The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to eliminate greenhouse gas regulations for power plants after concluding that power plants do not "contribute significantly" to dangerous air pollution or,...more
In the weeks since Holland & Knight previously reported on challenges to California's Clean Air Act (CAA) preemption waivers on April 30, 2025, Congress has taken decisive action. Following the U.S. House of Representatives'...more
5/27/2025
/ Automotive Industry ,
California ,
Clean Air Act ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Policies ,
Government Agencies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Pending Legislation ,
Preemption ,
Trump Administration ,
Waivers
In recent years, states and municipalities have attempted to hold fossil fuel companies liable for their alleged impacts on climate change. Numerous states and municipalities have sued fossil fuel companies, alleging that...more
5/14/2025
/ CERCLA ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Executive Orders ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Pending Litigation ,
Preemption ,
State and Local Government ,
Superfund ,
Trump Administration
When it comes to regulating motor vehicle emissions, California has long been different. California was the first state in the nation to enact tailpipe emission standards and as result of its "pioneering" efforts in the...more
4/30/2025
/ Automotive Industry ,
Biden Administration ,
Clean Air Act ,
Clean Car Standards ,
Climate Change ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Judicial Review ,
Legal History ,
Preemption ,
Waivers
President Donald Trump on April 9, 2025, issued an executive order (EO) titled "Protecting American Energy from State Overreach." The EO aims at "unleashing American energy" by removing legal restrictions imposed by state...more
Under Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 209(a) (42 U.S.C. § 7543), states are preempted from adopting or enforcing emissions standards for new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. However, because California had adopted its...more
1/3/2025
/ Automotive Industry ,
Cars ,
Clean Air Act ,
Clean Car Standards ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Green Cars ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration ,
Waivers
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 6, 2024, adopted a new slate of standardized climate-related disclosure rules for public companies and foreign private issuers. Adopted by a 3-2 vote, the final rules...more
3/11/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Reporting ,
Foreign Private Issuers ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulation S-K ,
Regulation S-X ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Risk Assessment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Assembly Bill 1305 (AB 1305), also called the Voluntary Market Disclosures Act, is a new California statute requiring companies to make certain disclosures if they make claims in the state regarding greenhouse gas (GHG)...more
The California Legislature has sent two landmark bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom for approval that will have global repercussions. Bundled with Senate Bill (SB) 252 as part of the Climate Accountability Package, SB 253 and SB 261...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) on May 23, 2023, published a new suite of proposed standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants that will limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The proposed rule...more
6/1/2023
/ Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
Power Plants ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Public Hearing
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule on June 9, 2022, to revise the requirements for water quality certification under the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401. The proposed rule changes both...more
The California Court of Appeal has delivered a victory to Holland & Knight clients Ruegg & Ellsworth and Frank Spenger Company, as well as to housing advocates across the state, in a landmark opinion on the state's new...more
• Sacramentans for Fair Planning v. City of Sacramento is a case of first impression holding that cities and counties may continue to rely on the streamlined environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act...more
7/30/2019
/ CEQA ,
Due Process ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Equal Protection ,
General Plan ,
Land Use Restrictions ,
Mixed-Use Zoning ,
Sustainable Communities Strategy ,
Sustainable Projects ,
Urban Planning & Development