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I was delighted this week to visit again with Alexandra Dunn, President and Chief Executive Officer of CropLife America (CLA), and my colleague Jim Aidala, to discuss some of the issues facing the crop protection industry....more
On September 24, 2025, the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition (the Petition) to the California Fish and Game Commission (the Commission) to list the western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii) as threatened...more
A March 30, 2026, decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Department of the Interior, vacated key provisions of the Endangered Species Act...more
On April 3, 2026, the final rescission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (together, Services) definitions of the term “harm” from their respective Endangered Species Act (ESA)...more
On March 31, 2026, the Endangered Species Committee (Committee) voted unanimously to exempt from the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) all Gulf of America (f/k/a Gulf of Mexico) oil and gas exploration,...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed Thursday to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water for the first time....more
Key Takeaways - What Happened: The Endangered Species Committee (the Committee, or the “God Squad”) voted to exempt Gulf oil and gas activities related to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety...more
It has been a busy past week for the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On March 30, 2026, a United States District Court issued a summary judgment opinion invalidating four provisions of the current ESA Section 7 regulations and...more
On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the Endangered Species Committee (Committee) – colloquially known as the God Squad – met in Washington, DC at the request of the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. The Committee is made up of...more
On March 18, 2026, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife convened a hearing to examine ongoing challenges and potential improvements in the implementation of the...more
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973 to provide various protections for endangered and threatened species. As enacted, it prohibited any activities that would result in "jeopardy" to endangered species,...more
On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a proposed rule that would overhaul how locatable mineral exploration and mining are reviewed on National Forest System lands for the first time since 1974....more
On March 16, 2026, the Department of the Interior announced a rare meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (ESC or Committee), colloquially referred to as the “God Squad.” The Committee — composed of six permanent...more
Welcome to Dorsey’s Energy Law: Month in Review. We provide this update to our clients to identify significant developments in the previous month. ...more
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on February 26 approved the initial rules to implement the state’s corporate climate disclosure laws, setting August 10 as the first reporting deadline to begin reporting greenhouse...more
On February 24, 2026, the Department of the Interior (DOI) rescinded most of its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The rescission may change how DOI conducts analysis for projects that...more
The Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) had filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (“Complaint”) in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona against the United States Environmental...more
The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear Huntington Beach’s appeal in litigation over California’s affordable housing requirements. Declining Monday to consider the city’s appeal. In December, the California Supreme Court...more
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) and the Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) entered into a February 13th Stipulated Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) addressing the brook floater mussel. See Case...more
On February 12, 2026, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) voted 3-0 to list mountain lions (Puma concolor) in Southern and Central California as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). ...more
The Center for Biological Diversity and three other organizations filed a February 20th Petition for Review (“Petition”) in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (“Court”) requesting that an order of the...more
Baker Botts' 39th Annual Environmental Seminar featured two breakout sessions covering the latest environmental, safety and incident response developments and trends....more
On January 22, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) issued a 40‑year original license to FFP Project 101, LLC (FFP) to construct and operate a 1,200‑megawatt pumped storage hydropower facility,...more
The Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and two other organizations filed a January 26th Complaint in the United States District Court of Montana challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (“EPA”) decision approving...more
On January 23, 2026, one year after the Los Angeles wildfires, the President issued Executive Order 14377 directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management...more