Profile
Martha is a sought-out legal and policy advisor on matters where technological advancement, environmental protection, and governance intersect. Her clients are solving today’s major environmental security issues including climate change, PFAS contamination, and ocean plastics. Martha frequently consults on chemical control under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as well as initiatives that advance bio-based, sustainable products. Her expertise lies in chemical regulation to help clients open markets and help to keep them open. She is sought-out by clients who need to secure new chemical approvals in a timely way with freedom to operate.
Martha’s experience makes her ideally suited to counsel corporations most likely to experience growth in relation to the Biden-Harris Administration’s initiatives on climate, renewable energy, and national goals to curb plastic waste. These government initiatives will directly result in the need for TSCA support in areas such as electric batteries, bio-based plastics, and products enabled through nanotechnology. A more comprehensive approach to EPA risk evaluations and risk management of existing chemicals under the current Administration makes her experience in negotiating consent orders on chemicals with respect to workplace requirements and downstream processing highly relevant in today’s regulatory environment.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represent and advise Downstream User Coalition on TSCA risk evaluations.
- Intervening counsel in Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families v. EPA, No. 17-72260 (9th Cir. 2019).
- Successfully obtained one of the last Low Volume Exemption (LVE) grants under TSCA for a PFAS chemical.
- Regularly assists manufacturers of genetically modified yeast, algae, bacteria, and plant-based products in addressing rules on notification, taxonomy, transport, and chemical identity.
- Among the first attorneys to help carbon nanotube and nanocellulose manufacturers obtain approval for their innovations under TSCA.
- Successful defense of the right to immediately commercialize nanomaterials under section 8(a). Advocacy efforts included favorable non-reporting ruling by EPA for emulsion polymers.
Professional Experience
- U.S. Delegate, International Standards Organization (ISO), Committee on Nanotechnologies (2005-2013)
- Chair, Working Group 1 Nomenclature and Terminology, U.S. Technical Advisory Group
Affiliations
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Past Co-Chair, Special Committee on Congressional Relations
- Past Chair, Pesticide, Chemical Regulation and Right-to-Know Committee, Section of
Environment, Energy and Resources
- Environmental Law Institute
- Board Member
Recognitions
- Included in The Best Lawyers of America directory for Environmental Law (2024)
- Recognized in The Legal 500 US as a "Recommended Lawyer" in Environment (2023, 2024)
- Named one of 500 Leading Environmental and Energy Lawyers by Lawdragon (2021, 2023-2024)
- Listed by Chambers USA as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Environment
(2020-2024) - Included in Who’s Who Legal: Environment & Climate Change (2022-2023)
- Recognized as one of the nation’s top “Energy & Environment Trailblazers” by The National Law Journal (2018)
Practice Areas
Related News & Insights
- AlertTSCA “Data Call In” Proposed for 16 Priority Chemicals, Including Hydrogen FluorideMartha E. Marrapese, Sarah E. SimonettiMay 15, 2024
- AlertEPA Overhauls Rules for Evaluating Existing Chemical Risks: Three Key Takeaways for Downstream UsersMartha E. Marrapese, Sara Beth WatsonMay 6, 2024
- AlertEPA Finalizes Significantly Higher TSCA User FeesSara Beth Watson, Martha E. MarrapeseFebruary 27, 2024
- AlertEPA Eliminates De Minimis Exemption for PFAS Under TRI Reporting, Proposes Changes to Chemical Risk Evaluations Under TSCAMartha E. Marrapese, Tracy Heinzman, Sara Beth WatsonOctober 26, 2023