Veteran Attorney Polly Hampton Joins Law Firm Babst Calland; Opens New York Office

Babst Calland announced the lateral move of veteran attorney Priscilla (Polly) E. Hampton, who has joined the Firm as a Shareholder in its Environmental practice, and opened a new Babst Calland office in New York State.

Ms. Hampton’s practice focuses primarily on contaminated site cleanups, brownfield redevelopment, and environmental diligence and risk management in mergers and acquisitions. She counsels a range of businesses—from mining, manufacturing, and energy to real estate and project developers—on remediation, permitting, compliance, and enforcement matters under federal and state environmental laws.

Ms. Hampton has extensive experience with industrial operations throughout the country. She addresses the “dirty dirt” aspect of deals and projects, counseling on the identification, management, and cleanup of hazardous substances and allocation of related liability. She represents clients in defense of government enforcement and cleanup actions, and she has achieved favorable outcomes for clients facing potential natural resource damages liability. She also oversees internal environmental compliance audits both in the regular course of business and as part of transaction-related environmental due diligence, working with businesses to identify and correct potential deficiencies before and after closing.

A veteran and former U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, Ms. Hampton helped found Women in Environment, an organization aimed at furthering professional development opportunities for women in the environmental field.

“I am excited to join Babst Calland, one of the nation’s premier law firms, with sophisticated and solutions-oriented representation in all areas of environmental law, including projects at the cutting edge of environmental and energy policy. I look forward to working with this well-regarded team of attorneys,” said Ms. Hampton.

Commenting on her lateral move to the firm, Babst Calland Managing Shareholder Donald C. Bluedorn II said, “We are very pleased to welcome Polly as part of our senior-level legal counseling team to serve the needs of existing and new clients across the country. Polly is a well-respected environmental lawyer with a great reputation among local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. She is a natural fit for us as she shares our values, philosophy, and experience in serving a nationwide clientele across a wide range of industries.”

Mackenzie Moyer Co-Authors Environmental Alert

As described in this Environmental Alert, Babst Calland attorneys continue to track developments related to coal combustion residual (CCR) related matters. For more information on this development and other waste matters, please contact Ben Clapp, Gary Steinbauer or Mackenzie Moyer, or any of our other environmental attorneys. To view the alert, click here.

Natalie Baughman Joins Babst Calland’s Washington, DC Office

Babst Calland announced that Attorney Natalie Baughman has joined the firm’s Washington, DC office as a shareholder and member of its Environmental practice group.  

Natalie Baughman has a deep expertise in CERCLA site remediation, particularly in complex, multi-party cleanups involving decades of contamination. Her practice also includes representing clients in enforcement actions, environmental litigation, and permitting and compliance matters arising under the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and state environmental laws.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Ms. Baughman worked in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Enforcement Section and the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment, where she oversaw the agency’s work on the CERCLA cleanup of the Anacostia River and numerous other contaminated sites. Ms. Baughman has represented clients in administrative and civil judicial enforcement cases in both government positions.

Ms. Baughman earned her B.S. from Northwestern University in 2002. She received her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2009.

Ms. Baughman is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Sloane Wildman and Jessica Deyoe Co-Author Environmental Alert

On May 14, 2025, less than three weeks after the EPA released its strategy to address per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), EPA announced its intent to retain the existing drinking water standards for the two most common PFAS (perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane (PFOS)). At the same time, EPA stated it would rescind and “reconsider” the regulation of the four other PFAS compounds included in the previous rule. For more information or answers to questions, contact Environmental Attorneys Sloane Wildman and Jessica Deyoe. To read the full alert, click here.

Sloane Wildman and Jessica Deyoe Co-Author Environmental Alert

On April 28, 2025, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced “major EPA actions to combat PFAS contamination.” Few details have been provided yet, but in emphasizing EPA’s goals in “strengthening the science,” “fulfilling statutory obligations and improving communication,” and “building partnerships” with states and Tribes, EPA signals that it may take a different regulatory approach to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) than the prior administration. In this Alert, Environmental Attorneys Sloane Anders Wildman, Jessica Deyoe and Ethan Johnson discuss EPA’s announcement and its intended PFAS actions. To read the full alert, click here.

Christina Puhnaty to Serve as a Moderator During ABA SEER’s Spring Conference

Environmental Attorney Christina Puhnaty will serve as the moderator for “All the Latest HAPpenings: The Transformation of the Clean Air Act’s Air Toxics Program” during the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources’ (SEER) 54th Spring Conference, March 26-29, 2025.

Nearly 35 years after it was strengthened as part of the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) amendments, the CAA’s air toxics program is being reshaped and expanded significantly to add unregulated air toxics, remove affirmative defenses, and address environmental justice. In the last four years, the EPA has revised numerous National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the chemical, power, steel and iron-making, commercial sterilization, and other industrial sectors. The EPA is advancing policy-based rulemakings to add unregulated Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) to the air toxics rules, making it more difficult for sources to reclassify as area (i.e., lower-emitting) sources, and strengthen emissions limitations and work practice standards. Fenceline monitoring and community risk models are being touted to promote environmental justice. Join this panel of “airheads” who are on the front lines of these changes (and several related lawsuits) to learn how these broad shifts are affecting this critically important CAA program and how businesses and the lawyers they rely on can stay ahead of the curve.

For more information, click here.

Mackenzie Moyer to Be a Presenter for 2025 OOGA Annual Meeting

Environmental Attorney Mackenzie Moyer, along with Robert Stonestreet, will present an “Overview of NEPA and PFAS, Two Federal Environmental Issues Impacting the Oil and Gas Industry” at the Ohio Oil & Gas Association’s (OOGA) Annual Meeting, March 5-7, 2025. For more information, click here.

 

Attorneys Alexandra Graf and Katerina Vassil Join Babst Calland

Alexandra Graf

Katerina Vassil

Alexandra N. Graf and Katerina P. Vassil recently joined law firm Babst Calland.

Ms. Graf joins Babst Calland’s Environmental Group as an associate. She assists clients with matters encompassing a broad range of environmental issues, including those related to federal and state permitting, regulatory compliance, transactional due diligence, resolving liabilities under federal and state remediation programs, and environmental litigation. Ms. Graf is a 2024 graduate of the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.

Ms. Vassil joins the Firm’s Litigation Group as an associate. She represents clients in a variety of litigation practice areas, including commercial, energy and natural resources, environmental, and employment and labor. Ms. Vassil is a 2024 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Attorney Spotlight on Sloane Anders Wildman

This is the fourth in a series of profiles featuring the women attorneys of Babst Calland to acknowledge and celebrate their success and to connect women attorneys across the Firm’s practice groups, offices and clients. This attorney spotlight features Sloane Anders Wildman.

To view the profile on Sloane, click here.

Jean Mosites and Mackenzie Moyer Co-Author PIOGA Press Article

In their recent PIOGA Press article U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Finalizes National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Certain PFAS Chemicals, Jean Mosites and Mackenzie Moyer discuss the finalized the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) Rule which regulates six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This final rule establishes the first-ever nationally enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS.

To read the full article, click here.

Mackenzie Moyer Co-Authors Environmental Alert

In the alert EPA Finalizes Rule Expanding Federal CCR Program, EPA continues to take action on coal combustion residuals (CCR), focusing on CCR Rule regulatory and enforcement matters, and operators of CCR Rule-regulated units, now expanded by this recent Final Rule, should be prepared for continued oversight by EPA. For more information on this development and other waste matters, please contact Donald C. Bluedorn II, Gary Steinbauer, Mackenzie Moyer.

Sloan Wildman Co-Authors Environmental Alert

In her recent alert New to Whom? The Fifth Circuit strikes down EPA’s attempt to regulate ongoing uses of PFAS under TSCA’s “significant new use” provision with Joseph Schaeffer, Sloan Wildman discusses an important opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that provides industry with much-needed clarity and predictability of the regulation of PFAS under a new use provision of TSCA. To view the full alert, click here.

Mackenzie Moyer to Be a Panelist at PA Brownfields Conference

Attorney Mackenzie Moyer will serve as panelist for “PFAS Forever Chemicals and Brownfields – What you need to know” during the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s PA Brownfields Conference on Wednesday, March 25, 2024. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, are everywhere. It’s a local issue and a global issue. As the EPA puts forward new regulations, Brownfields are facing new challenges for due diligence and public engagement. This panel will share current PFAS information and how properties in our region are impacted. They will also discuss appropriate steps to take in due diligence, testing, risk assessment, communication of the risks, and the obligation of owners, property developers, and consultants. For more information, click here.

Gina Buchman, Betsy Dupuis and Jean Mosites to Present at PBI’s 2024 Environmental Law Forum

Attorneys Gina Buchman, Betsy Dupuis and Jean Mosites will present the following topics at PBI’s 2024 Environmental Law Forum, April 10-11, 2024:

Gina Falaschi Buchman (“Basics of Federal and Pennsylvania Air Pollution Regulation”);
Betsy Dupuis (“Land Use/Zoning Law Update”); and
Jean Mosites (“Climate Change Litigation: Past, Present and Future”).

For more information, click here.

Gina Buchman

Betsy Dupuis

Jean Mosites

Lisa Bruderly to Present at the 2023 Annual Environmental Conference

Attorney Lisa Bruderly along with Gary Steinbauer will present a “Stormwater Update” during the PA Chamber of Business and Industry’s 2023 Annual Environmental Conference on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. For more information, click here.