Synopsis: Update on Changes for California's Proposition 65 Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act

Sophia (Sophie) Belloli of Downey Brand LLP will present an overview of the new Prop. 65 regulations going into effect in August, 2018 and discuss ways for retailer and manufacturer clients to negotiate and manage the new risks the regulations present in an efficient and cost effective manner. She will also discuss current industry trends in Prop. 65 enforcement litigation, and new litigation and enforcement trends that are on the horizon in the Prop. 65 world.

Biography of Speaker: Sophia (Sophie) Belloli, Counsel

Sophie is an experienced litigator with Downey Brand LLP that helps her clients comply with, and litigate if necessary, issues relating to water quality, Proposition 65, toxics, water rights, and land use laws. Sophie’s clients include industrial facilities, real estate developers, water districts, cities and counties, closed military bases that have been redeveloped (former BRAC sites), and product manufacturers and retailers faced with regulatory issues in California. She prides herself on her excellent client relationships and helping her clients craft practical, common-sense and creative solutions to their most difficult environmental and regulatory problems.

Sophie has expertise in defending environmental lawsuits filed by citizen plaintiffs. She has litigated and resolved favorably for her clients numerous Clean Water Act citizen suits relating to allegations of sanitary sewer overflows from sewer systems for municipal clients, and industrial storm water discharge allegations from industrial facilities. Sophie has also defended a number of complex, multi-party CERCLA/contaminated property cases, including an action alleging personal injuries from multiple plaintiffs stemming from alleged vapor intrusion from a contaminated property.

In her Prop. 65 practice, Sophie also routinely advises clients on compliance with (and, if necessary, litigation of) Prop. 65 matters, in a wide variety of industries, from chemical and product manufacturers to retailers. Examples of Prop. 65 matters include cases involving cosmetics, food and beverage, lead hardware, power tools, notebooks, sports equipment, glassware, and cleaning products. Sophie is familiar with the technical issues relating to Prop. 65 chemicals that are frequently litigated by citizen plaintiffs, including lead, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), cocamide DEA, titanium dioxide, and benzophenone.

In her water law and natural resources practice, Sophie advises clients on water rights, water supply and transfer needs, and environmental review and regulatory entitlements. She also litigates water rights and CEQA/NEPA cases when these matters arise. Sophie is well-versed in municipal law by virtue of its intersection with her resources practice, including the Public Records Act and the Brown Act.

Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (registration/networking from 11:30 a.m. to noon)

Where: Firehouse Restaurant, 1112 2nd Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Menu: 

• Grilled Steak Sandwich - sliced ribeye, crispy Jimmy Nardello pepper, horseradish Havarti cheese, black garlic aioli, wild arugula gremolata
• Summer Baby Gem Caesar Salad - Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, baby gems, cured white anchovies, garlic croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese, San Francisco Caesar dressing
• Local Pesto Pasta (vegetarian option) - daily pasta, local basil pesto, pine nuts, asiago cheese

Cost:

• Members - $25.00 + $0.90 cc fee
• Non-Members - $35.00 + $1.10 cc fee
• Walk-ins - $40.00

Who We Are:

The Professional Environmental Marketing Association (PEMA) is an organization comprised of local and regional chapters whose membership is involved in business development, sales, marketing, and other related professional activities in the environmental field. The Sacramento California Chapter of PEMA operates in the greater Sacramento metropolitan area which includes Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, and San Joaquin counties.

Sacramento PEMA was founded as a marketing and networking organization in 1995 as an affiliate of the Northern California Chapter of PEMA. Networking encourages formation of business relationships, development of business and teaming opportunities, and exchange of ideas. Sacramento PEMA recently broadened its scope to provide technical and regulatory information of interest to its members.