Recent policy shifts at the federal level have introduced significant variability to the US renewable energy sector. While demand for clean energy continues to grow, executive orders, regulatory changes, and evolving...more
6/9/2025
/ Clean Energy ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Executive Orders ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Offshore Wind ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
Tax Credits
After nearly two decades of silence, the US Supreme Court on May 29, 2025, weighed in on an issue that has tremendous significance for permitting of complex infrastructure and other development projects—the depth and breadth...more
Buoyed by robust demand for large parcels of undeveloped land, the rise of artificial intelligence workloads, and the game-changing role that hyperscalers are playing, the real estate market for data centers is in a strong...more
5/13/2025
/ Acquisition Agreements ,
Commercial Leases ,
Commercial Real Estate Market ,
Data Centers ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Review ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Transactions ,
Regulatory Requirements
The US administration issued the executive order “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach” on April 8, 2025, directing the US Attorney General to identify and challenge state- and local-level energy and climate...more
The US Supreme Court held in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA that the US Environmental Protection Agency lacks authority under the Clean Water Act to include “end-result” limitations in National Pollutant Discharge...more
The two-judge majority opinion in Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration effectively invalidates the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) longstanding regulations implementing the National...more
The US Supreme Court’s opinion in the Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Commerce cases overruling the rule of deference to agency interpretations of federal statutes established by its decision 40 years ago in...more
7/5/2024
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Chevron Deference ,
Chevron v NRDC ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Government Agencies ,
Judicial Authority ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Relentless Inc v US Department of Commerce ,
SCOTUS ,
Statutory Interpretation
Leaders across the United States are prioritizing offshore wind development as an essential component of any strategy to address climate change, since the ocean is one of the few available areas that can provide enough...more
The global impact of our planet’s changing climate garnered significant attention in 2021. The United States rejoined the Paris Agreement at the beginning of the year, and in November, during the United Nations Climate Change...more
The scope of commitments by corporations involving their own sustainability efforts around the globe has markedly accelerated this year. About 300 companies have signed on to the RE100 initiative, which brings together...more
A very significant step in the development of offshore wind in the United States was reached on May 11, 2021, when the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved Vineyard Wind’s 62-turbine offshore wind farm located...more
The pace of regulatory and legislative developments in climate change and renewable energy over the past few years has been dizzying. With a new US presidential administration now focused on energy issues ...more
Much of the attention in President Joseph Biden’s executive actions in his first 100 days has been focused on his numerous executive orders on topics ranging from climate and COVID-19 to race and gender. Although these...more
With the arrival of a new US presidential administration, companies are anticipating potential shifts in enforcement priorities by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the areas of climate change, the National...more
2/16/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Chemical Data Reporting ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Change ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Reform ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
FIFRA ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
NEPA ,
PFAS ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
The US Supreme Court held that the National Park Service’s responsibility over the Appalachian Trail did not incorporate that land into the National Park System, leaving the Forest Service with the authority to grant the...more
6/22/2020
/ Administrative Authority ,
Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC v Cowpasture River Preservation Association ,
Easements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Exceptions ,
Federal Land ,
Forest Service ,
Jurisdiction ,
Lack of Authority ,
Land Developers ,
Mineral Leasing Act ,
National Park Service ,
National Parks ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Right of Way ,
SCOTUS ,
Sierra Club ,
Special Use Permit ,
Trails Act ,
United States Forest Service v Cowpasture River Preservation Association
Multiple environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Conservation Law Foundation, and Defenders of Wildlife, have sued the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Army Corps of Engineers over...more
As part of its Integrated Resource Plan and Long-Term Procurement Plan proceeding (IRP-LTPP R.16-02-007, or IRP Proceeding), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted unanimously on November 7 to issue a...more
Acting US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler confirmed in a recent interview that the agency “feels strongly” that it will “move forward to finalize” its controversial proposed...more
While control of Congress and the gubernatorial races garnered the most attention, the 2018 midterm elections also provided voters in several states the opportunity to craft environmental and energy policy directly through...more
For energy industry observers, the 2017 California state legislative session produced a few significant bills (concerning extension of the cap and trade program and regulation of criteria air pollutants and toxic air...more
1/31/2018
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Cap-and-Trade ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
EPIC ,
Microgrids ,
Oil & Gas ,
Solar Energy ,
Utilities Sector ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
Legislation would require that 100% of California’s electricity be generated from renewable sources by 2045—with an interim goal of 50% generation by the end of 2025....more
The executive order asks agencies to repeal or revise an Obama-era rule defining the scope of the Clean Water Act and recommends adoption of a narrower standard articulated by the late Justice Scalia....more
California took legislative action in 2016 aimed at addressing climate change, advancing renewable energy, and maintaining the state’s emphasis on safety in the energy sector.
In 2016, the California legislature took...more
3/2/2017
/ Biomass ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Climate Change ,
Electricity ,
Energy Conservation ,
Energy Efficiency ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Feed-in-Tariffs ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy
Federal officials deem that state-led efforts are sufficient to protect the bird’s habitat for the near future.
On September 22, the administration of US President Barack Obama announced that, given the “unprecedented”...more
Expansion could result in significantly increased costs in permitting requirements for the regulated community.
On May 27, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (the Army Corps)...more