The State of Energy Storage: What You Need to Know
Regulators at all levels are seeking to advance climate-change related policies. Of late, municipalities have increasingly sought to “decarbonize” buildings and related infrastructure through changes to building codes and...more
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past two weeks and forthcoming climate-related events and...more
Last week, the White House issued an update on President Biden’s October 30, 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (the “AI EO” or “EO”). The update detailed...more
NY Governor's Veto of Wind Power Bill “Undermines Industry," Critics Say- “The bill known as the ‘Planned Offshore Wind Transmission Act’ has been working its way through the state legislature since April 2023.” Why...more
The past 6 months have seen a flood of activity in the EV charging space. Since our last update, states have started implementing their electric vehicle deployment plans under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (“BIL’s”)...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published in the August 22nd Federal Register Notice a proposed rule that would approve portions of the revisions to the Arkansas State Implementation Plan (“SIP”)....more
Environmental groups have sued California regulators over new rules they say will discourage the growth of rooftop solar installations, in violation of state law. Three groups filed a petition asking the California Court of...more
California is entering the new waters of offshore wind power. The unique challenges and potential of developing offshore wind power in California have spurred numerous federal and state cooperation efforts. While other U.S....more
On Monday, April 18, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley, overturning a lower federal district court’s ruling to revoke the City of Berkeley,...more
The Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment – Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) and the City of Beedeville, Arkansas (“Beedeville”) entered into a February 16th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing an...more
What Employers Can Do When a Union Knocks on Their Door - When a union knocks on an employer's door, it can be a shock and awe experience for the unprepared employer. It is important for employers to understand their...more
The IRS is currently in the process of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which addresses energy, tax and health policy. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "The Inflation...more
Four New England States – Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island – recently submitted a concept paper to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposing to build up to three new high voltage direct current (HVDC)...more
Not a day seems to go by in recent weeks without multiple articles and media hits on controversies over gas stoves. Across the U.S., opponents of gas stoves have implemented a coordinated effort by government regulators,...more
Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) issued a Request for Proposals for a consultant to conduct an energy storage market update and...more
Massachusetts will soon see significant updates to the energy codes that govern the construction and alteration of buildings throughout the Commonwealth. As required by the 2021 climate bill, the Massachusetts Department of...more
President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) into law on Aug. 16, 2022, following its passage along party lines in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The comprehensive legislation is the...more
DOE launches partnership to cut in half building and factory emissions by 2030 - S&P Global – February 28 - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will partner with public and private stakeholders to develop ways to slash greenhouse...more
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) and Town of Tollette, Arkansas (“Tollette”) entered into an October 20th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged...more
Ms. Julie Linck has been appointed by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to serve as Chief Administrator of the Environment of the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (“E&E”). The Chief Administrator has statutory...more
On May 25, 2021, the Biden Administration announced an agreement to lease almost 400 miles off California’s northern and central coasts for offshore wind development. The announcement expands on the recent approval of the...more
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) and the City of Salesville, Arkansas, (“Salesville”) entered into an April 22nd Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing...more
House Committee on Energy and Commerce Democrats on March 11, 2021, reintroduced a signature infrastructure package, the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow's America Act, or LIFT America Act (H.R. 1848) to modernize U.S....more
On July 23, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) filed final regulations implementing a “Clean Peak Energy Standard,” which formally went into effect on August 7, 2020. The final regulations are...more
L.A. aims to increase affordable housing with proposed zoning changes - Daily Breeze – August 6 - The Los Angeles Department of City Planning last Thursday released plans for an incentive-based zoning system for...more