Environmental

Recent Posts

US EPA Toxic Release Inventory 2015 Changes
Posted on 20 May 2015 by Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

There are a number of changes for the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) report due on July 1, 2015 (RY 2014). New Chemical added to the list In the final rule published on November 7, 2013 (78 FR 66848), [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers... Read More

Marten Law on LA County Flood Control Dist. v. Natural Resources Defense Council
Posted on 28 Jan 2013 by Russell Prugh

By Russell Prugh , Associate, Marten Law PLLC In this Emerging Issues Analysis, Russell Prugh of Marten Law PLLC discusses LA County Flood Control Dist. v. NRDC in which the U.S. Supreme Court considered the scope of what constitutes a "discharge"... Read More

EPA Releases DMR Pollutant Loading Tool
Posted on 2 Feb 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block EPA recently released the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool designed to help individuals determine who is discharging, what pollutants they are discharging and how much, and where... Read More

Permit Shield Extended to General Permits by Sixth Circuit
Posted on 19 May 2015 by Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

In January 2015, the Sixth Circuit held that a defendant’s compliance with the terms of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) general permit would effectively “shield” that defendant from claims filed... Read More

Colorado District Attorney lacks standing to bring citizen suit under Clean Water Act
Posted on 25 Oct 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

A local Colorado district attorney, among others, filed suit against a city for allegedly discharging pollutants into a creek in violation of the CWA. The District Court granted the city's motion for summary judgment on the ground that the district... Read More

Change Management for the Industrial Wastewater Discharger
Posted on 15 Jun 2015 by Williams Mullen

By Ryan W. Trail Facilities discharging industrial wastewater to Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) must be keenly sensitive to changes in the nature and volume of their discharge. Proper planning, notification and interaction with the POTW... Read More

Even toxics can act as a generic selection factor in the environment
Posted on 22 Feb 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

One of the themes of this blog has been that virtually anything present in the environment can act as a selection factor influencing the course of evolution. A recent study on fish and PCB's and dioxins illustrates this point. Unfortunately for humans... Read More

Lake Erie contains substantial quantities of tiny pieces of potentially toxic plastic
Posted on 17 Jun 2013 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted the great Atlantic and Pacific garbage patches. [See, for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch ; http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/what-is-the-great-pacific-ocean-garbage... Read More

Colorado District Attorney lacks standing to bring citizen suit under Clean Water Act
Posted on 25 Oct 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

A local Colorado district attorney, among others, filed suit against a city for allegedly discharging pollutants into a creek in violation of the CWA. The District Court granted the city's motion for summary judgment on the ground that the district... Read More

EPA Releases DMR Pollutant Loading Tool
Posted on 2 Feb 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block EPA recently released the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool designed to help individuals determine who is discharging, what pollutants they are discharging and how much, and... Read More

Whistleblower Alert: Politics and Procedures: OSHA Keeps Control and DOL Conforms Energy and Environmental Whistleblower Regulations
Posted on 3 Feb 2011 by Keller and Heckman LLP

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a new rule, effective January 18 th , revising the procedures for handling whistleblower claims arising under the Energy Reorganization Act (ERA) and six environmental statutes: the... Read More