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As a result of numerous alleged health and environmental effects, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), which have been used in a wide variety of products in the United States and abroad for decades, are subject to increased scrutiny from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and regulatory agencies throughout the world. Businesses across a vast array of industries and sectors are now required to navigate complex state and federal regulations. Blank Rome’s PFAS team is prepared to guide our clients through the myriad of evolving challenges.

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In recent years, PFAS has increasingly become a “hot-button” issue in environmental regulation and compliance. Blank Rome’s PFAS team of attorneys has vast experience in the relevant regulatory and statutory regimes. We provide all relevant services for our clients including environmental counseling and compliance, litigation, defense of enforcement actions, and due diligence. Our team assists our clients in evaluating and managing PFAS-related issues in the most cost-effective manner possible. Blank Rome’s team is available to counsel clients in regard to potential PFAS requirements promulgated under federal statutes, as well as their state analogues, and state regulatory reporting requirements. Our environmental legal services fall into the following categories and issues:

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Environmental enforcement and litigation (including civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings).

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PFAS has spawned significant litigation in the private sector. Our team represents clients in PFAS matters involving contamination of drinking water and water wells, insurance claims, toxic tort claims, regulatory violations, and state and national investigations, among other matters. We understand the shifting and complex legal and regulatory landscape, as well as the many emerging issues and potential litigation proceedings resulting from government agencies’ focus on PFAS and the increasing scope of personal injury litigation. Given the volume of products that knowingly (or unknowingly) contain PFAS substances, as well as the frequency in which these products are purchased and consumed, the degree and range of legal issues have grown exponentially. Our team routinely advises clients regarding regulatory and litigation risks associated with the evolving PFAS legal landscape, and assists in developing strategies to address and mitigate those risks. As these issues and legal proceedings unfold, Blank Rome’s PFAS team is available to monitor and advise on these evolving developments to protect our clients and their interests.

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Due diligence, compliance auditing, and environmental management systems

Civil and criminal enforcement and litigation

Internal corporate criminal investigations

Class action, multidistrict litigations (“MDLs”), and toxic tort litigation

Government investigations and enforcement actions

PFAS regulatory and compliance advice under:

Our team includes former trial attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice, including the Environmental Crimes Section; former officials of the EPA; and former Assistant United States Attorneys.

One team member served six terms as co-chair of the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) Environmental and Energy Litigation Committee and is currently serving his eighth term as a member of what was previously the ABA’s Standing Committee of Environmental Law.

Members of the group write, lecture, and teach on environmental law topics and have been nationally recognized for their subject matter proficiency.

Our team has substantial experience in litigating and resolving MDLs and class action cases.

2025 Best Lawyers (Woodward/White, Inc.) national ranks:

2025 Best Lawyers (Woodward/White, Inc.) regional ranks:

Chambers USA has ranked Blank Rome for Environment in Pennsylvania

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Melissa A. Scacchitti

Benjamin G. Stonelake

Stephen C. Zumbrun

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Environmental

Mass Torts & Complex Disputes

Environmental Litigation

Environmental Enforcement

Environmental Due Diligence

Environmental Counseling & Compliance

Litigation

Business Litigation

Service

Frank L. Tamulonis III

Deborah Greenspan

Margaret Anne Hill

Frank A. Dante

<ul>
<li>Representing a former cable manufacturer regarding legacy liabilities related to petroleum and PFAS contamination that impacted local drinking water wells. Negotiated with Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation as to remedial strategies and provisional drinking water supplies.</li>
<li>Assisting a refinery with a sample program to evaluate the presence of PFAS in their discharges that may become subject to stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.</li>
<li>Representing a Fortune 100 company seeking more than two billion dollars of insurance coverage for environmental damages from PFAS from its historical Commercial General Liability insurers and its tower of occurrence-reported insurers.</li>
<li>Providing representation and strategic advice to a Fortune 100 company related to national and multistate investigations and litigation by various state attorneys general (“AG”) regarding consumer and environmental claims concerning PFAS as “forever chemicals.”</li>
<li>Counseling county government defending against CERCLA claims brought by the EPA and private parties in connection with 1,4-dioxane, 1,2-dichloroethane, dissolved metals, and PFAS groundwater contamination at two Superfund former landfill sites in Delaware. The contamination has impacted local drinking water wells.</li>
<li>Counseling clients in response to a myriad of state and federal regulations affecting their manufacturing and distribution operations.</li>
<li>Represented a multinational manufacturer of industrial, safety, and consumer products containing PFAS to develop and execute proactive, multistate strategy addressing nationwide state AG investigations and litigation.</li>
<li>Represented LyondellBasell Industries for more than 15 years in more than 150 cases in 17 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico involving alleged contamination of groundwater and drinking water from the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (“MTBE”). Our environmental group handled two of the largest natural resource damages cases pending in the United States, and obtained dismissals in 26 MTBE cases. Several of these cases involved some of the largest natural resource damage claims in the United States.</li>
<li>Represented a major chemical company in federal and state class action cases and thousands of individual cases regarding a toxic chemical spill in a waterway that serves as the source of drinking water for the community. Achieved favorable resolution and complete closure of litigation prior to trial.</li>
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Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (“PFAS”)

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