The Supreme Court has released its opinion in Ohio v. EPA, a case involving whether the federal government’s “good neighbor” ozone regulations were properly promulgated. This decision impacts the authority of the U.S....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
On June 20, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors Int'l v. Envtl. Prot. Agency, No. 21-1251, (D.C. Cir. June 20, 2023),...more
Ratification of the Kigali Amendment formally commits the U.S. to a global effort to significantly reduce production and use of HFCs and reinforces the aggressive domestic HFC phasedown begun last year by the AIM Act. ...more
On May 3, 2021, EPA announced its first major climate change rule under the Biden Administration, proposing to phase down the manufacture and import of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. EPA...more
In 1987, the United States signed the Montreal Protocol (Protocol). The Protocol is an international agreement that has been ratified by every nation that is a member of the United Nations. The Protocol requires nations to...more
Earlier this week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down part of an EPA rule promulgated pursuant to the Montreal Protocol. The section that was struck down would have required manufacturers of HFC-134a, which is not...more
President-Elect Donald Trump has promised to bring back jobs in the coal industry and reduce regulations that could inhibit economic growth. His transition team has already begun arriving at federal agencies to review the...more
An article published Friday in Science reports that the Antarctic ozone hole is healing. As the article notes, there was some previous evidence about global improvement in stratospheric ozone levels, but this is the first to...more
Energy and Climate Debate - Congress returns from the Thanksgiving recess early next week to a full schedule starring the six-year reauthorization of federal highway programs, which expires December 4 now that chambers...more
Energy and Climate Debate - Despite the House being in recess for the Veterans Day holiday, bicameral negotiations on an omnibus appropriations package continue this week. Congress must come to an agreement on the 12...more
Energy and Climate Debate - In his final major effort prior to retiring last week, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) reached a bipartisan agreement, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, with other House and Senate...more
Energy and Climate Debate - Following a busy week for the Obama Administration during which it held several energy and climate events in anticipation of the international climate negotiations at the end of the year in...more
ENERGY AND CLIMATE DEBATE - After a busy week with Yom Kippur and visits from Pope Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Congress is focusing this week on finalizing a continuing resolution and preparing for new...more
Energy and Climate Debate - Congressional activities are abbreviated this week, with the observance of Yom Kippur and Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. Pope Francis will address a joint session of Congress...more
On August 18, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) proposed a suite of regulatory actions aimed at reducing methane and volatile organic compound (“VOC”) emissions from the oil and gas sector....more
Energy and Climate Debate: We are half way through a busy September, and Congress will focus much of the rest of the month on a continuing resolution. Energy and climate issues will garner some attention in committee...more
Energy and Climate Debate - With Labor Day marking the unofficial end of summer, Congress returns from the August recess this week, and while the House dives into several energy related hearings, the Senate will wait a...more
The Obama Administration’s release of the final Clean Power Plan kicked off a busy second half of the year for climate and energy policy issues. As climate issues increasingly become an important part President Obama’s...more