Joshua A. Bloom
Partner
Tel: 510-495-0418
Education
University of Albany, SUNY
BA, and MA in Environmental Policy
University of San Francisco Law School
Law Review Editor-in-Chief
Magna Cum Laude
London School of Economic and Political Studies
Practices
Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Land use
Climate Change and Green Initiatives
Environmental Insurance
Mediation
Transactions/Due Diligence
Consumer Products
Josh Bloom, selected as a 2024 Super Lawyer, specializes in all areas of state and federal environmental and natural resources law, including complex litigation and compliance counseling, brownfields, transactional environmental matters, and consumer products issues, representing both public and private clients. He has thirty years of experience, practicing in both California and Washington, D.C. Josh also provides mediation services for complex matters and environmental and natural resource disputes (www.jabmediation.com).
Josh has special expertise with environmental transactions and natural resource law, including negotiating all aspects of brownfields redevelopment, environmental risk management and risk transfer, property dispositions, and risk-based cleanups. His practice includes counseling clients about environmental insurance, policy negotiation and claims disputes. His natural resource practice includes endangered species and wetlands matters, including Section 404 permitting, Section 7 consultations, habitat conservation plans, and criminal and civil defense.
Josh has expertise with a broad range of state and federal laws, including counseling, litigation, and defense under Proposition 65, the Clean Air Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the California Safer Consumer Products Regulation (the “Green Chemistry Initiative”), the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and numerous other environmental and natural resource laws.
Josh has extensive experience with federal and state worker safety and environmental agencies, including the U.S EPA, Cal/Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs) and many others.
Josh's expertise also extends to military base transfers, including experience with the Presidio of San Francisco, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Adak Island Naval Complex, Oakland Army Base, Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, and South Weymouth Naval Air Station.
Before forming Bay Law Group, Josh was a partner private law firms in the San Francisco Bay area, and also practiced in Washington, D.C. He also was Senior Project Staff with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York, worked as the public interface on CERCLA and RCRA issues with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, and was a graduate researcher for the New York State Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.
Professional Affiliations
Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Member, The State Bar of California
Member, Environmental Law Institute Leadership Council (2016-2020)
Executive Committee Member, Bar Association of San Francisco’s Environmental Law Section, 2011-present (Committee Chair, 2013)
Advisory Board Member, Green Chemistry Clearinghouse, 2013-present
Advisory Board Member, Prop. 65 Clearinghouse, 2012-present
Board Member, University of San Francisco Environmental Law Student Association Advisory Board, 2013-present
Chair (2006-2007) and Vice Chair (2004-2006), ABA Section on Environment, Energy and Resources, Special Committee on Science and Technology
Member, City of Rockville, Maryland, Stormwater Task Force (1992-1994)
Presentations & Publications
“Legal Ethics”, California Lawyers Association, Environmental Section Yosemite Conference September 15, 2024
Moderator/Speaker, “Mediating the Environmental Case”, Alameda County Bar Association, May 7, 2024
Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Environmental Law Institute Western Boot Camp, May 1, 2024
Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Environmental Law Institute Western Boot Camp, April 3, 2023
Speaker, Environmental Risk Mitigation Annual CUPA Conference, March 20, 2023
Speaker, Tribal Natural Resource Damages Assessments, Law Seminar International, February 16, 2023
Moderator/Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Bar Association of San Francisco, January 30, 2023
Author, “Waters of the United States at Issue Yet Again,” BLG Blog, October 4, 2022
Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Environmental Law Institute Western Boot Camp, March 24, 2022
Moderator/Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Bar Association of San Francisco, January 11, 2022
Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Environmental Law Institute Western Boot Camp, March 2021
Author, "The Clean Water Act: A Study in Contradictions," EGC Blog, April 25, 2020
Author, “Supreme Court OKs Non-CERCLA State Law Claims”, EGC Blog, April 20, 2020
Moderator and Speaker, “Rollbacks in Wetlands/Federalism & Water: Shifts in State/Federal Roles and Relations”, 16th Annual Water Law Conference, California Water Law Symposium, February 2020
Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, Environmental Law Institute Western Boot Camp, March 2020
Presenter, “Ethics in Environmental Law,” Environmental Law Institute’s Annual Western Boot Camp on Environmental Law, March 26, 2019
Author, “EPA’s New PFAS Action Plan: Urgent Next Steps for the Regulated Community,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, February 19, 2019
Moderator and Speaker, “Ethics in Environmental Law”, California Lawyers Association. January 2020
Speaker, “Prop. 65 Freshman Orientation”, Prop 65 Clearinghouse Annual Conference, September 2019
Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2019,” Bar Association of San Francisco, January 15, 2019
Author, “The Next Turn For ‘Waters of the United States,'” Water Online, January 2, 2019
Author, “’Waters of the US’ Would Alter Environmental Reg As We Know It,” The Hill, January 1, 2019
Quoted, “3 Takeaways From The New Trump Water Rule,” Law360, December 11, 2018
Author, “Storm Water Citizen Suits – Discharger Beware,” Industry Today, December 5, 2018
Author, “How Is California Affected By The Clean Water Act Mess?”, Water Online, October 5, 2018
Author, “Proposition 65 Meets Common Sense,” Daily Journal, August 3, 2018
Quoted, “Sugar, Cream and a Prop 65 Warning Label With Your Coffee?” The Recorder, March 30, 2018
Author, “Practitioner Insights: The Never Ending Saga of Defining Waters of the U.S.,” Bloomberg BNA Environment & Energy Report, March 22, 2018
Author, “Proposition 65 After 40 Years: Public Benefit or Enrichment for a Few?,” The Recorder, December 22, 2017
Author, “Practitioner Insights: Challenges Ahead for Clean Power Plan as EPA Eyes Repeal,” Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report, November 24, 2017
Author, “Is ‘Repeal and Replace’ on the Horizon for the Clean Water Act?”, ACC Docket, November 2017
Presenter, “Ethics Considerations for the California Water Law Practitioner,” 25th Annual California Water Law Institute Conference, November 13, 2017
Quoted, “Tainted: Can California solve pot’s pesticide problem?” East Bay Times/The Cannifornian, September 25, 2017
Author, “Bills Leave Unresolved Cap-and-Trade Issues,” Daily Journal, August 2017
Author, “Prop 64: Don’t Ignore Existing Environmental Laws,” MG magazine, August 2017
Author, “Bill is the Next Phase of Cap-and-Trade in California,” Daily Journal, June 7, 2017
Author, “California’s Next Big Act On Cleaning Chemical Disclosures,” Daily Journal, May 8, 2017
Presenter, Environmental Law Society Symposium, University of San Francisco School of Law, March 1, 2017
Author, “Forecast for the ‘Waters of the US’ Rule? Murky,” ACCDocket.com, March 20, 2017
Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2017,” San Francisco Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, January 17, 2017
Author, “Chemical Regulation Enters the 21st Century: A New Day for the Toxic Substances Control Act,” ACC Docket, November 2016
Quoted, “High Court Ruling for Landowners a ‘Double-Edged Sword’,” Greenwire, November 1, 2016
Quoted, “TSCA Work Plan Methodology to Inform Prioritisation Rule,” Chemical Watch, August 4, 2016
Quoted, “Calif. Rulemaking Targets Flame Retardants in Foam Pads,” Greenwire, July 21, 2016
Q&A Interview, “What New Chemical Regulations Mean for California,” The Recorder, July 7, 2016
Author, “Regaining Your Wetlands,” The Registry: Bay Area Real Estate, June 30, 2016
Author,”The High Court’s Logical Approach To Clean Water Act Jurisdiction,” Law360, June 17, 2016
Author, “The Never-Ending Saga: Defining ‘Waters of the U.S.’,” The Environmental Forum, May/June 2016
Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2016,” San Francisco Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, January 26, 2016
Presenter, “Allocating the $$$$ in Private Settlements: For Whose Benefit?,” Prop. 65 Annual Conference, September 28, 2015
Author, “New Water Rule Is Not The End Of The Story,” Daily Journal, June 9, 2015
Author, “Competing TSCA Reform Bills: A Break in Partisan Fever?” Corporate Counsel, May 27, 2015
Author, “EPA Proposes Greater Scrutiny of Nanoscale Chemicals,” Nanotechnology Now, April 16, 2015
Author, “New Prop. 65 Regulations Being Considered in California,” Natural Products Insider, March 17, 2015
Moderator and Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2014,” Bar Association of San Francisco, California, January 27, 2015
Author, “Prairie dogs vs. Congress,” Daily Journal, January 12, 2015
Author, “Utah Prairie Dog Could Narrow Endangered Species Act,” Law360, December 15, 2014
Author, “Work Plan Signals Expanded Calif. Green Chemistry Program,” Law360, October 15, 2014
Moderator and Presenter, Prop. 65/Green Chemistry Clearinghouse Annual Conferences, San Francisco, California, September 15-16, 2014
Author, “Endangered Species Acts New Mission: Not Just Survival,” Law360, May 20, 2014
Author, “The Safer Consumer Products Regulation,” The Recorder, November 13, 2013
Moderator and Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2013” conference, Environmental Section of The Bar Association of San Francisco, 2013
Author, “Green Chemistry Law Has Lawyers, Industry on Alert,” The Recorder, January 27, 2012
Moderator and Presenter, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2012,” Bar Association of San Francisco, California, January 26, 2012
Author, “Green Chemistry Initiative – Once More,” The Recorder, November 16, 2011
Presenter, Prop. 65 Clearinghouse Annual Conference, San Francisco, California, November 29, 2011
Author, “Green Chemistry Initiative is Down But Not Out,” The Recorder, April 28, 2011
Presenter, “Pioneering Approaches to Citizen Enforcement,” State Bar of California Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, October 23, 2010
Presenter, “Water Supply, Public Health and Infrastructure: Challenges Facing the Nations Principal Cities and the Bay Area Delta Communities,” U.S. Conference of Mayors, Regional Meeting of The Mayors Water Council, Pleasanton, California, October 14, 2010
Presenter, “Res Judicata: Deja Vu All Over Again,” Prop65 Clearinghouse Conference, 2010
Presenter, “Navigable Waters: The Legacy of SWANCC and Rapanos Cases,” California Water Quality & Supply Conference, 2010
Author, “Endangered Species Act Requires Enforceable Mitigation,” Washington Legal Foundation Backgrounder, May 2, 2008
Author, “Defining ‘significant nexus after Rapanos,” Trends: ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, March/April 2008
Author, “High Court Addresses Interplay Between Federal Water and Species Acts,” Washington Legal Foundation Backgrounder, August 24, 2007
Author, “What’s Next After Rapanos?” Natural Resources & Environment, Summer 2007
Author, “Environmental-liability Buyouts: How to Know When It’s the Real Thing,” Natural Resources & Environment, Winter 2006