The Maine PUC has recently opened two related dockets that will significantly impact the renewable energy industry. The first, Docket No. 2024-00137, is a follow-on docket to the PUC’s Investigation into the Stranded Cost...more
On November 3, 2023, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order adopting amendments to its Small Generator Interconnection Procedures Rule (Chapter 324)....more
The Maine Public Utilities Commission is currently considering whether to commence a formal emergency rulemaking process to amend Chapter 324 of its rules governing generator interconnections. The purpose of the rulemaking...more
Last month, the Maine Public Utilities Commission initiated a proceeding to identify the priorities to be addressed in an electric grid plan that will assist Maine in the “cost-effective transition to a clean, affordable, and...more
After months of uncertainty and delays resulting from Level 2 projects leapfrogging Level 4 queued projects, the Maine PUC has provided some partial relief.
Specifically, in response to a petition we filed over the...more
Starting today, Friday, November 19, certain Maine businesses will be required to close their doors at 9:00PM each day, through Sunday, December 6. With increasing numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and holiday gatherings...more
COVID-19 cases are on the rise both in Maine and across the nation. In a previous blog post, we shared that bars were set to open in Maine today, Monday, November 2. Unfortunately, due to the significant increases in the...more
As the sun fades on another Maine summer and autumn rushes by, the appeal of outdoor seating at tasting rooms, bars, and restaurants starts to fade like our fall colors. Yes, there are space heaters and those fancy tables...more
As the post-COVID-19 “new normal” comes into focus, it is unlikely that civil jury trials will happen in many jurisdictions until at least the spring of 2021. For family law matters, cases involving children or domestic...more
Most property insurance policies in today’s market include a provision that causes coverage to lapse if the property is vacant (as defined by the policy) for a period in excess of 30 days. Fortunately, insurers have generally...more
As part of Maine’s phased reopening of its economy, breweries, distilleries, and wineries without restaurant licenses were deemed bars. As a result, in guidance issued by Maine’s Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery...more
On May 14, 2020, the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO) issued a memorandum providing guidance for which licensees will be considered a “restaurant” and which will be considered a “bar” under the...more
State governments are creating paths to restart their economies. Businesses desperately want to start generating income and put the COVID-19 crisis behind them. Companies and their management are closely studying the...more
On May 18, 2020, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau issued Public Guidance TTB G 2020-4 regarding the Tax-Free Withdrawal of Distilled Spirits and Products Containing Distilled Spirits for Hand Sanitizer Purposes...more
The short answer is, no one knows right now because the issues arising from COVID-19 are extraordinarily rare and distinguishable from more typical claims against retail, restaurants, and similar consumer facing businesses....more
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a great deal of uncertainty for businesses and people around the world. Many have been scrambling to find supplies, from toilet paper to hand sanitizer, and additional retail...more
Planning to brew something that needs a formula approval or a COLA approval? Have a new facility in the works? If so, you might want to reconfigure your schedule because the government shutdown has caused the TTB to suspend...more
As the TTB enters a more user-friendly phase with its updated online registration portal, it is important to remember that it remains an enforcement arm of the federal government for the beverage alcohol community. In a...more
12/4/2018
/ Best Practices ,
Beverage Manufacturers ,
Breweries ,
Registration Requirement ,
Retailers ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Self-Reporting ,
TTB ,
Voluntary Disclosure ,
Wine & Alcohol ,
Wineries
With the increasing popularity of beer tourism and the statistics on brand loyalty (or lack thereof) among craft beer lovers, breweries may be looking for ways to promote their brand and keep their brewery’s name on the lips...more
In this episode of Verrill Voices: Lawyers on Tap, Verrill Dana attorneys Jennifer Green and Jonathan Dunitz discuss the importance of entity formation to the overall success of a brewery business, and the differences between...more
5/8/2018
/ Breweries ,
Business Assets ,
Business Development ,
Business Entities ,
Business Formation ,
Business Ownership ,
Business Succession ,
Business Taxes ,
C-Corporation ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Income Taxes ,
IRS ,
Limited Liability Company (LLC) ,
Limited Partnerships ,
Operating Agreements ,
Partnership Agreements ,
Partnerships ,
Pass-Through Entities ,
Personal Liability ,
Qualified Small Business Stock ,
S-Corporation ,
Shareholders ,
Small Business ,
Sole Proprietorship ,
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ,
Tax Rates ,
Tax Reform
Certificate of Label Approval (or COLA) can be one of the more frustrating processes for brewers. Each label must be approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Once the COLA is issued, only certain,...more