Recent Updates to Federal Environmental and Natural Resource Regulations
On-Demand Webinar | Linear Infrastructure Redux: Adapting Your Projects to Meet the New Regulatory Climate
The Biden administration is restoring significant state and tribal authority over water resources and expanding their leverage on infrastructure permitting decisions, including for pipelines. With a final rule announced this...more
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association said on Thursday that they had reached an agreement, referred to as the "Clean Truck Partnership," that gives new flexibility for...more
City of San Diego sues 20-plus companies to force cleanup of PFAS contamination Bullet Times of San Diego - May 11 The San Diego City Attorney’s Office filed suit last Wednesday against more than 20 chemical companies for...more
Officials call for protection of Redwood City’s salt ponds - The San Mateo Daily Journal – February 19 - Nearly 60 Bay Area political leaders and organizations last Tuesday asked the Biden administration to protect...more
The Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”), other organizations, and an individual submitted a February 3rd Petition for Review (“Petition”) before the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Environmental...more
Recent news that the Democrats flipped both U.S. Senate seats in Georgia’s run-off election means that the Democrats have enough votes to add the Congressional Review Act (CRA)[1] to the tools that could be used to advance...more
Biden picks North Carolina environmental chief to lead EPA - Associated Press – December 17 - President-elect Joe Biden this Thursday selected Michael S. Regan to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental...more
Overview of the current energy mix, and the place in the market of different energy sources - Due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. total energy consumption in 2020 is on pace to decline for a second straight...more
The economy may be stalled, but the use of Nationwide Permit (NWP) 12 just opened back up for non-oil and gas pipeline projects. A recent decision rocked the permitting community as a judge vacated NWP 12 outright because the...more
California approves ambitious new plan to deal with climate change and sea-level rise - San Francisco Chronicle – February 26 - The state's Ocean Protection Council, the cabinet-level policy body within the California...more
Focus - Governor Newsom halts approval of hydraulic fracturing permits - Los Angeles Times – November 19 - Governor Gavin Newsom this Tuesday halted approval of hundreds of hydraulic fracturing permits until an...more
The Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) sent a July 25th 60-day Notice of Intent to Sue (“Notice”) to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) alleging a violation of the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). ...more
Focus - Senate bill requires EPA to set national drinking water standard for PFAS - The Hill – June 27 - The U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this Thursday, which includes language pushing...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - Reversing course, EPA will not delay an Obama ozone rule - Washington Post - Aug 3 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reversed its effort to delay Obama...more
President Donald Trump's Executive Order (EO) entitled "Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth" is a broad directive accomplishing a number of the Trump Administration's energy-related priorities....more
Environmental and Policy Focus - Trump directs rollback of Obama-era water rule - The Washington Post - Feb 28 - President Trump on Tuesday instructed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of...more
Behind the pomp and circumstance of Friday’s inauguration, President Donald J. Trump and his administration set their sights on deploying a new guard of regulatory and economic policies focused on reducing burdensome...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: California lawmakers introduce sweeping new measures to increase renewable energy, cut fossil fuel use - San Jose Mercury News - Feb 10: Last Tuesday, California lawmakers unveiled a...more
In This Issue: - Energy and Climate Debate - Congress - Administration - Department of Commerce - Department of Energy - Department of Treasury - Environmental Protection...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: U.S. EPA settles case over destruction of rare Central Valley wetlands: EPA - Aug 14: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced a...more
In This Issue: - Fifth Circuit Reins In Trend of Expanding ESA Liability for Remote Harm - Japan's Pivotal Role in the Global LNG Industry's 50-Year History - Government of Greece to Launch New Licensing...more
Gunnison Sage Grouse Continues Its Wobbly Path Toward Listing Energy Legal Blog, May 14, 2014 - Last week, the Gunnison Sage Grouse took another detour on its road to being listed under the Endangered Species Act...more
Mexican Federal Congress Approves Important Constitutional Energy Reform Bill - Energy Legal Blog, December 13, 2013 - As we previously reported, on August 12, 2013, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto...more