On December 5, 2025, Craig J. Pritzlaff, Acting Assistant Administrator of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), issued an internal memorandum instituting a “Compliance First” approach, immediately effective for all civil enforcement and compliance activities. This memo claims to introduce a policy shift: prioritizing timely and effective compliance over punitive enforcement and
Navigating OSHA’s Updated Inspection Strategy
In May 2025, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) released an updated Site-Specific Targeting (SST) Inspection Program directive. The SST Inspection Program is OSHA’s main site-specific programmed inspection initiative for non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more employees. The SST Inspection Program uses employer-submitted injury and illness information (i.e., Form 300A data) to
EPA Delays PFAS Reporting Deadlines, Again: Implications for Manufacturers and Importers
On May 12, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an amendment delaying the data submission period for the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) PFAS reporting rule, which will now begin on April 13, 2026, and end on October 13, 2026. Small manufacturers who report solely as article importers will have until April 13
Administrators May Change, But PFAS Is Forever: EPA Announces PFAS Plan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under Administrator Lee Zeldin, has unveiled its anticipated strategy for addressing the pervasive issue of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals.” While the announcement provides a broad framework, specific details (particularly regarding potential changes to previous rulemakings under CERCLA and the Safe Drinking Water
Cuts, Closures, and Confusion: A Quick Update on U.S. EPA
It has been 50 days since the Trump administration took office, and there remains a tsunami of activity surrounding executive actions and announcements across the federal government. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not been spared from deep cuts, office and grant program closures, and a fair amount of confusion.
On March 11, 2025, EPA
New EPA Administrator, Same Freeze on EPA Activity
On January 29, 2025, Lee Zeldin was confirmed as the 17th Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator. After a week on the job, Zeldin continued to maintain several policies that had been put in place immediately after the Trump administration took office. Some of these policies are summarized below. While these actions are generally expected when
New Wave of Executive Orders Seek to Redirect EPA’s Focus
Within hours of taking office, President Trump issued a flurry of Executive Orders (EO), including several that will undoubtedly affect a wide range of environmental policies nationwide. While the full implications of these EOs, as well as potential additional actions, are far from clear at this early stage, there are several takeaways for those who
OSHA Finalizes PPE Fitting Requirement for Construction Workers
On December 11, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for the construction industry. The final rule adds specific language to the existing standard requiring employers to provide properly fitting PPE for construction industry workers. This change aligns the construction industry with
EPA Notice of Violation Letters Phishing Scam
On July 30, 2024, the U.S. EPA Office of Inspector General issued a fraud alert to bring attention to an increasing number of companies reporting that they have received fraudulent EPA Notice of Violation letters demanding payment. Businesses have received these fraudulent letters through email and U.S. Postal Service mail. The letters allege that the
OSHA Releases Proposed Extreme Heat Rule
On July 2, 2024, OSHA released the long-awaited Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule. If finalized, the rule would require millions of employers to take steps to protect their workers from extreme heat. However, the proposed rule would not apply to “sedentary” or remote workers, emergency-response workers, or