As discussed in one of our earlier blogs, back in March 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its controversial Enforcement Policy outlining certain situations where EPA would not pursue enforcement actions for specific instances of noncompliance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the suspended obligations related to routine monitoring and
COVID-19
United We Stand—6 Feet Apart: Recommendations from OSHA to Keep Your Workers Safe
By Gerard M. Giordano & Jullee Kim on
Posted in OSHA, Regulatory Counseling
For employers, both those expecting to reopen and those who remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has several guidance documents regarding COVID-19 and workplace safety. Irrespective of this guidance, employers must comply with OSHA’s safety and health standards and regulations or where applicable, an OSHA-approved…
COVID-19 ALERT: NJDEP Confirms Site Remediation Work Allowed Under Statewide Shut Down of Construction Projects; Social Distancing Practices Required
Late last night, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) released guidance confirming that site remediation work may continue under Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 122 (EO-122), which shut down all non-essential construction projects as of Friday, April 10 to help prevent community spread of COVID-19.
As anticipated in our blog last week, NJDEP…
Breaking News!! New Jersey Releases Strategic Funding Plan to Address Climate Change Reduction, Environmental Justice and Clean Energy
Just this morning, the Murphy Administration, along with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Economic Development Authority (EDA), released the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Strategic Funding Plan (SFP)for 2020 through 2022 which calls for investment of an estimated $80 million of New Jersey’s RGGI auction proceeds…
U.S. EPA Issues Interim Guidance on Performing Site Cleanups during COVID-19
By Jill B. Richardson & Perri L. Hom on
Posted in Remediation Oversight
On Friday, April 10, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued interim guidance to its regional offices on when to conduct, reduce, or pause field work at remediation and emergency response sites. The Interim Guidance on Site Field Work Decisions Due to Impacts of COVID-19 applies to response sites where EPA is the lead…