Maureen Bayer

Maureen Bayer is a featured speaker at the upcoming, day-long Oregon Water Rights and Regulation webinar on July 21, 2026. Bayer’s presentation will focus on “Complying with Water Quality Regulations” and will feature an overview of Oregon and federal water quality regulations, along with a discussion of issues impacting those required to comply with stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water regulations in the industrial, construction, agricultural, and municipal sectors.

Maureen Bayer is a featured panelist on day two of the December 9-10 Business & The Environment Conference and Expo. Maureen and her co-panelists, including representatives from Port of Portland and the Oregon DEQ, will cover “Forever Chemicals, Changing Rules: PFAS Regulations, Forensics, and Remedial Responses.”

Tonkon Torp has appointed Maureen Bayer to chair its Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group. Bayer is a seasoned environmental attorney, regulatory specialist, and litigator with a practice focused on regulatory compliance, site contamination, and business transactions. Clients value her deep understanding of complex environmental challenges and her ability to provide creative solutions for the best possible outcome.

Environmental attorneys Maureen Bayer and Rachel Melissa were featured presenters at last month’s 2025 CoffeeFest Portland exhibition. The two spoke to an audience of coffee industry professionals on how coffee businesses can best navigate Extend Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in Oregon and beyond.

Maureen Bayer was a panel moderator at a recent Continuing Legal Education webinar hosted by the Oregon State Bar Environmental & Natural Resources Section for an audience of legal professionals. The panel focused on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs and laws that assign producers the responsibility for the end-of-life of products and packaging.

By Maureen Bayer – Oregon’s packaging extended producer responsibility law has survived a constitutional challenge. Following a five-day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon ruled that Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act does not violate the dormant Commerce Clause or the Due Process Clause. The challenge was brought by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW).

By Maureen Bayer – A five-day bench trial in National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors v. Feldon was held before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon in the District of Oregon during the week of July 13, 2026. The trial concluded on July 17 after approximately 34 hours of testimony, including testimony from industry representatives, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff, and expert witnesses for both sides.

By Maureen Bayer – A putative class action has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon challenging the constitutionality of Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA). In Lollicup USA, Inc. v. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, plaintiff, a manufacturer and distributor of food serviceware, seeks to represent a class of producers subject to the RMA and requests a permanent injunction prohibiting enforcement of the statute against itself and the proposed class.

By Maureen Bayer – Environmental inspections are a routine part of operating a regulated facility, but they can still create operational and legal risk—particularly where there have been prior violations, citizen complaints, or ongoing compliance concerns. Preparation and a disciplined approach can help inspections proceed more smoothly and reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings with regulators.

By Maureen Bayer – In July 2025, the National Association of Wholesalers and Distributors (NAW) filed a constitutional challenge in federal court against Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), alleging that the law unlawfully burdens interstate commerce and improperly delegates regulatory authority to a private organization, the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), controlled by large corporate interests. On February 6, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon granted NAW’s motion for a preliminary injunction, barring the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from enforcing the RMA against NAW or its members pending trial, which is scheduled for July 13, 2026.