PFAS Regulation in Flux: Legal Insights from Environmental Attorney Phil Comella
Veteran environmental attorney Phil Comella joins host Sean Grady on the Environmental Transformation Podcast to break down the EPA’s proposed rollback of PFAS drinking water regulations. With over 40 years of experience, Comella offers expert legal insight on how the delayed compliance deadlines, potential MCL reductions, and CERCLA implications could affect municipalities, water utilities, waste management companies, and communities already exposed to PFAS. The conversation covers legal risks, scientific uncertainty, and the regulatory gaps that complicate cleanup and accountability.
📍 Chapters:0:00 – Introduction and Phil Comella’s background2:42 – What the EPA’s PFAS proposal actually means6:30 – Delays, politics, and public health impact10:10 – Why the proposed changes matter for communities14:50 – Legal risk for utilities, ratepayers, and manufacturers19:25 – Superfund and the challenge of hazardous substance listings24:40 – The case for a dedicated PFAS statute28:35 – Wastewater treatment, landfills, and managing leachate33:45 – PFAS in household products and regulatory blind spots38:50 – Exposure, science, and tort law consequences44:25 – Thoughts on the path forward for EPA regulation50:00 – Dark Waters, science-based policy, and legal legacy🧪 Get expert legal context on one of today’s most pressing environmental health challenges.
Philip Comella
Partner
Over 40 years practicing environmental law. 1983 Graduate of George Washington University Law School. Began career working in-house for country's largest solid and hazardous waste company during period when Congress had just passed amendments to the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act and Superfund. Played central role in interpreting new rules, preparing rulemaking comments, and negotiating with state and federal agencies over compliance issues. In private sector, worked for 23 years at Seyfarth Shaw LLP (1994-2016), 6 years at Freeborn & Peters LP (2016-2022), and currently head up the Chicago environmental group at Taft Stettinius & Hollister. Widely published on an array of environmental issues, including PFAS, landfill gas, Brownfields, and assorted waste issues. Currently handling roughly 15 different PFAS cases those involving water utilities and cross-boundary pollution.
