Maureen Bayer

Tonkon Torp environmental attorney Maureen Bayer co-led a continuing legal education webinar, “City and County of San Francisco v. EPA: Implications for NPDES Permits Under the Clean Water Act,” for an audience of attorneys and environmental professionals.

Maureen Bayer was a panelist at the annual Managing Stormwater in Washington Conference hosted by the Northwest Environmental Business Council. Maureen and her co-panelists discussed “Legal Perspectives on the Industrial Stormwater General Permit” for the audience of regulators, solution providers, and regulated company and government professionals.

Environmental attorney Maureen Bayer led a webinar on “Navigating Washington’s New Stormwater Permit: Essential Info for Ports” for a members-only event hosted by the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association and Washington Public Ports Association. Maureen reviewed the ins and outs of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s new Industrial Stormwater General Permit for ports and port properties before concluding her presentation with an audience Q&A.

Tonkon Torp LLP is excited to welcome attorney Maureen Bayer to its Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group. Bayer is licensed to practice law in Oregon, Washington, and California. Bayer’s practice is focused on representing clients facing environmental issues related to regulatory compliance, site contamination, and business transactions.

By Rachel Melissa and Maureen Bayer – This week Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore signed Senate Bill 901, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law designed to make “producers” of packaged items and paper products financially responsible for the upgrades to state recycling infrastructure needed to manage those disposable materials.

By Maureen Bayer – Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of human-made chemicals that are resistant to heat, water, oil, and grease. These properties have made them popular for many decades for use in waterproof products, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics, and personal care products. Because PFAS do not easily break down in the environment, they have been called “forever chemicals.”

By Maureen Bayer – On March 4, 2025 the Supreme Court overturned the 9th Circuit to rule in favor of the City of San Francisco in a landmark Clean Water Act case. The EPA authorizes states to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which allow the discharge of certain pollutants in wastewater to bodies of water under certain conditions.

By Rachel Melissa and Maureen Bayer – In an important development for the sustainability movement, Oregon and Colorado are implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that shift the responsibility for managing packaging waste to the manufacturer. The overarching goal of these laws is to enhance the diversion of recyclable materials from landfills, ensure responsible recycling, and ease the financial burden on local communities.

By Maureen Bayer – A federal court in Washington, D.C. recently ruled that the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) does not have authority to issue environmental regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, commonly known as NEPA. This decision follows the Supreme Court’s recent case overruling long-standing precedent known as the “Chevron rule,” deferring to government agencies in their particular areas of expertise.