News & Insights

Neighboring States Have Either Passed or Proposed Climate Superfund Laws - Is Pennsylvania Next?

Following Vermont and New York’s enactment of a Climate Change Superfund Act, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and California are proposing their own superfund laws, which Marc Rollo, Charlie Dennen and Grace Baccare discuss in The Legal Intelligencer article, “Neighboring States Have Either Passed or Proposed Climate Superfund Laws— Is Pennsylvania Next?”. These states are seeking to impose liability on certain responsible parties for damages caused by extracting fossil fuels or refining crude oil. Compensatory payments would be collected from responsible parties and allocated to a climate superfund cost recovery program. While these proposals have not yet been enacted, they do serve as an indicator that more states will propose their own law, including perhaps Pennsylvania. However, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Petroleum Institute are pushing back and recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Vermont, arguing that their version of the climate superfund law is an overreach of state power. New York will likely face the same legal challenge. ...read more

NJDEP Proposes Changes to Hazardous Substance Discharge Reporting Rules

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has proposed a transformative rule change to hazardous substance discharge reporting requirements. The suggested amendments are intended to codify and implement the provisions enacted in the 2019 Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA 2.0), as well as supplement various parts of New Jersey statutory law concerning the remediation of contaminated sites. ...read more

Recent Court Victories for Environmental Stakeholders: What Do They Mean?

In an article written for The Legal Intelligencer, partner Charlie Dennen discusses two significant victories in both federal and state courts regarding environmental issues that impact the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These cases serve as further notice to government agencies and the regulated community that  environmental stakeholders remain ubiquitous and  are keeping a close eye on any and all environmental happenings, no matter whether it is in support of or in opposition to laws, regulations, initiatives, or industry action. ...read more

New Jersey “Climate Superfund Act” Clears Senate Committee

On December 12, 2024, the New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee advanced the “Climate Superfund Act,” a bill moving through the New Jersey Legislature which, if enacted, would impose liability on certain fossil fuel companies for certain damages caused by climate change. The bill also establishes a program within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) to collect and distribute compensatory payments. The bill was originally introduced in the New Jersey Senate as S-3545 on September 12, 2024, by Senator John McKeon. An identical bill sponsored by Assemblyman John Allen as A-4696 is also pending in the New Jersey General Assembly. ...read more

USEPA Announces Ban on TCE and PCE

On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced bans on two chemicals—trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE)—pursuant to the latest risk management rules under the bipartisan 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amendments. A link to USEPA’s announcement of the ban can be found here. TCE and PCE are two of the initial chemicals USEPA evaluated under the 2016 TSCA amendments, along with asbestos and methylene chloride. ...read more

SCOTUS Overrules Decades-Old Chevron Deference

Charles Dennen Elected President of the South Jersey Young Professionals Association

Archer is pleased to announce that Charles J. Dennen, a partner in the firm’s Environmental Law Group, was recently elected to serve as President of the South Jersey Young Professionals Association (SJYPA) for a one-year term. Charlie has been serving on SJYPA’s Board of Trustees for 4 years, and previously served on the SJYPA Advisory Board. ...read more

Archer Announces Election of Seven New Partners

Archer is pleased to announce that seven attorneys have been elected to the partnership, effective May 23, 2022. Attorneys Daniel Chertok, Daniel DeFiglio, Charles Dennen, Bryan Hall, Nicole McDonough, William Rogers and Christian Stueben have been promoted to partner. ...read more

Charles Dennen to be Featured on "Irish Coffee Hour" Podcast With the SJYPA

Archer associate Charles Dennen will be featured on the "Irish Coffee Hour" podcast with members of the South Jersey Young Professionals Association on March 22, 2021. ...read more

The Evolving Role of Government in Environmental Litigation

Attorneys Vinita Banthia, Charles Dennen and Daniel Farino will be presenting on "The Evolving Role of Government in Environmental Litigation," at the New Jersey State Bar Association's Annual Meeting & Convention. In both state court and federal courts, New Jersey practitioners are seeing an uptick of government-led and government-involved litigation involving emerging and expanding theories of liability and damages. Many of these actions involve so-called emerging contaminants, or contaminants for which new standards are being set. Our  litigation attorneys will discuss and examine the changing landscape in environmental law, and preview what New Jersey attorneys may expect to see as the government’s role in environmental litigation continues to evolve. ...read more

Ask Archer: A Fireside Chat on Pennsylvania's Proposed Drinking Water Standard for PFAS: What does it mean, and what is next?

When: Friday, April 22, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM EST ...read more

Ask Archer: A Fireside Chat on a Recent Appellate Division Decision Regarding Supplier Liability under New Jersey’s Spill Act

When: Thursday, June 3, 2021  10:00am – 10:30am ...read more