West Virginia vs. EPA: An Environmental Regulations Case with Broad Implications for Agency Power
On March 13, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would move forward with reconsideration of the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding (Endangerment Finding) as directed in President Trump’s Executive Order...more
In 2015, EPA proposed a rule requiring states to develop plans to cut CO2 emissions from the power sector—the Clean Power Plan (“CPP”). EPA explained the rule would result in “significant emission reductions” for that sector,...more
While still a newly minted lawyer early in 1977, I had the good fortune to land a job with the then brand-new Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. This coincided with the 1976 election of Jimmy Carter as...more
Artificial Intelligence is Big Tech’s newest toy. However, AI also requires massive amounts of energy to operate, which puts the industry’s climate commitments at risk. The sprawling data centers that Microsoft and other...more
The ACOEL webpage “About Us” states that we are to be “Advocates for environmental law and process for a better environmental future.” Allow me to throw down this gauntlet to Members: What “better environmental future” is the...more
PM NAAQS: Already behind schedule is perhaps the mostly widely impactful rule change EPA has proposed in many years: a lowering of the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). EPA has...more
Over a year ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the “City of Yes”, a plan to update the City’s zoning tools to support small businesses, create affordable housing, and promote sustainability. On December 6, 2023,...more
Asia is at the forefront of the global challenge to balance economic development, climate adaptation and mitigation, and energy security. The region is diverse, dynamic and pragmatic, facing both the risks and opportunities...more
The UAE published its long-awaited hydrogen strategy last week, aiming to outline the key steps needed to position the UAE as a top global producer of low carbon hydrogen by 2031 and to support the UAE’s announced target of...more
On November 1, 2023, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, in a five-judge panel decision, issued a long-awaited ruling denying the authority of the executive branch, through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental...more
Pennsylvania and RGGI – Decision and Resolution - On November 1, 2023, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, in a five-judge panel decision, issued a long-awaited ruling denying the authority of the executive branch,...more
On May 23, 2023, after months of anticipation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its proposal for sweeping greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards (GHG Rules) in the Federal Register that will, if...more
EPA Again Proposes to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published new proposed rules in the Federal Register to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions...more
It’s a well-worn cliché that siting clean energy projects in Massachusetts is difficult. The statutes, regulations, and permitting processes intended to protect the Commonwealth’s environment and communities can also slow...more
Under the Biden Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to aggressively combat climate change. According to major media outlets, EPA will soon release a rule requiring power plants to...more
The New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (“CLCPA”) established ambitious targets to transform New York’s energy generation and efficiency. The CLCPA was signed into law in 2019 with goals to achieve 100%...more
We’re launching this blog series to help readers keep pace with the fast-moving world of clean hydrogen. Each week or so we’ll post an article on different legal, regulatory, and technical opportunities and challenges facing...more
On the last day of its 2022 term, the Supreme Court curtailed the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to cut carbon emissions from the nation’s power plants. The court held that the “generation shifting”...more
In West Virginia v. EPA, a case argued by Jones Day, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that Congress did not authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to compel generation shifting among existing electric...more
The United States Supreme Court recently issued its long-awaited opinion in West Virginia v. EPA, significantly restricting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) authority to combat climate change and regulate carbon...more
On July 27, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) unveiled a budget reconciliation bill entitled the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 ("IRA"), which would implement core components of President Biden's agenda on...more
On June 30, 2022, the United States Supreme Court handed down its opinion in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, holding by a 6-3 majority that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) overstepped its...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
In a recent decision that could have wide-ranging implications, the U.S. Supreme Court in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had overstepped its authority in...more
On June 30, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court published its opinion in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), involving challenges to the scope of the Obama Administration's Clean Power Plan (CPP). The Court...more