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Environmental
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May 29, 2024
Texas Judge Bans Using $1.4B Border Wall Funds For Repairs
A Texas federal judge on Wednesday permanently blocked the White House from using $1.4 billion of border wall construction funding for barrier repair, rejecting requests from landowners, contractors and environmental groups to reconsider the scope of the ban.
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May 29, 2024
No Sanctions Over Drone Video For Houston Cancer MDL Atty
A state judge said Wednesday that she wasn't planning on sanctioning an attorney representing Houston residents living near a contaminated rail yard for allowing allegedly improper drone videos to be taken over the site despite telling the lawyer that the "miscommunication" with his staff is "really on you."
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May 29, 2024
Neoprene Co. Calls EPA Rule Deadline 'Surprise Switcharoo'
A Louisiana-based neoprene manufacturer is asking the D.C. Circuit to immediately block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing a chemical emissions rule that will directly impact the company.
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May 29, 2024
Colombian Court Affirms Fossil Fuel Tax Break Must Stay
The Constitutional Court of Colombia affirmed its decision to strike down a law denying fossil fuel companies the ability to offset corporate income tax liabilities with deductions for royalty payments despite a severe impact to public finances, the country's president said.
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May 29, 2024
8th Circ. Backs Ark. Landowners' Jury Win In Flooding Suit
The Eighth Circuit has upheld a group of Arkansas landowners' nearly $350,000 jury win in their lawsuit accusing Lawrence County of building a bridge that caused flooding that damaged their crops.
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May 29, 2024
Treasury Details Which Tech Would Get Clean Energy Credits
Treasury released proposed rules Wednesday outlining which technologies would qualify for new zero-emission energy tax credits, saying wind, solar and geothermal are among those that would make the cut.
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May 28, 2024
Orsted Inks $125M Deal With NJ Over Scrapped Wind Farms
Orsted, a Danish wind energy company, has agreed to pay New Jersey $125 million to settle claims over the company's abrupt cancellation last fall of two offshore wind farms.
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May 28, 2024
Green Group Says EPA Issued Fraudulent PFAS Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lied to the public about the prevalence of what have come to be called "forever chemicals" in certain pesticide products available on the market, according to an advocacy group that has accused the agency of "egregious misconduct."
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May 28, 2024
Agribiz Pushes Ninth Circ. To Reverse Land Swap Decision
A global agribusiness with operations in Idaho has again asked the Ninth Circuit to reverse a lower court's "misguided" holding under the National Environmental Policy Act that favored the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in their challenge to a U.S. Department of the Interior land transfer.
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May 28, 2024
White House Looks To Boost Carbon Credit Market Integrity
The Biden administration on Tuesday released new guidelines for voluntary carbon markets, touting the measures as a foundation for "ambitious and credible climate action" that also attempts to address questions about the integrity of credits that companies use to show a greener footprint.
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May 28, 2024
Chevron Confident As Hess Shareholders Approve $53B Deal
Hess Corp. said Tuesday it has received the necessary stockholder approvals to close its $53 billion sale to Chevron Corp., as Chevron separately expressed confidence that it will prevail in an ongoing dispute with Exxon Mobil Corp. and wrap up the regulatory process soon.
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May 28, 2024
States, Greens Want Judgment Over USPS' New Vehicle Plan
Environmentalists and a coalition of 17 states called on a California federal judge to grant them judgment in litigation alleging the U.S. Postal Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it decided to replace its aging delivery fleet with "gas-guzzling vehicles."
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May 28, 2024
US Property Insurers See Record Investment Income In 2023
U.S. property and casualty insurers earned a record income of $73.9 billion from their investments in 2023, market analyst AM Best reported Tuesday, a bright spot for an industry beset by underwriting losses connected to natural disasters and high inflation.
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May 28, 2024
Groups Fight Calif. AG's Subpoenas In Plastic Waste Probe
Two chemical and plastic industry groups have accused California Attorney General Rob Bonta of violating their First Amendment rights by demanding they hand over privileged documents as part of an investigation into global plastics pollution, in a pair of complaints filed in D.C. federal court.
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May 28, 2024
Tribe Says Enbridge's Trespass Concern Wasted Court's Time
A Wisconsin tribe has told the Seventh Circuit that Enbridge Energy wasted the court's time raising concerns that an old tribal trespass ordinance could cost the company millions in fines, saying it has nothing to do with the tribe's attempts to stop the Line 5 pipeline.
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May 28, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Delaware Court of Chancery watchers shifted their focus last week from the courtroom to Dover's legislative hall, as proposed amendments to Delaware's corporate code were finally introduced to state lawmakers. Hearings, decisions and reversals involved Kraft-Heinz, AMC Entertainment and the merger of cryptocurrency companies BitGo and Galaxy. In case you missed it, here's the latest from Delaware's Chancery Court.
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May 28, 2024
Insurers, Charter School Assoc. Dismiss Ida Damage Row
A New Orleans-area charter school system and its insurers have agreed to dismiss their dispute over coverage for the system's Hurricane Ida damage claims, the parties told a Louisiana federal court Tuesday, saying "all claims and causes of action brought forth in the above captioned matter have been compromised."
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May 28, 2024
FERC Wrong To Backtrack On Grid Project Plan, DC Circ. Told
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unlawfully reversed course on a regional grid operator's plan to spread out the costs of transmission upgrade projects, unfairly saddling customers within certain areas with higher bills, two Kansas electricity cooperatives have told the D.C. Circuit.
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May 28, 2024
Exxon Investor Broadens Promise To Nix Climate Proxy Bid
An activist investor sued by Exxon Mobil Corp. over a now-withdrawn shareholder proposal concerning climate change has again called on the oil giant to withdraw its suit after broadening its previous promise not to resubmit the proposal in the future.
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May 28, 2024
5 Firms To Steer Pair Of Large IPOs That Could Net $1.8B Total
Private-equity backed hospital billing firm Waystar Holding Corp. and aluminum recycling giant Novelis Inc. on Tuesday launched plans for two initial public offerings that could raise an estimated $1.8 billion combined, guided by five law firms, potentially testing the strength of the IPO market's recovery.
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May 28, 2024
Justices Pass On Fight Over FERC Power Market Cap Rule
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review a D.C. Circuit decision backing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's change of bidding practices for electricity capacity auctions run by PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest regional grid operator.
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May 28, 2024
Justices Will Review EPA's 'Vague' SF Water Pollution Regs
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision to set "vague" and "generic" pollution prohibitions for San Francisco, as opposed to numerical standards.
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May 24, 2024
Red States Target Blue States In Push To End Climate Torts
A novel red-state request that the U.S. Supreme Court nix climate change torts brought by state governments against fossil fuel companies can be seen as an attempt to urge the justices not to pass up another opportunity to weigh in on the issue, legal experts told Law360.
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May 24, 2024
Florida Urges Quick Appeal Of Wetlands Permitting Decision
The state of Florida has pushed to expedite its appeal of a lower court ruling that stripped the state of its federally delegated authority to permit wetlands development after the D.C. Circuit declined to pause the ruling's implementation earlier this week.
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May 24, 2024
Green Groups Lose In California Fish Protection Lawsuit
The federal government properly considered the needs of fish protected under the Endangered Species Act when it approved water supply contracts for California's Central Valley Project, the Ninth Circuit said in a ruling rejecting environmental groups' claims to the contrary.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.
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GSA's Carbon-Free Power Plan: Tips For Electricity Suppliers
The U.S. General Services Administration's recent request for information concerning its intent to acquire a large amount of carbon pollution-free electricity over the next decade in the PJM Interconnection region offers key insights for companies interested in becoming electric power suppliers to federal government agencies, say Shaunna Bailey and Nicholas Dugdale at Sheppard Mullin.
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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SEC Climate Rules Create Unique Challenges For CRE
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently adopted final rules concerning climate-related disclosures for public companies are likely to affect even real estate companies that are not publicly traded, since they may be required to provide information to entities that are subject to the rules, says Laura Truesdale at Moore & Van Allen.
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Energy Community Tax Credit Boost Will Benefit Wind Sector
Recent Internal Revenue Service guidance broadening tax credit eligibility to more parts of offshore wind facilities in so-called energy communities is a win for the industry, which stands to see more projects qualify for a particularly valuable bonus in the investment tax credit context due to the capital-intensive nature of offshore wind projects, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Circumstantial Evidence Requires A Pointillist Approach
Because complex cases with sophisticated defendants are unlikely to reveal much, if any, direct evidence, attorneys must aggregate many pieces of circumstantial evidence into a cohesive narrative — much like the painting technique of pointillism, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Traversing The Web Of Nonjudicial Grievance Mechanisms
Attorneys at Covington provide an overview of how companies can best align their environmental and human rights compliance with "hard-law" requirements like the EU's recently approved Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive while also navigating the complex global network of existing nonjudicial grievance mechanisms.
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Exploring Patent Trends In Aerospace Electrification
As blue-chip companies lead the charge to power large-scale commercial airplanes with electricity, and startups advance the trend on a regional scale, patent applications directed at improving energy storage and electric motor efficiency are on the rise, say attorneys at Finnegan.
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Opinion
Federal MDL Rule Benefits From Public Comments
The new Federal Rule of Civil Procedure concerning multidistrict litigation that was approved this week by the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules incorporates ideas from public comments that will aid both plaintiffs and defense attorneys — and if ultimately adopted, the rule should promote efficient, merits-driven MDL case management, say Robert Johnston and Gary Feldon at Hollingsworth.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Climate Disclosure Mandates Demand A Big-Picture Approach
As carbon emissions disclosure requirements from the European Union, California and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission take effect, the best practice for companies is not targeted compliance with a given reporting regime, but rather a comprehensive approach to systems assessment and management, says David Smith at Manatt.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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ESG Challenges In Focus After Sierra Club Opposes SEC Rule
The Sierra Club's recent objection to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate-related disclosures for investors presents an unusual — pro-disclosure — legal challenge and an opportunity to take a close look at the varying critiques of ESG regulations, say Colin Pohlman, and Jane Luxton and Paul Kisslinger at Lewis Brisbois.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Illinois EV Charging Act Sparks Developer Concerns
A recent state law in Illinois requiring multifamily housing to provide facilities for electric vehicle charging raises significant concerns for developers over existing infrastructure that isn't up to the task, says Max Kanter at Much Shelist.