The controversial Obama-era Waters of the United States Rule (2015 WOTUS Rule) was reinstated after a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina vacated the Trump Administration’s suspension...more
On March 28, 2017, President Trump made good on his campaign promise to take action to repeal President Obama’s climate agenda, including the Clean Power Plan (CPP). In his “Executive Order on Promoting Energy Independence...more
In association with a White House Water Summit on World Water Day, March 22, President Obama released an executive memorandum outlining a federal plan to support state and local efforts to combat drought. The memorandum...more
In a 5-4 vote, the United States Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) through the ultimate Supreme Court determination on the merits, assuming the inevitable writ of certiorari from the D.C....more
The Clean Power Plan final rule, proposed Federal Plan and carbon pollution standards for new, modified and reconstructed (existing) power plants were published in the Federal Register on October 23, 2015 — weeks after its...more
In an updated rule released October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set tighter limits on ozone – a compound regarded as a precursor to smog. In setting the new standard at 70 parts per billion (ppb) for...more
The WOTUS rule is concerning to many industry sectors because it would significantly expand Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction for the agencies. In particular, the rule would extend jurisdiction to broad definitions of...more
On August 18, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the first-ever proposal aimed at regulating methane emissions, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOC), from the oil and gas industry. EPA is...more
On June 29, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered another warning to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against overstepping its statutory authority under the Clean Air Act. In Michigan v. Environmental Protection...more
On June 29, 2015, the United States Supreme Court decided Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 14-46, and two other consolidated cases, holding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acted unreasonably,...more
On June 2, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its first-ever proposal to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives,...more
8/4/2014
On June 23, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the first decision to place limitations on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gases (GHG) under the Clean Air Act. In the...more
On June 2, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft of its proposed rule that will, for the first time, limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at existing fossil-fuel fired electric utility generating...more