Nicole Weinstein Speaks with Science Friday on EPA’s Superfund Cleanup Initiative

Principal and Co-Chair of B&D’s Superfund, Site Remediation, Natural Resource Damages practice Nicole Weinstein (New York), recently spoke with Science Friday, a science-focused podcast aired on public radio stations around the country, about the second Trump EPA’s focus on Superfund.

The episode titled, “EPA Moves To Accelerate Superfund Cleanup Amid Cuts,” explores how EPA seeks to expedite contaminated  site remediation during the second Trump administration. Nicole explained that the Administration’s focus is likely due to the tangible results site remediation brings,  saying that “digging up dirty dirt or placing a cap on a contaminated site is visible, easy to understand, and important to communities.”

The article then discusses how recent budget and staffing cuts may affect EPA’s Superfund program. Nicole emphasized the importance of research for each contaminated site, noting how critical it is to “to study each site and understand the pathways of contamination, the way that contaminants interact with our environment, with people. They all differ and you have to look at the specific site.” She added that assumptions can lead to possible expensive and ineffective remedies.

Beveridge & Diamond’s Superfund, Site Remediation, and Natural Resources Damages practice group counsels clients on developing case-law and requirements under CERCLA and similar state laws.