The White House has announced long-awaited final guidance to federal agencies to implement domestic content and manufacturing requirements in federally funded infrastructure projects. The Biden administration guidance applies broadly to the use of iron, steel, and other common construction materials and products and, as a result, is expected to have broad implications for awardees of … Continue Reading
Would you rather pay your bills tomorrow or next year? What about your paycheck? Intuitively, most people want delayed costs and immediate benefits, and so want checks now and liability later. This poses a challenge for policymakers when weighing the costs and benefits of a new policy: is reasonable to pay 90 cents today for … Continue Reading
The Environmental Law Institute will host its seventh annual Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Reform conference on Thursday, June 29, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET. In this webinar, panelists will discuss challenges and accomplishments since the implementation of the 2016 Lautenberg Amendments and where the TSCA stands today. Topics will include risk … Continue Reading
After a few years off, we are delighted to bring back our Annual UK Environmental, Safety & Health Conference this June. The theme is Managing Developing ESH Risks in the UK and Internationally. We are excited to have the following speakers join us for what will be an interesting discussion: This conference will provide a … Continue Reading
The UK Regulator – the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) – continues to be active in cracking down on misleading green claims, this time targeting the fast-moving consumer goods industry (“FMCG”). In this piece, our IP and Technology colleagues discuss the FMCG investigation and the Advertising Standards Authority’s (“ASA“) pursuit of misleading green claims. Read the … Continue Reading
President Biden signed into law the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023” on December 29, 2022 (the enactment date). The Act includes the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (“MOCRA”) which increases the authority of the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to regulate cosmetics and provide enhanced protections for consumers. The new law includes … Continue Reading
The European Commission has tabled a proposal for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation – a cornerstone initiative aiming to revolutionise the industry by common, EU-wide rules for packaging circularity. In this article, we look at the new rules in more detail as it introduces an array of new rules with regards to packaging that is … Continue Reading
As automotive technologies evolve, particularly in regard to autonomous vehicles (AVs), legislators struggle to keep pace. The lack of a binding legislative framework for AVs leaves regulators on their own in determining if and how to establish new safety standards. Here, we provide a general overview of recent legislative efforts, the National Highway Safety Administration’s … Continue Reading
Lead was once a common additive in fuels, paints, glasses, batteries, pipes, ceramics, and more. As the health effects of lead exposure came to be better known, Congress and EPA began targeting lead pollution under a variety of laws and regulations governing air and water pollution, including the Toxic Substances Control Act, Residential Lead-Based Paint … Continue Reading
A recording of PFAS, REACH and Other Chemical Regulatory Issues the second webinar in our two-part 2022 Chemicals Workshop webinar series, in partnership with the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC), is now available. In this session, we provided an overview of the rapidly evolving landscape related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the proposed … Continue Reading
A recording of TSCA Developments and US EPA Updates, the first webinar in our two-part 2022 Chemicals Workshop webinar series in partnership with the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC), is now available. In this session, we reviewed US EPA’s implementation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), including proposed “whole chemical” determinations and other Biden … Continue Reading
While the US has begun considering the implications of the US Supreme Court’s monumental June 28, 2022 opinion addressing air emissions from power plants, without much fanfare US EPA sent a proposed rulemaking to the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) for pre-publication interagency review that could be significant for “major source” air … Continue Reading
While rulemakings under the Administrative Procedure Act typically take several years from proposal to enactment, that can vary significantly. While some rules run a fairly standard course, others languish for years with no action nor any apparent reason for inaction. EPA’s recent revival of a proposed rule that is now, were it a person, old … Continue Reading
On June 15, 2022, US EPA issued its prepublication notice announcing final drinking water health advisories for PFBS and GenX, as well as interim drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS.1 In this publication, we discuss US EPA’s recent announcement and consider how it could impact industries moving forward: Drinking Water Advisory Levels for … Continue Reading
In April, we published an article about the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry’s four-week long consultation process into its draft Terms of Reference (“TORs”), which will shape the scope of issues to be addressed by the Inquiry. Last month, the Inquiry published its summary report into the consultation, having analysed the 20,000 responses received, and meeting … Continue Reading
Back in November of 2021, ASTM International issued its revised Standard Practice E1527-21 to replace its 2013 version setting forth the specific procedures and requirements for environmental professionals preparing Phase I environmental site assessments. Preparation of a Phase I report under this Standard satisfies one of the obligations under the All Appropriate Inquires (AAI) Rule … Continue Reading
Squire Patton Boggs invites you to join us for a webinar on 5 May 2022 where we will discuss the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that affect food manufacturers, from changes in legislation, priorities for remaining compliant, navigating supply chain transparency and how, together, these feed into the wider corporate governance obligations both current … Continue Reading
At the end of March, the European Commission (Commission) presented the Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) as part of a ‘Circular Economy Package I’, together with a Sustainable Textiles Strategy, and proposals for a new directive empowering consumers for the green transition (please see Sustainability Outlook March 2022), and a new Construction Products Regulation. In its … Continue Reading
Environmental justice has a natural connection to affordable housing programs. It remains, however, a broad and somewhat elusive term. There is no formal definition of environmental justice in US federal law. However, relevant agencies have developed working descriptions for the term. US EPA generally defines it as “fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people … Continue Reading
With just under a week remaining on the Cabinet Office’s online consultation process into the COVID-19 Public Inquiry, we explore the current stage of the Public Inquiry process, the next steps, and the importance of ensuring organisations and individuals have their say in the draft Terms of Reference (“TORs”) by 7 April 2022, which will … Continue Reading
Following up on Squire Patton Boggs’s continuing coverage of the critical minerals industry, we examine some recent reforms in the federal permitting process which aim to ease supply-side constraints by expediting the development and exploitation of critical minerals. Rapidly mounting geopolitical tensions, East/West decoupling, and longstanding supply chain stresses underlie a new reality—global logistics now … Continue Reading
2021 has provided unique challenges for businesses operating across the advertising, media and brands industry. Aside from the impact of the pandemic, we are seeing a changing and challenging landscape due to increasing economic, consumer, regulatory and compliance pressures. With increased exposure as a result of these pressures, Squire Patton Boggs and BDO will be … Continue Reading
Colleagues in our Intellectual Property & Technology team recently published an article focusing on the Competition and Market Authority’s (“CMA”) greenwashing investigation. Greenwashing is the use of disingenuous environmental or eco-friendly claims (for example, “natural”, “recyclable”, “organic”) by businesses to market products to consumers. This may be done via “statements, symbols, emblems, logos, graphics, colours … Continue Reading
Our European Public Policy team is pleased to share with you our monthly newsletter, which looks at key developments in EU sustainability law and policy. This month’s edition includes the following:… Continue Reading
