Agenda
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Pre-Conference Workshops
May 27, 2026
Noelle DeStefanoNational PFAS Sector LeadMetiri Group
Mahsa Modiri, Ph.D., P.E.Director- Emerging Science and Innovation - PFAS Technical LeadEA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC
Day 1 - Main Conference
May 28, 2026
Registration
Welcome Breakfast sponsored by
PFAS in the Era of Trump 2.0
Understanding How Federal Agencies Are Reshaping PFAS Regulation and What This Means for Future Compliance
Julia HatcherPartnerLatham & Watkins LLP
Kimberly S. DalSantoPartnerTaft Law
Join us for a comprehensive guide on how the EPA and FDA under the second Trump Administration are reshaping PFAS regulation. Our speakers will discuss current policy, regulation and compliance obligations as well as what manufacturers and other stakeholders should anticipate and prepare for in the near future.
- Analyzing the scope of the proposed revisions to the TSCA PFAS reporting rule
- Understanding why the proposed exemptions (including the <0.1% threshold) raise implementation and enforcement concerns, and why litigation now appears likely
- Evaluating EPA’s decision to continue defending the CERCLA hazardous substance designation for PFOA and PFOS, despite broader regulatory pullbacks
- Examining the latest developments on the ‘Safe Drinking Water Act’ and EPA’s indication that enforceable MCLs (Maximum Contaminant Levels) will remain for PFOA and PFOS
- What can we expect regarding the other PFAS compounds?
- Assessing how manufacturers can manage compliance planning, given regulatory volatility and evolving testing protocols
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Exploring FDA’s recent PFAS-related announcements, including
- Acknowledgment of data gaps for PFAS in cosmetics and evolving scrutiny of food-contact materials
- Developments in pesticides and agricultural approvals involving PFAS
Morning Networking Coffee Break
The State PFAS Playbook – A Look at How Regulation, Enforcement, and Standards Are Taking Shape Among Various States
Ryan Russell KemperPartnerThompson Coburn LLP
David QuigleyPartnerAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Meaghan Colligan HembreePartnerDLA Piper US LLP
With federal PFAS action slowing down, states are increasingly stepping into the regulatory and enforcement void. From product bans and labeling requirements to drinking water standards, and reporting obligations, state PFAS activity continues to evolve rapidly.
- Assessing the current landscape of states driving the next phase of PFAS regulation
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Reviewing commonalities and differences between states with respect to product bans, labeling mandates, and “incoming product” restrictions
- Examining discharge limits, drinking water standards, and cleanup requirements for soil and groundwater
- Looking at Maine and Minnesota’s leadership on product bans and unavoidable use determinations
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Tracking what’s next across other key states like California, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, and Washington
- Monitoring Minnesota’s revamped PFAS reporting program and July compliance deadline
- Exploring Emerging proposals in states including Vermont, North Carolina, Maryland, New Mexico, and Connecticut
States Regulators Roundtable: Inside Scoop on PFAS Initiatives from Key State Environmental Agencies
Ed PotosnakCommissionerNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Sushma Masemore, P.E.Deputy Secretary for EnvironmentN.C. Department of Environmental Quality
Katrina KesslerCommissionerMinnesota Pollution Control Agency
Gregory S. SmithkierAssistant General CounselNew Mexico Environment Department
Tom LeePartnerLatham & Watkins LLP
Hear directly from state regulators leading the charge on PFAS regulation and enforcement. This roundtable will explore how different states are approaching PFAS restrictions, oversight, and compliance.
Networking Luncheon Sponsored by
Everything You Say Will be Held Against You: Designing a Corporate PFAS Assessment and Communications Policy that Emphasizes Transparency While Minimizing Risk
Kegan BrownPartnerLowenstein Sandler LLP
Andrew DavisPartnerShipman Goodwin LLP
Nathan WilliamsCounselDechert LLP
PFAS scrutiny is accelerating not only in the court room, but in the public arena, and corporate stakeholders face growing pressures to be transparent in their PFAS communications, however they do not want increased exposure to liability. We’ll explore how companies can responsibly communicate about PFAS and avoid unnecessary exposure.
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Establishing clear corporate protocols to discuss PFAS, while minimizing legal risk
- Exploring safe harbors, privilege considerations, and common risk triggers
- Reviewing internal vs. external communications and documentation pitfalls
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Differentiating among PFAS compounds responsibly and avoiding over-generalization while staying compliant
- Managing scientific nuances without creating liability
- Analyzing trends regarding corporate PFAS communications and assessments seen in PFAS discovery and litigation
- Managing corporate PFAS risk proactively and assessing exposure before claims, enforcement, or MDLs arise
- How to best align leadership on PFAS risk tolerance and messaging, whilst coordinating legal, compliance, and executive communications
Managing PFAS Risk in M&A and Asset Transactions: Considerations for Due Diligence, Risk Allocation, and Deal Impact
Michael SaretskyPartnerKirkland & Ellis LLP
Todd C. FracassiPartnerTroutman Pepper Locke
Corinne DoughertyVice President | Environmental PracticeMarsh
PFAS considerations are now a routine, and often critical part of transactional due diligence, particularly for deals involving products, manufacturing and real estate. This panel will examine how PFAS is showing up in transactions today and how buyers, sellers, and advisors can approach diligence in a defensible and practical way.
- Understanding why PFAS due diligence has become essential and when PFAS risk is most likely to arise in transactions
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Best practices for conducting PFAS due diligence across products, services, and operations
- Developing PFAS checklists and client-facing questions
- Evaluating PFAS connections in manufacturing, formulations, and supply chains
- Identifying red flags that warrant deeper investigation
- Transitioning from diligence to decision-making, based on different risk profiles and deal types
- Assessing and pricing PFAS risk in deals: dollars and cents
- How to translate regulatory and litigation exposure into deal terms
Afternoon Break
Dr. Dora Chiang, Ph.D., P.E.Global Principal, PFAS and Emerging ContaminantsJacobs
Dr. Charles J. Newell, PhD, PE, BCEEVice President, Principal EngineerGSI Environmental Inc.
Dr. Stephen RichardsonPrincipal Engineer and Vice-PresidentGSI Environmental Inc.
As PFAS regulation and enforcement accelerate, industries are looking for effective PFAS removal solutions. This panel will take a practical look at the current state of PFAS remediation technologies, from what is commercially viable today, to new innovations on the horizon, and post-removal challenges.
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Examining current commercially available PFAS treatment technologies
- Distinguishing proven solutions from emerging or pilot-stage approaches
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Working with strict detection limits and technological constraints
- What is the impact of testing at lower and lower concentrations and the technical challenges involved?
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Mapping the PFAS lifecycle problem, from removal to disposal
- What happens after PFAS is captured or concentrated
- Managing secondary waste streams and long-term liability
- Exploring where the remediation market is headed, with respect to innovation, scalability, and regulatory pressures
Jennifer HackmanPartnerShook, Hardy & Bacon LLP
Dr. Robert DeMottPrincipal, Environment & HealthRamboll
Jacqueline HarringtonPartnerDechert LLP
PFAS in consumer products, particularly cosmetics, food, and medical-related applications, continue to draw heightened attention from regulators, litigators, and the public. This session will explore the latest PFAS risks in the consumer products arena.
- Understanding why PFAS in consumer products remains both a regulatory and litigation hotspot
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Examining the latest regulatory updates on PFAS in cosmetics, food and other relevant industries
- Key takeaways from the recent FDA report on PFAS in cosmetics
- FDA’s PFAS monitoring and testing programs for food and food-contact materials
- Understanding the consequences of limited data and its impact on future studies, rulemaking, and enforcement
- Applying a PFAS lens to everyday consumer products, including non-stick cookware, disposable razors and semiconductor-enabled products
- PFAS in medical and quasi-medical consumer applications
Day 2 - Main Conference
May 29, 2026
Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration
John GalvinPartnerThompson Coburn LLP
Bill JacksonPartnerKelley, Drye & Warren LLP
John GardellaPartnerCMBG3 Law
Plaintiffs, NGOs, states, and citizen groups are advancing new theories of liability across consumer products, industrial operations, and public infrastructure which go beyond established MDL frameworks. Our panelists will assess where non-MDL PFAS litigation is heading and what we should anticipate over the next 6–12 months.
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Examining new PFAS litigation trends and uncertainties
- Assessing the role of NGOs and advocacy groups in driving new claims
- Reviewing nationwide medical monitoring and damages actions
- Evaluating consumer, products, and labeling-driven PFAS litigation
- Exploring how state labeling laws and total organic fluorine limits act as litigation catalysts
- Understanding the renewed focus on air emissions, industrial sites, and airport cleanup actions
- What is the significance of ‘Rule 702’ amendments and increased scrutiny of expert testimony
Morning Networking Break
Kathleen S. HardwayPartnerVenable LLP
Keith E. SmithShareholderGreenberg Traurig LLP
The PFAS AFFF MDL continues to evolve, with recent transfer decisions, major settlements, and multiple litigation tracks advancing simultaneously. This panel provides a focused update on where the MDL stands today and what stakeholders should be watching in anticipation of key decisions.
- Analyzing JPML (Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation)’s decisions and the impact of recent transfer denials
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Reviewing the evolving litigation tracks within the MDL
- Progress of the personal injury track and movement toward expert discovery and bellwethers
- The product identification track and its expansion to state-owned sites
- Exploring state actions and their role in shaping MDL outcomes and avoiding AFFF-based transfers
- Examining recent major settlements and their broader implications for future resolutions
- Anticipating what we can expect over the next year, and how regulatory shifts and litigation maturity may influence MDL strategy
Gary FeldonPartnerHollingsworth
Scott A. FowlerSenior Managing DirectorAnkura Consulting
Katherine Vanderhook‑GomezPartnerHogan Lovells US LLP
Biosolids- organic material recovered derived from sewage and used as fertilizer — are emerging as a major area of regulatory scrutiny, scientific debate, and legal risk. These materials raise complex questions around responsibility, exposure pathways, and future liability.
- Understanding why biosolids are emerging as a PFAS flashpoint
- Why they are drawing growing attention from regulators, NGOs, and plaintiffs
- Exploring regulatory and scientific developments shaping risk and exposure considerations
- EPA’s biosolids PFAS risk assessment and its implications
- Early state action, including Michigan’s move to regulate PFAS in biosolids
- Reviewing early biosolids-related lawsuits and potential targets across the value chain
- Assessing how biosolids exposure is reshaping diligence in transactions and operations
Networking Luncheon
Tracking the Growing Impact of International PFAS Regulation on Transactions, Supply Chains, and Cross-Border Exposure
Nicole MantiniPartnerTorys LLP
Avi M. KupferPartnerMayer Brown LLP
- Evaluating the importance of international PFAS developments for U.S. companies
- Assessing the growing impact on cross-border transactions, product sales, and supply chains
- Understanding how non-U.S. regulation can drive U.S. litigation, enforcement, and diligence expectations
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Addressing Canada’s move toward listing PFAS as a single class of chemicals under its environmental protection framework
- Considering its phase-based controls targeting firefighting foam, food packaging, cosmetics, and industrial uses
- Examining the exclusion of fluoropolymers and what that signals for future regulation
- Reviewing the EU’s latest activity on the PFAS restriction proposal
Daniella EinikPartnerJones Day
Martha E. MarrapesePartnerWiley Rein
With EPA signaling an incoming enforcement focus on chemical imports and global regulations continuing to diverge, stakeholders must consider complex certification, disclosure, and supply-chain obligations when moving products and materials across borders.
- Examining EPA’s increased focus on imported chemicals and products containing PFAS
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Analyzing the latest on TSCA certification and import compliance
- What does “PFAS-free” or compliance certifications actually require, and what are the common pitfalls
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Highlighting global regulations and cross-border impacts
- How EU’s REACH and other foreign PFAS regimes affect U.S. imports and exports
- Managing conflicting regulatory standards across jurisdictions
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Evaluating your supply chain transparency and documentation including certifications and disclosures
- Managing due diligence expectations for suppliers, manufacturers, and downstream customers