At a public hearing held February 26, 2026, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a resolution to adopt initial regulations implementing California’s landmark climate reporting and disclosure laws, the Climate...more
3/10/2026
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
California ,
California Air Resources Board ,
CARB ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Fees ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Regulations ,
Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process
On February 6, 2026, an Oregon district court issued a decision barring the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from enforcing the nation’s first extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging, food...more
On January 15, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the long-awaited proposed rule Updating the Water Quality Certification Regulations (Proposed Rule), which, if adopted, would largely reinstate the...more
1/21/2026
/ Clean Water Act ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Infrastructure ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
Permits ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Section 401 ,
State and Local Government ,
Water Quality ,
Waters of the United States
On January 8, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized 57 Nationwide Permits first proposed in June of last year. Nationwide Permits (NWPs) are streamlined federal permits for activities that affect waters of the...more
1/14/2026
/ Clean Water Act ,
Data Centers ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Final Rules ,
Infrastructure ,
Oil & Gas ,
Permits ,
Pipelines ,
Renewable Energy ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Water ,
Water Projects ,
Waters of the United States
On December 9, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released a rulemaking package for its proposed “initial regulation” to implement California’s landmark climate disclosure laws: Senate Bill (SB) 253, requiring...more
12/18/2025
/ California ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Climate Change ,
Comment Period ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Fees ,
Government Agencies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Proposed Rules ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government
On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down the freeze on federal permits for wind energy projects — a central component of the Wind Presidential Memorandum (the Wind Order) issued on the...more
12/11/2025
/ Abuse of Discretion ,
Administrative Procedure Act ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Biden Administration ,
Clean Energy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Executive Orders ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Freeze ,
Renewable Energy ,
Standing ,
Vacatur ,
Wind Power
Over the past decade, the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) has shifted repeatedly, creating uncertainty for permitting and project planning. Building on the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision, the EPA...more
11/24/2025
/ Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Exclusions ,
Jurisdiction ,
NPDES ,
Permits ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Sackett v EPA ,
Section 404 ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, the Services) proposed revisions to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations that, if finalized, will generally...more
11/24/2025
/ Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Executive Orders ,
Government Agencies ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
NPRM ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Reform ,
SCOTUS ,
Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v Eagle County Colorado ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On October 14, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) quietly announced it was delaying its release of a proposed rulemaking on California’s climate laws....more
10/28/2025
/ California ,
CARB ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Deadlines ,
Delays ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process
On September 24, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) published a list of entities it believes may be subject to the state’s climate disclosure laws, Senate Bill (SB) 253 and SB 261, which require companies “doing...more
9/26/2025
/ California ,
CARB ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Doing Business ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government
As the January 1, 2026, deadline to make the first required disclosure under California’s landmark climate laws approaches, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced that it will host another virtual public...more
8/13/2025
/ California ,
California Air Resources Board ,
CARB ,
Climate Change ,
Comment Period ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Doing Business ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Workshops ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process
On July 9, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to its efforts to implement California’s landmark climate disclosure laws, SB 253 (requiring reporting...more
On Monday, June 9, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) opened a short, 30-day public comment period soliciting information and comments to, “improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness” of Section 10(a) take...more
6/11/2025
/ Comment Period ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Government Agencies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Permits ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On May 29, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held a virtual public workshop to review and discuss its rulemaking response to California Senate Bills (SBs) 253, 261, and 219, which require companies that “do...more
California’s drive toward a net-zero carbon economy by 2045 is sparking innovative solutions to harmonize environmental conservation with infrastructure development. Assembly Bill (AB) 550, sponsored by Assembly Member...more
5/9/2025
/ Biodiversity ,
California ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
Clean Energy ,
Conservation ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Housing Market ,
Infrastructure ,
Net Zero ,
Permits ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Department of Fish and Wildlife ,
Wildlife Protection
The California legislature continues to advance Senate Bill 601 (SB 601), the “Right to Clean Water Act,” which aims to safeguard protections for California’s streams and wetlands that lost federal protection under the Clean...more
4/22/2025
/ California ,
Citizen Suits ,
Clean Water Act ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Violations ,
Inland Waterways ,
Penalties ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Sackett v EPA ,
Water Quality ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
On April 17, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (together Services) published a proposed rule to rescind the long-standing definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species...more
4/21/2025
/ Chevron Deference ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Government Agencies ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Challenging a slew of state climate-related laws and programs, President Trump’s April 8, 2025 executive order (EO) set the stage for more legal fights between the federal government and states. In the new EO, “Protecting...more
4/14/2025
/ California ,
Climate Change ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Deregulation ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Land Use Restrictions ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Social Justice Issues ,
State and Local Government ,
Trump Administration
In what should be welcome news to industry and others who generate hazardous waste in California (including contaminated soil), the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Department of Toxic Substances...more
Companies following the ongoing legal challenge to California’s climate disclosure laws in hopes that the court would strike down or limit the scope of these laws will be disappointed by the order issued by the U.S. District...more
2/10/2025
/ California ,
CARB ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Dormant Commerce Clause ,
Environmental Policies ,
First Amendment ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supremacy Clause
On December 16, 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) requested public feedback to “help inform its work to implement” the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) and the Climate-Related Financial Risk...more
On December 5, 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued an Enforcement Notice regarding the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253), which will require companies “doing business” in California to...more
The western burrowing owl was just recently elevated to a “candidate species” under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). As a candidate species, the owl now...more
11/12/2024
/ California ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Infrastructure ,
Listing Standards ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development
The march toward mandated corporate disclosures for climate-related risks continues. Despite significant pushback and substantial legal challenges, state legislatures and regulators are continuing to advance laws and rules...more
10/15/2024
/ California ,
CARB ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Legislation ,
Pollution Control ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued its long-awaited climate reporting requirements, making it mandatory for the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. to annually disclose both greenhouse gas...more