Case Studies
J.S. Held Acquires Clark Seif Clark, Strengthening West Coast Capabilities for Environmental Claims, Disputes, and Catastrophe Response
Read MoreAn Illinois school district was notified by the state that potentially hazardous PFAS chemicals had been detected in its local water supply well. District leadership wanted to understand if this translated to an exposure scenario for students and staff within their facilities.
Experts from J.S. Held’s Environmental, Health & Safety practice designed a robust water-testing program to ensure that all district school facilities were tested to determine PFAS exposure levels in the water supply. This process involved using dedicated PFAS sampling procedures to ensure data integrity and prevent cross-contamination, a common concern when testing for contaminants in the part-per-trillion (PPT) range. The experts also recommended a series of supplemental chemical tests that would help the district evaluate and price potential treatment system options.
Based on the work of J.S. Held’s experts, the district received a comprehensive set of results showing PFAS concentrations in the school’s water inlets and at sensitive points around the facilities, including drinking water fountains and kitchen faucets, which were not necessarily correlated with PFAS concentrations from the water supply well.
Overall, several exceedances of USEPA Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFAS in drinking water were identified, and J.S. Held’s work enabled the school district to take appropriate actions to mitigate risks to its students and faculty.
> Environmental Impact Assessment & Permitting
We evaluate regulatory requirements, potential risks, and projected costs to help clients understand and improve the compliance and sustainability of a project. Our experts provide permitting support and due diligence when clients acquire new property or transition existing sites for new purposes.
> Environmental Risk & Compliance
Our team provides expert advice in the identification and mitigation of risk in environmental matters and develops solutions to deliver ongoing EHS regulatory compliance and independent monitoring.
