights. While water laws vary from state to state, it isRead More

City of Pomona water contamination verdict upheld by federal judge

City of Pomona water contamination verdict upheld by federal judge

February 3, 2022 at 6:00 am 0 comments

Recently, the City of Pomona, Calif., got one step closer to winning its 10-year lawsuit against the U.S. subsidiary of a Chilean fertilizer manufacturer for contaminating the Southern California city’s drinking water. The defendant had sold Chilean fertilizer used in the area’s citrus orchards whichRead More

Lawsuit filed against 3M, DuPont, others over LA County PFAS contamination

Lawsuit filed against 3M, DuPont, others over LA County PFAS contamination

November 12, 2021 at 11:13 am 0 comments

SL Environmental Law Group has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Water Replenishment District (WRD) against 3M Company, E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and other manufacturers of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for their involvement in the manufacture and sale of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substancesRead More