On May 1, 2026, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its interagency review and cleared two EPA proposed rules that would scale back the Biden-era PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR). As we previously reported, the proposed rules would extend the compliance deadline for PFOA and PFOS maximum contaminant
Oregon Court of Appeals Confirms Removal of Receiving Water Limits Is Not Backsliding
The scope of what Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits may lawfully require continues to narrow. On April 29, 2026, in Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA) v. DEQ, the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to renew an NPDES permit without a narrative
EPA’s Draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List Targets Microplastics and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water
EPA’s decision, paired with a newly unveiled research program from the Department of Health and Human Services, increases scrutiny on these emerging contaminants.
By Julia A. Hatcher, Tom Lee, Hunter J. Kendrick, and Casey Lynn Kirk
On April 2, 2026, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Lee Zeldin, announced the draft
Are Your TSCA Confidentiality Claims Expiring Soon? How to Ensure Your Claims Continue Receiving Protection from EPA
On April 23, 2026, US EPA announced the release of a publicly accessible list of confidential business information (CBI) claims submitted by companies 10 years ago that are scheduled to expire under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The list includes 293 CBI claims that will expire between June 22, 2026, and July 31, 2026
An Assessment of EPA’s Progress in Deploying Artificial Intelligence in Regulatory Decision-Making
There are instances where the EPA is applying or plans to apply AI in connection with its regulatory functions. Stakeholders should be aware of what EPA has done to date and its future plans.
DOT Issues Final Rule to Reinstate and Expand Agency Enforcement, Rulemaking, and Guidance Providing Greater Opportunities to Engage with Agency Decision-Making
On April 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation and certain operating administrations issued a final rule that is likely to result in deregulation and increased opportunities for regulated communities to engage with agency decision-making. This rule reinstates and updates certain procedural requirements governing agency rulemaking, guidance, and enforcement actions. Importantly, this final rule spans
EPA’s FY 2027 Budget Signals Continued Focus on PFAS
Notwithstanding the proposed 50% reduction in EPA’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget , the agency has identified reducing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Risks to the Public as an Agency Priority Goal (APG). The APGs will guide the agency’s work through September 30, 2027. APGs are used to accelerate progress on select Administration and EPA
De-Bottlenecking Federal Permitting: Renewable Energy Industry Secures Preliminary Injunction Against Five Anti-Wind and Solar Permitting Actions
On April 21, Troutman Pepper Locke secured a landmark preliminary injunction on behalf of a consortium of eight regional renewable energy trade groups and a renewable energy nonprofit, blocking further implementation of five directives issued by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) aimed at creating impediments for federal permitting of wind and solar projects. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts held that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claims that each of the agency actions is arbitrary and capricious and/or contrary to law under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and that the plaintiffs demonstrated that each action has irreparably harmed them by delaying or jeopardizing dozens of specific wind and solar projects planned by member developers. The injunction applies only to members of the plaintiff organizations, but positions the renewable energy industry for a decision on the merits that would likely be nationwide in scope.
European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: Summary of Provisions and New Guidance
PPWR provisions include requirements on recyclability, minimum recycled content, labelling, packaging minimisation, reuse, and refill-related obligations.
By Michael D. Green, James Bee, and Toon Dictus
Key Points:
- The PPWR includes sustainability and labelling requirements across the entire packaging life cycle, from production to use and waste management.
- The European Commission has recently released
UK Parliamentary Committee Publishes Report on PFAS Risks
It has been a couple of months since the UK PFAS Plan was published and made countless headlines. Today (23 April 2026), having gathered evidence as part of a parliamentary inquiry, the House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee (“EAC“) published a report titled ‘Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)