Permitting Bill Passes First Procedural Senate Vote

By Gautama Mehta

An overhaul of the federal permitting process aimed at reducing red tape in infrastructure and energy projects cleared its first procedural vote in the U.S. Senate by a margin of 73 to 25 on Monday.

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Justices Signal Support For Feds In Pipeline Payout Fight

By Keith Goldberg

U.S. Supreme Court justices Monday appeared inclined to conclude that federal law, and not state law, determines what gas infrastructure project developers should pay landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

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Calif. Voters Reject Prop. 45 Fast-Tracking CEQA Reviews

By Dorothy Atkins

Golden State voters have rejected the California Chamber of Commerce-backed Proposition 45, which would have limited reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act and allowed developers to fast-track most housing, water and health projects.

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9th Circ. Pauses Some Calif. Climate Disclosure Requirements

By Rae Ann Varona

The Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that California can require companies to report greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations or from purchased energy, but temporarily blocked the state from requiring reporting of indirect emissions and climate-related financial risk.

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Supreme Court Lets DHS Resume Big Bend Wall Project

By Katie Buehler

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can restart construction of a border wall that runs through Big Bend National Park in Texas, finding a lower court judge who halted the project likely lacked authority to do so.

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MVP: Hueston Hennigan's Douglas Dixon

By Ganesh Setty

Douglas Dixon of Hueston Hennigan LLP scored a series of jury trial and settlement wins for PacifiCorp as the power provider faced numerous damages claims from wildfires in 2020, earning him a spot as one of the 2026 Law360 Environmental MVPs.

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Brief

Commerce Sets Early Duties On Chemicals From 4 Countries

By Jack McLoone

Imports of the chemical polytetramethylene ether glycol from China, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam are facing possible antidumping duties after the U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday preliminarily determined the products are being sold at less than fair value.

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Wash. Panel Nixes $10K Sanctions On Monsanto PCB Attys

By Rachel Riley

A Washington Court of Appeals panel has overturned a combined $10,000 in sanctions against four attorneys who defended Monsanto from chemical poisoning claims, concluding Monday that the trial court overstepped its authority by personally punishing the lawyers for late disclosure of expert witnesses.

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Landowners Ask Justices To Weigh High-Voltage Line Surveys

By Nate Beck

A group of Maryland landowners asked the Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit decision allowing Public Service Energy Group access to survey the route of a proposed 67-mile high-voltage transmission line, based on a trial court finding that the company would likely win eminent domain entry.

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OpenAI, Local Officials Hid $20B Data Center Push, Suit Says

By David Aaro

OpenAI and the local government used secret meetings and nondisclosure pacts to keep plans for a massive South Georgia data center under wraps, a trio of Peach State residents said in a new lawsuit.

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Seattle Area Residents Aim To Relaunch Airport Pollution Suit

By Rachel Riley

Washington residents are seeking a federal judge's permission to revamp their proposed class action over alleged flight path pollution near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with the goal of bringing federal claims against the airport operator and major airlines after the Ninth Circuit ruled out their previous state law claims.

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Policy Not Yet Triggered For Contamination Costs, Court Told

By Hope Patti

A steel manufacturer must exhaust a $25 million property policy and pay an additional $5 million before an environmental liability policy will cover damage stemming from a radioactive contamination incident, an Allianz insurer told an Indiana federal court.

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Milbank, White & Case Guide $4B LS Power, NRG Gas Deal

By Al Barbarino

LS Power has agreed to acquire six natural gas-fired power generation facilities across four U.S. states from NRG Energy Inc. for $4 billion, the companies announced Monday. 

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Strathcona Buying Greenfire Resources In Up To $2.1B Deal

By Al Barbarino

Strathcona Resources Ltd. has agreed to acquire Greenfire Resources Ltd. in a transaction valued at up to CA$2.9 billion, or about $2.1 billion, with at least six law firms advising the Canadian oil and gas producers.

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How Power Grid Delays Are Reshaping Data Center Deals

Texas' pause on permits while it studies data centers' effect on its electrical grid highlights the nationwide problem of yearslong interconnection delays, where the ways developers, investors and customers bridge that gap — and decide who bears the risk when it widens — increasingly determine whether a deal works, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

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How A Child Of Immigrants Defends Abrego Garcia

By Corey Rothauser

Hecker Fink attorney Jeffrey Then grew up translating English-language letters for customers at his Dominican immigrant family’s Bronx business. Decades later, he drew on that experience while defending Kilmar Abrego Garcia from federal human smuggling charges, becoming a lifeline for Abrego Garcia during his detention.

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Q&A

John Morgan On Why Luck Matters More Than Most Admit

By Y. Peter Kang

John Morgan, founder of personal injury giant Morgan & Morgan PA, built the largest personal injury firm in the U.S., with 1,110 attorneys in 140 locations. In his new memoir, "Life Is Luck," the attorney who Forbes estimates has a net worth of $1.5 billion argues that success is about more than talent, intelligence or determination. It is also about recognizing opportunities, taking risks and capitalizing on fortunate breaks when they appear.

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Wachtell To Probe Nvidia CEO's Affair With Alleged China Spy

By Anna Scott Farrell and Sue Reisinger

Nvidia has hired Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz to lead an investigation into allegations that its founder and CEO had an affair with a business executive who U.S. intelligence believes is a Chinese spy, the artificial intelligence chipmaker said Tuesday.

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Grassley Defends Rush To Confirm Trump Judicial Picks

By Courtney Bublé

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Tuesday defended how quickly the committee is moving to confirm President Donald Trump's judicial picks before Democrats control the Senate.

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Trump Swaps Out Blocked 8th Circ. Nominee With Ark. Justice

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump on Tuesday withdrew his pick for the Eighth Circuit and replaced him with a different nominee amid apparent opposition from Arkansas' senators. 

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