Photo of Bernadette M. Rappold

Bernadette M. Rappold focuses her practice on federal and state regulatory issues related to energy, manufacturing, and the environment. Bernadette has substantial litigation experience and advises clients on regulatory compliance as well as the environmental, safety, and health aspects of numerous business and real estate transactions, including water, air, and chemical hazards. Bernadette offers clients perspective gained through years of service at the Environmental Protection Agency. While serving as a director of the Special Litigation and Projects Division in the Office of Civil Enforcement at the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Bernadette led complex enforcement actions in response to violations of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and other environmental statutes. Her work at the EPA covered a variety of economic and industrial sectors including the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and agriculture industries.

In a rulemaking closely watched by the transloading industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on March 1, 2024, updating the Accidental Release Prevention Requirements and

Continue Reading EPA Finalizes New RMP Rule and Rejects Provision on Transloading

On Aug. 17, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final, revised National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs) for fiscal years 2024-2027, seven months after soliciting public comment

Continue Reading EPA Announces Its Final National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives

The Biden-Harris administration is quickly establishing new federal environment requirements affecting commercial property owners and managers. These requirements, along with changes occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, raise a host of
Continue Reading The Top 5 New Environmental Issues for Commercial Property Owners or Managers

Indicating its intention to move forward aggressively to address growing legacy chemical concerns, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in February took two steps towards regulating certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Continue Reading Biden EPA Moving Forward with National Drinking Water Regulations for PFOA and PFOS