Water

The Defense Department (DOD) is outlining in just-released operating principles the scope and purpose of its high-level task force on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), making clear that it wants to take a “whole of government approach” in collaboration with EPA to respond to the pollutants believed to be at hundreds of military sites.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has reversed a lower court’s dismissal of litigation seeking to require Clean Water Act (CWA) discharge permits for contaminants that flow through agricultural tile drains in California, finding the district court misinterpreted a key word in the law and made other errors in judgment.

California lawmakers wrapped up their 2019 legislative session Sept. 13 but without securing the environmental deals many were seeking, with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) pledging to veto a bill locking in Obama-era standards and the legislature failing to vote on another bill setting landmark plastic recycling standards.

As Congress weighs legislation requiring that the Defense Department (DOD) and other liable parties address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Pentagon officials say they expect the number of contaminated sites and associated cleanup costs to increase beyond past estimates, further boosting DOD’s total cleanup liability.