Profile
Seth Goldberg focuses his practice on a broad range of chemical regulatory, environmental, and life sciences matters. His chemical regulatory practice is built on an understanding of federal and state regulatory programs, including the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and California Proposition 65. He also has experience with regulatory regimes in other jurisdictions, such as biocides, plant protection products, and general chemical regulation (REACH) in the European Union, as well as similar programs in China.
Seth’s environmental practice encompasses waste, water, and air regulation, environmental remediation at federal and state levels, cost allocation, environmental scoping, and endangered species issues.
Seth’s experience and insights enable him to provide creative strategies across a broad spectrum of regulatory programs and policies, particularly on issues requiring integration of legal, scientific, and technical expertise. He serves as lead counsel in administrative, trial, and appellate court proceedings, including district court representation concerning the EPA’s review of FIFRA registration actions and compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Additionally, he handles matters involving product regulation, federalism issues, state programs, and international coordination of chemical control regimes.
Seth has addressed a broad range of administrative law issues, including matters involving internal procedures of consensus standard-setting organizations. Recently, he has focused on the EPA’s issuance of regulations governing PFAS under TSCA, CERCLA, and other authorities.
Concentrations
- Pesticide and general chemical regulation
- Chemical risk assessment
- Regulatory development and challenges
- Consumer products regulations
- Food safety
- Environmental regulation
Capabilities
Experience
- Advised on implications of PFAS contamination in pesticide products packaged in fluorinated containers.°
- Oversaw preparation of request to waive studies required for an essential oil under the pesticide statute, FIFRA, based on data on related compounds.°
- Interacted with EPA IRIS program and FDA regarding mode of action of carcinogenicity of inorganic arsenic and potential threshold for both cancer and noncancer effects.°
- Interacted with EPA IRIS program regarding hexavalent chromium assessment.°
- Oversaw waiver requests for toxicology studies in connection with registration of new method of chlorine dioxide generation.°
- Coordinated assessment of health risks from federal Superfund site at which mercury and PCBs are principal contaminants.°
- Coordinated arguments for continued availability of tributyltin antifoulants for limited uses, including risk assessment.°
- Coordinated industry response to EPA pesticides office concerns with aquatic toxicity of copper, including environmental modeling of exposures from ships and fixed structures using copper antifouling coatings.°
- Evaluated applicability of EPA new nano-framework to several pesticides, including micronized copper. Evaluated EU regulation of similar products in that jurisdiction.°
- Coordinated risk assessments for several new chemicals for which PMNs or SNUNs have been or will be submitted under TSCA.°
- Modified proposed National Priority List addition to eliminate reference to client’s property.°
- Representation of major trade association in litigation over endangered species assessments associated with pesticide registration.°
- Resolved TSCA enforcement action involving import of substance subject to a SNUR.°
- Resolved multiple FIFRA enforcement actions regarding Covid-related claims.°
- Resolved multiple FIFRA data compensation disputes.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Goldberg prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2024-2025
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Environment, Litigation, 2018-2019
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Industry representative on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party on Biocides
Credentials
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J.D., Stanford Law School
- Board of Editors, Stanford Law Journal
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B.A., Binghamton University
- Phi Beta Kappa
- California
- District of Columbia