Environmental

  • January 28, 2026

    Unions Say FEMA Staff Cuts Threaten Disaster Readiness

    A coalition of unions, nonprofit organizations and local governments that are challenging the Trump administration's federal worker layoffs and agency reorganizations asked a California federal judge Tuesday for permission to add the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a defendant, saying ongoing staff cuts threaten its legally mandated responsibility to respond to disasters.

  • January 28, 2026

    7th Circ. Doubtful Climate Fight Belongs In Federal Court

    Seventh Circuit judges seemed skeptical Wednesday of Chevron and other oil giants' argument that a lower court incorrectly sent Chicago's climate deception claims back to state court, questioning whether they've cited the type of contractual government work and relationship that would otherwise keep the suit in federal court.

  • January 28, 2026

    Enbridge Looks To Keep Pipeline Open Amid 7th Circ. Appeal

    Enbridge Energy Inc. is looking to pause a shutdown order of a segment of its Line 5 pipeline that runs through Wisconsin tribal lands pending its Seventh Circuit appeal, arguing to a Wisconsin district court that a cutoff would cause disproportionate economic harm and energy shortages.

  • January 28, 2026

    EPA Begins Rollback Of Biden-Era Smog Control Plan

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to reapprove pollution control plans from several states as part of its effort to undo a Biden-era rule curbing cross-border smog formation that was halted by the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • January 28, 2026

    Colo. Drivers Claim $5M Damage From Gas-Diesel Mix-Up

    Colorado residents filed a proposed class action Tuesday in federal court against two fuel station operators, alleging the companies distributed gasoline contaminated with diesel fuel to major gas stations in early January that caused more than $5 million in damage to their vehicles.

  • January 28, 2026

    Partnerships Fight Nix Of $163M In Conservation Tax Breaks

    The IRS wrongly rejected nearly $163 million in claimed tax deductions for conservation easement donations by two Georgia partnerships and then penalized them for negligence and gross valuation misstatements, a partnership representative told the U.S. Tax Court in challenging the determinations.

  • January 28, 2026

    Syngenta, Chevron Settle Paraquat Case Before 1st Philly Trial

    The first paraquat Parkinson's disease mass tort case set to be tried in Philadelphia was resolved Tuesday night on the eve of trial, according to the court.

  • January 28, 2026

    Solar Panel Co. Sunrun Misclassifying Sales Reps, Suit Says

    Solar panel company Sunrun Inc. misclassified its sales representatives as independent contractors in violation of Massachusetts workers' compensation law, a coalition of advocacy groups alleged in a complaint filed in state court.

  • January 27, 2026

    EPA Says Enviro Groups Lack Standing To Fight Review Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the environmental groups challenging the agency's "project accounting" method for triggering air pollution review at industrial facilities lack the standing to pursue their fight, claiming that the challengers identified no harm at all from the agency's denial of their reconsideration bid.

  • February 12, 2026

    Law360 Seeks Members For Its 2026 Editorial Boards

    Law360 is looking for avid readers of our publications to serve as members of our 2026 editorial advisory boards.

  • January 27, 2026

    Consumers Energy Seeks $42M For DOE Order Compliance

    Michigan utility Consumers Energy Co. has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to let it recoup nearly $42 million in costs to comply with a controversial U.S. Department of Energy emergency order to keep a coal-fired power plant running.

  • January 27, 2026

    EPA Seeks Public Input On Fluoride Health Effects

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday that it is seeking the public's input on the health effects from fluoride in water, which it could use to develop changes to the standards for safe levels.

  • January 27, 2026

    Trump Admin's 'Irrational' Block On Wind Project Lifted

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday lifted a Trump administration freeze on the nearly complete Vineyard Wind offshore energy project, saying the government had likely flouted federal law by failing to explain a "disconnect" between its stated concerns about national security and its willingness to allow completed turbines to continue operating.

  • January 27, 2026

    Nuke Discharge Law Isn't Preempted, NY Tells 2nd Circ.

    New York has told the Second Circuit that a federal judge wrongly concluded that a state law barring the release of radioactive materials into the Hudson River was federally preempted.

  • January 27, 2026

    NRG, LS Power's $12B Natural Gas Deal Clears DOJ Scrutiny

    The U.S. Department of Justice has cleared NRG Energy Inc.'s $12 billion acquisition of 18 natural gas-fired power plants from LS Power in a cash-and-stock deal guided by White & Case LLP, Milbank LLP and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

  • January 26, 2026

    Mich. AG's Antitrust Suit Charts New Path For Climate Torts

    Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's antitrust lawsuit against fossil fuel companies opens a new front in climate change tort litigation, and is a riposte to red states using antitrust law to target pro-climate actions by companies.

  • January 26, 2026

    10th Circ. Affirms $17M Atty Fee In Gas Well Royalty Case

    On the third go around in the Tenth Circuit, a class led by Chieftain Royalty Co. on Monday had its $17.3 million attorney fee award unanimously affirmed for a settlement resolving a gas well royalty dispute, despite objections from two class members.

  • January 26, 2026

    DOJ Can't Sue Mich. To Stop 'Hypothetical' Climate Claims

    A Michigan federal judge ruled on Saturday that the U.S. Department of Justice cannot preemptively block the state from filing climate-related claims against the fossil fuel industry, adding there's no precedent for such a move being allowed in the long history of state litigation against national industry groups.

  • January 26, 2026

    Truck Makers Say Calif. Delaying 'Clean Trucks Pact' Fight

    Heavy-duty truck manufacturers on Monday accused California officials of trying to delay litigation over a 2023 agreement that would saddle manufacturers with stringent state emissions standards and stiff penalties for noncompliance in the coming years.

  • January 26, 2026

    Tribe, Enviro Groups Look To Vacate Alaska Gold Mine Permit

    Conservation groups and an Alaskan tribe are seeking to void a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to expand gold mining operations at the headwaters of the Johnson River, arguing that the agency violated a slew of environmental laws regarding potential effects to Cook Inlet beluga whales.

  • January 26, 2026

    Minnesota Appeals Court Won't Toss Climate Change Suit

    A Minnesota appeals court on Monday affirmed a lower court's decision not to toss the state's lawsuit alleging that Exxon Mobil Corp., Koch Industries Inc. and the American Petroleum Institute concealed the climate change risks of fossil fuels.

  • January 26, 2026

    Texas Wind Farm Owner Hits Ch. 11 With $108M In Debt

    A wind farm owner in North Texas has filed for Chapter 11 protection with $108 million in debt, saying a winter storm in 2021 put it on a path to conflict with a partner in a defunct hedging agreement, with the partner eventually installing leaders to restructure the debtor.

  • January 26, 2026

    USA Rare Earth Secures $3.1B Of Federal And Private Funding

    Mining company USA Rare Earth Inc. on Monday announced that it is set to receive $3.1 billion of new funding through collaborations with the U.S. government and a private investment in public equity funding commitment, in deals shaped by three law firms.

  • January 26, 2026

    Kansas Refinery Pollutes, Violates EPA Decrees, Suit Says

    A proposed class of Coffeyville, Kansas, residents on Monday sued the company behind an oil refinery and fertilizer facility, saying it has been in repeat violation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consent decrees as it continues to pollute the environment and, thus, drive up environmental damage and cancer rates.

  • January 26, 2026

    Canada's Allied Gold Agrees To $4B Sale To China's Zijin Gold

    Canadian gold producer Allied Gold said Monday it has agreed to be bought by Zijin Gold International in an all-cash deal valued at about CA$5.5 billion ($4 billion). 

Expert Analysis

  • How Trump's Space Order May Ease Industry's Growth

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order aimed at removing environmental hurdles for spaceport authorization and streamlining the space industry's regulatory framework may open opportunities not only for established launch providers, but also smaller companies and spaceport authorities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Avoiding Unforced Evidentiary Errors At Trial

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    To avoid self-inflicted missteps at trial, lawyers must plan their evidentiary strategy as early as their claims and defenses, with an eye toward some of the more common pitfalls, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Agentic AI Puts A New Twist On Attorney Ethics Obligations

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    As lawyers increasingly use autonomous artificial intelligence agents, disciplinary authorities must decide whether attorney responsibility for an AI-caused legal ethics violation is personal or supervisory, and firms must enact strong policies regarding agentic AI use and supervision, says Grace Wynn at HWG.

  • Resilience Planning Is New Key To Corporate Sustainability

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    While the current wave of deregulation may reduce government enforcement related to climate issues, businesses still need to evaluate how climate volatility may affect their operations and create new legal risks — making the apolitical concept of resilience increasingly important for companies, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Cos. Face EU, US Regulatory Tension On Many Fronts

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    When the European Union sets stringent standards, companies seeking to operate in the international marketplace must conform to them, or else concede opportunities — but with the current U.S. administration pushing hard to roll back regulations, global companies face an increasing tension over which standards to follow, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How EU Is Tweaking Enviro Laws After US Trade Deal

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    While a recent joint statement from the European Union and the U.S. in the wake of their trade deal does not mention special treatment for U.S. companies, the EU's ongoing commitment to streamline its sustainability legislation suggests an openness to addressing concerns raised by the U.S., say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.

  • Restored Charging Project Funds Revive Hope For EV Market

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    While 2025 began with a host of government actions that prompted some to predict the demise of the U.S. electric vehicle market, the Trump administration's recent restoration of federal funding for EV charging infrastructure under new terms presents market participants with reason for optimism, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

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    Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

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    A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.

  • Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

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    Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.

  • Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

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    As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Teaching Trial Advocacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    Teaching trial advocacy skills to other lawyers makes us better litigators because it makes us question our default methods, connect to young attorneys with new perspectives and focus on the needs of the real people at the heart of every trial, say Reuben Guttman, Veronica Finkelstein and Joleen Youngers.

  • Navigating Brazil's Regulations, Incentives For Green Projects

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    Brazil's evolving environmental regulatory framework and ongoing moves to attract international capital for climate-focused projects may appeal to U.S.-based companies and investors interested in sustainable development — but taking advantage of these opportunities requires careful planning and meaningful stakeholder engagement, says Milena Angulo at Guimarães.

  • Federal AI Action Plan Marks A Shift For Health And Bio Fields

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    The Trump administration's recent artificial intelligence action plan significantly expands federal commitments across biomedical agencies, defining a pivotal moment for attorneys and others involved in research collaborations, managing regulatory compliance and AI-related intellectual property, says Mehrin Masud-Elias at Arnold & Porter.

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