January 01, 2025

Jim Barnette Discusses 2025 Environmental Policies with Law360

2 min

On January 1, Venable partner Jim Barnette discussed key 2025 environmental policies in Law360. The following is an excerpt:

The Biden administration took a number of steps to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, for their tendency to persist in the human body and environment. But there are three rules that are likely to get a close look during Trump's second term.

The rules include the first set of regulatory limits on PFAS in drinking water, an update to the list of hazardous substances, and new reporting and recordkeeping requirements on PFAS manufacturers and importers.

All three rules could be candidates for revision under the incoming EPA leadership. However, a wholesale reversal of existing policies may not be feasible, given strong bipartisan support for PFAS regulation, according to James Barnette, a partner at Venable LLP whose public policy practice includes a focus on environmental matters.

"Remember, the Trump EPA in the first term actually initiated a lot of the federal activity on PFAS," Barnette said. "I think they will undertake a thorough analysis of the progress that's been made under the [Biden administration] PFAS road map, but I don't see the Trump EPA abandoning the road map altogether. I think it's a question of prioritization and focusing on where they see significant risks to human health and the environment."

For the full article, click here.