SL Environmental Law Group

10/09/2026

PFAS soil contamination at firefighting training sites is becoming a prominent local government issue. For decades, fire departments used AFFF as an effective and recommended tool for protecting lives and property. Today, municipalities may be facing the long-term operational, financial, and legal consequences of historical AFFF use.

Our latest article explores what municipal leaders and fire chiefs should be asking now—including how to document historical AFFF use, evaluate potential exposure and costs, and consider available cost-recovery options.

If your municipality owns or has operated a firefighting training facility, airport, or other property where AFFF was used, this is an important conversation to start.

Read the full article here: https://hubs.la/Q04zxxvv0

What should municipalities know about PFAS at fire training sites? Learn how historical AFFF use may affect liability, budgets, and long-term planning.

09/25/2026

PFAS work in Michigan is entering a new phase as state agencies shift from mapping and identifying contamination to addressing the practical challenges of reducing PFAS in water, wastewater, and soil.

Utility and local government leaders may soon face new requirements in source identification, wastewater treatment, biosolids management, and long-term planning—leading to increased costs.

This article from MLive.com highlights the scale of Michigan’s nearly decade-long effort and the work still ahead: https://hubs.la/Q04x-ZLz0

Most major sources of contamination have been identified, but costly large cleanups remain rare and polluted wells are still being found.

09/22/2026

As some federal infrastructure funding programs wind down, local governments are confronting a potential funding gap at the same time that PFAS-related costs continue to emerge.

In this new article for the National League of Cities, we explore how municipalities can identify additional funding sources for infrastructure needs—including potential legal claims related to PFAS contamination affecting wastewater, biosolids, soil, and groundwater.
https://hubs.la/Q04x-_tD0

Authored by Ken Sansone, Senior Partner, SL Environmental Law Group, & Kyla Tengdin, Education & Outreach, SL Environmental Law Group According to the National League of Cities’ 2026 State of the…

09/18/2026

A proposed New York rule could have significant financial implications for landfill operators. As Waste Dive reports, the proposed requirements to treat leachate for PFAS and other contaminants could mean capital investments from $3 million to $50 million per facility, along with estimated annual operating costs of $1.5 million to $8 million.

While the proposed rule has yet to be finalized, these potential costs highlight the importance of planning ahead. For landfill operators, now is the time to evaluate financial impacts and explore funding strategies—before the regulatory requirements are finalized.

Read the full article from Waste Dive: https://hubs.la/Q04xFzDJ0

Regulators want to set a 99.9% removal requirement for a wide range of contaminants, inlcuding PFAS. But operators such as WM and Casella say the proposal is unworkable as currently written.

09/16/2026

A recent decision in Arizona to terminate five state land leases used for biosolids application highlights how quickly disposal options and costs can change for wastewater systems. Public concern over potential PFAS contamination of biosolids has fueled a trend towards increased testing and regulation of biosolids in many states nationwide.

Read the full article from KTAR News 92.3:

Arizona terminated five state land leases held by AgTech LLC, which spread treated sewage sludge on Yuma County farmland. Gov. Hobbs explains why.

09/10/2026

When it comes to PFAS, utilities are now moving from planning to action. After navigating years of regulatory uncertainty, utilities are now facing rising costs, lengthy project timelines, and the need for adaptable treatment strategies.

This article explores why delaying PFAS management projects could put utilities at risk of missing compliance deadlines—and what leaders should be considering now.

Read more at https://hubs.la/Q04x9y0F0

For years, the water industry's PFAS conversation centered on monitoring, testing, and regulatory anticipation. Today, that phase is largely over.

07/21/2026

While no one is certain microplastics will follow the same regulatory path as PFAS, there are parallel regulatory and public awareness issues between the two contaminants that water utilities should be aware of.

07/20/2026

As biosolids regulations continue to evolve, wastewater utilities are facing difficult questions about disposal, costs, and long-term planning.

This article explores how biosolids bans are reshaping the industry, the operational challenges utilities are navigating, and the strategies emerging to adapt in a rapidly changing regulatory landscape: https://hubs.la/Q04pw7R_0

These laws range from requirements for influent and effluent testing to outright bans on land application of biosolids due to concerns of PFAS…

07/15/2026

What can the evolution of PFAS regulation teach us about the future of microplastics?

As microplastics gain attention from regulators, researchers, and the public, the water sector has an opportunity to learn from the path PFAS has taken—from emerging concern to widespread monitoring and regulation.

This article explores the parallels, key differences, and what utilities can do now to prepare for what's ahead: https://hubs.ly/Q04pmhPT0

PFAS have reshaped drinking water policy regulations. Recently, microplastics are another emerging contaminant making headlines.

07/13/2026

New York is proposing what could become one of the nation's first regulations requiring landfill leachate treatment to prevent PFAS and other emerging contaminants from entering waterways. While intended to limit harmful environmental contamination, these requirements could also lead to increased costs for utilities and local governments that manage landfills and/or wastewater treatment plants.

Read more here: https://hubs.la/Q04n-S5G0

New York has proposed regulations that would make it the first state in the nation to require active landfills to treat certain contaminants in leachate, a move state officials say