# Authority Status — `environmental-regulation-summaries`

**Last full review: 2026-04-26.** Re-verify any item older than 12 months before relying on it.

## Federal statutes (stable)

| Statute | Citation | Verified | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Air Act | 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| Clean Water Act | 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq. | Current; **see Sackett below** | Cornell LII |
| RCRA | 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| CERCLA | 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq. | Current; **see PFAS designation below** | Cornell LII |
| EPCRA | 42 U.S.C. § 11001 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| NEPA | 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.; **§§ 4336–4336e amended by FRA 2023** | Current; **CEQ implementing regs rescinded** | Cornell LII; [Federal Register CEQ rescission](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations) |
| ESA | 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| TSCA | 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| SDWA | 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |
| OPA | 33 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq. | Current | Cornell LII |

## Major recent developments

| Development | Date / citation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| *Sackett v. EPA* — narrows CWA WOTUS jurisdiction | 598 U.S. 651 (2023-05-25) | [Supreme Court opinion](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-454_4g15.pdf) |
| Fiscal Responsibility Act NEPA amendments | Pub. L. 118-5 (2023-06-03); codified 42 U.S.C. §§ 4336–4336e | [Congress.gov H.R. 3746](https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3746); [CEQ FRA page](https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/fra.html) |
| EPA-Army Corps conforming WOTUS rule | Effective 2023-09-08 | [EPA WOTUS](https://www.epa.gov/wotus/definition-waters-united-states-rule-status-and-litigation-update) |
| TSCA PFAS reporting rule | Final rule 2023-10-11; 40 CFR Part 705 | EPA TSCA PFAS reporting page |
| PFOA/PFOS CERCLA hazardous substance designation | 89 FR 39124 (2024-05-08); effective 2024-07-08; 40 CFR § 302.4 | [EPA designation page](https://www.epa.gov/superfund/designation-perfluorooctanoic-acid-pfoa-and-perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid-pfos-cercla); [Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/08/2024-08547/designation-of-perfluorooctanoic-acid-pfoa-and-perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid-pfos-as-cercla-hazardous) |
| EPA PFAS NPDWR (drinking water) | Final rule April 2024 | EPA SDWA PFAS page |
| CEQ Interim Final Rule rescinding NEPA implementing regs | 2025-02-25; effective 2025-04-11 | [Federal Register notice](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations) |
| California AB 130 + SB 131 (CEQA reform) | Signed 2025-06-30 | [Allen Matkins client alert](https://www.allenmatkins.com/real-ideas/effective-immediately-california-environmental-quality-act-ceqa-reform-legislation.html) |
| EPA CERCLA § 102(a) Framework Rule announced | 2025-09-17 | EPA announcement |
| CEQ Final Rule on NEPA regs rescission | 2026-01-08 | Federal Register |

## Annual / variable items

| Item | Source | Re-verify |
|---|---|---|
| 40 CFR § 19.4 — civil penalty inflation adjustments | [40 CFR § 19.4 (eCFR)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-19/section-19.4) | Annually each January |
| 40 CFR § 302.4 — CERCLA designated hazardous substances | eCFR | After each EPA designation rulemaking |

## Items pending verification in next review

- Status of CERCLA § 102(a) Framework Rule (additional PFAS designations).
- Post-2025 federal-agency NEPA implementing-procedure revisions (each agency's pace differs).
- CA Natural Resources Agency CEQA Guidelines update (anticipated early 2026 per AB 130 / SB 131).
- TSCA risk-evaluation outcomes and § 6 risk-management rules in process.
- 2026 EPA inflation-adjusted civil penalty amounts.

## Notes on use

- **Penalty amounts:** Always cite 40 CFR § 19.4 in deliverables; do not embed specific dollar amounts that will date.
- **Post-Sackett WOTUS:** Wetland jurisdictional determinations remain in flux; budget for delays at the Corps and watch for further circuit-level decisions narrowing or clarifying jurisdiction.
- **NEPA without binding CEQ rules:** Practitioners must consult lead-agency NEPA implementing procedures (e.g., 7 CFR Part 1b for USDA; 10 CFR Part 1021 for DOE; 43 CFR Part 46 for DOI; 23 CFR Part 771 for FHWA). Many of these are themselves being revised in 2025–2026; verify current version at draft time.