The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair, along with two Subcommittee Chairs, sent a November 13th letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Administrator Michael S. Regan...more
EPA’s long-promised rules for reducing CO2 emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants have now been published. In the proposal, EPA lays out “performance standards” for new natural gas-fired power plants and “emission...more
Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency released its long-awaited proposal for New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating...more
On June 30, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an important environmental ruling in West Virginia v. EPA, holding that while the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) can regulate power plant...more
The US Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in West Virginia v. EPA, 597 US ___ (2022), narrowly defined the scope of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from...more
One of the US Supreme Court’s final opinions this term addressed US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA). The decision in West Virginia v...more
On January 19, 2021, the last full day of President Trump’s tenure at the White House, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals essentially said “good riddance” to Trump’s “ACE” (the Affordable Clean Energy Rule) in American Lung...more
In its first week in office, the Biden Administration took initial steps to meet its ambitious goals to address climate change. These steps are contained in a January 20, 2021, executive order (the "Day One Order"), a January...more
On January 19, 2021 the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (the “DC Circuit”) vacated the Affordable Clean Energy Rule (the “ACE Rule”), a policy instituted by the Environmental Protection...more
This is a brief review of recent significant environmental and administrative law rulings and developments. With the change in presidential administrations, the fate of at least some of the newly promulgated rules is...more
On January 19, 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, the Trump Administration’s action to address CO2 emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. The ACE rule repealed an Obama-era rule...more
Last month, I noted that the Trump administration had suffered “one final judicial defeat” – the rejection of its Affordable Clean Energy Rule. Of course, I spoke to soon. Last week, Judge Brian Morris rejected EPA’s rule...more
The Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan (“CPP”) — an unprecedented use of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions from power plants — is only “mostly dead” and could soon spring back to life. Yes,...more
On 19 January 2021, the eve of inauguration for the Biden Administration, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) struck down the Affordable Clean Energy Rule (ACE Rule)....more
On January 19, the last full day of the Trump administration, a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, the Trump EPA’s replacement rule for the Clean Power Plan....more
On the eve of the new Biden Administration, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated a key greenhouse gas rule created by the Trump Administration. The Biden Administration also swiftly rejoined the Paris...more
On Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit vacated and remanded the Trump administration’s 2019 Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. The ACE rule was intended as a replacement for the Obama-era Clean Power Plan (CPP). ACE was viewed as a...more
Yesterday was the last full day of President Trump’s term. On environmental issues, it closed on a fitting note – another major judicial defeat. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals vacated EPA’s Affordable Clean...more
Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s inauguration on January 20, 2021 as the forty-sixth President of the United States could usher in a sweeping period of environmental regulatory changes vastly eclipsing those of his immediate predecessor...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
ANNOUNCEMENTS - Air - Stakeholder Input Requested on Potential New Rules - Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Program Rules: Ohio EPA is requesting stakeholder input on potential new rules in the Ohio Administrative Code...more
In a much-anticipated action, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to replace the Clean Power Plan previously promulgated by the Obama administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) yesterday issued a final version of the previously proposed Affordable Clean Air Act Affordable Clean Energy (“ACE”) Rule. The ACE rule had been proposed on August...more