In a significant decision issued on May 29, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the Surface Transportation Board (the Board) was entitled to substantial deference under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and...more
On Thursday, May 15, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines and Safety held a hearing titled, “Pipeline Safety Reauthorization: Ensuring the Safe and Efficient...more
5/21/2025
/ Emerging Technologies ,
Energy Sector ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
PHMSA ,
Pipelines ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Reauthorization ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process
On April 9, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order (EO)1 directing several federal agencies and subagencies that regulate energy, environmental, and conservation matters,2 including the Federal Energy Regulatory...more
On March 5, 2025, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) approved Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC’s (GPLNG) request to extend a deadline to begin exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its terminal facility currently...more
3/10/2025
/ Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Exports ,
FERC ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
Infrastructure ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas Act ,
Oil & Gas ,
Policy Statement ,
Regulatory Requirements
As we enter 2025 with a new president in the White House and Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate, we can look forward to a significant shift in the landscape for oil & gas transactions. The second Trump...more
On January 20, 2025, and throughout his first week in office, President Trump signed a series of executive orders (EOs) outlining his priorities for the domestic energy industry and setting forth policy preferences that...more
1/24/2025
/ CEQ ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Executive Orders ,
FERC ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas Act ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy
As we enter 2025 with a new president in the White House and Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate, we can look forward to a significant shift in the landscape for oil & gas transactions. The second Trump...more
1/16/2025
/ Biden Administration ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FERC ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Private Equity ,
Renewable Energy ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration
President-elect Trump has been outspoken about his intent to reverse many of the Biden administration’s clean energy legislative and regulatory actions. We expect that the second Trump administration will seek to repeal...more
11/11/2024
/ Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Clean Energy ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Sector ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Investors ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pollution Control ,
Presidential Elections ,
Renewable Energy ,
Reversal ,
Tax Credits
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
9/18/2024
/ China ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fees ,
FERC ,
Fossil Fuel ,
General Elections ,
Methane ,
Mineral Extraction ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
SCOTUS
Interstate oil, liquid and refined products pipelines regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will soon be able to raise their transportation rates (provided they were set using FERC’s popular Index rate...more
Good afternoon! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
7/23/2024
/ BOEM ,
Charging Stations ,
Chevron Deference ,
China ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Minerals ,
Oil & Gas ,
OSHA ,
Renewable Energy ,
Tariffs ,
Wind Power
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
6/24/2024
/ China ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Russia ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Tax Credits
2023 saw two megadeals in the oil & gas industry that have led to calls from environmental interest groups for the FTC to intervene despite a lack of obvious antitrust issues. Whether the FTC will sue to block the deals...more
Policies and incentives supporting the energy transition, combined with strong oil & gas cashflows and growing concerns over energy security, have enhanced efforts to modernize the industry and invest in technologies that...more
The past 12 months have been some of the trickiest to navigate for oil & gas companies in recent memory. Despite high energy prices and record cashflows, there is still uncertainty about what future paths to growth might look...more
12/21/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Capital Raising ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Financing ,
Investment ,
Mergers ,
Oil & Gas ,
Private Equity ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Renewable Energy
On October 23, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order that will permit Trailblazer Pipeline Company LLC (Trailblazer) to convert its approximately 400-mile-long natural gas pipeline system to...more
In Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station v. FERC,
decided on July 21, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ended long-running litigation over the Federal Energy Regulatory...more
Effective July 1, 2023, oil and liquids pipelines regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and charging so-called “index” rates will be able to increase their rates by over 13 percent. FERC announced this...more
On May 4, 2023, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a long-awaited notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) titled “Pipeline Safety: Gas Leak Detection...more
Energy industry watchers are waiting to see whether environmental or industry groups will appeal a pair of decisions issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on April 21, 2023, that addressed the impacts of...more
On December 16, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, LP, its first opinion and order on an initial decision in a Natural Gas Act (NGA) section 4 general rate case...more
On December 15, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted to issue a Proposed Policy Statement on Oil Pipeline Affiliate Committed Service (the “Proposed Policy Statement”) in a new docketed proceeding in...more