As detailed in our previous Legal Alert, six conservation groups filed a petition with the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) on March 5, 2024 to request the implementation of legal protections for five...more
State issues proposal to ban hydraulic fracturing -
The Bakersfield Californian – May 24 -
California oil regulators last Friday publicly released a draft rule that would ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as...more
South Coast Air Quality Management District approves warehouse rule for air quality -
ABC News – May 8 -
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) last Friday approved a Warehouse Indirect Source Rule,...more
5/14/2021
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Bay Area Air Quality Management District ,
Biden Administration ,
Clean Air Act ,
Drought ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Review ,
Governor Newsom ,
Microgrids ,
SCAQMD
Environmental groups sue Army Corps of Engineers over pipeline permitting -
The Hill – May 3 -
A coalition of five environmental groups on Monday sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in federal court in...more
Governor Newsom moves to ban hydraulic fracturing by 2024 -
NPR – April 23 -
Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans last Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, by 2024 as part of a longer-term...more
Governor Newsom launches effort to deal with drought; emergencies declared -
Los Angeles Times – April 21 -
Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a drought emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. The...more
4/23/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Clean Air Act ,
Drought ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Insecticide ,
NASA ,
NHTSA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Paris Agreement ,
Watershed
Bill targeting PFAS and PFOS chemicals reintroduced in House -
Courthouse News Service – April 13 -
On Tuesday, the bipartisan PFAS Action Act was introduced for the second time in the U.S. House of Representatives,...more
4/16/2021
/ Clean Water Act ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fracking Bans ,
Governor Newsom ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Oil & Gas ,
PFAS ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Waters of the United States
$4.2 million fine upheld for California homeowner’s blocking of beach access -
The Mercury News – April 6 -
A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a $4.2 million fine against a Malibu homeowner for blocking beach...more
EPA expands analysis of new chemicals under TSCA -
Chemical & Engineering News – March 30 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 29 that, when conducting risk assessments of new chemicals...more
Deb Haaland confirmed as first Native American Cabinet secretary -
NPR – March 15 -
Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo, has become the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The...more
Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead EPA -
The New York Times – March 10 -
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Michael S. Regan, the former top environmental regulator for North Carolina, to lead the U.S. Environmental...more
3/12/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
California Air Resources Board ,
CEQA ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Environmental Impact Statements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Offshore Wind ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
Water Pollution
U.S. EPA drops challenge of Redwood City salt ponds' protection under Clean Water Act -
SFGate – February 26 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last Friday withdrew an appeal filed by the Trump...more
3/5/2021
/ Air Pollution ,
Biden Administration ,
CARB ,
Clean Water Act ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Nuclear Power ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Waters of the United States
Officials call for protection of Redwood City’s salt ponds -
The San Mateo Daily Journal – February 19 -
Nearly 60 Bay Area political leaders and organizations last Tuesday asked the Biden administration to protect...more
EPA withdraws toxicity assessment of PFAS contaminant, citing political interference -
Chemical & Engineering News – February 10 -
Citing a January 27 presidential directive on scientific integrity and evidence-based...more
2/12/2021
/ Amazon ,
Biden Administration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Housing Developers ,
Pesticides ,
PFAS ,
Pollution Control ,
Public Health ,
Waste Management ,
Wetlands
Biden, emphasizing job creation, signs sweeping climate actions -
The New York Times – January 27 -
President Biden on Wednesday signed a series of executive actions, ranging from pausing new federal oil leases to...more
1/29/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Impact Statements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Pesticides ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Wastewater
Biden orders review and reversal of over 100 Trump administration environmental regulations -
The New York Times – January 20 -
President Joe Biden this Wednesday recommitted the United States to the Paris climate...more
DOI unveils plan to weaken protections for millions of acres of California desert -
Reuters – January 13 -
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on Wednesday proposed weakening environmental protections for millions...more
1/15/2021
/ Clean Air Act ,
Dams ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of the Interior ,
DTSC ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Public Comment ,
Renewable Energy ,
Toyota ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Trump administration reverses migratory bird protections -
Bullet The New York Times – December 21 -
The U.S. Department of the Interior this Tuesday finalized a reversal of protections for wild birds under the 1918...more
1/8/2021
/ Dams ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water ,
Water Districts ,
Wetlands
Congress takes aim at climate change in massive relief bill -
Bullet Associated Press – December 21 -
The pandemic relief and spending package that President Donald Trump signed into law on Monday includes billions of...more
12/30/2020
/ Asbestos ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
Pesticides ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Walgreens ,
Water Resources Development Act ,
Wetlands
Biden picks North Carolina environmental chief to lead EPA -
Associated Press – December 17 -
President-elect Joe Biden this Thursday selected Michael S. Regan to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental...more
12/18/2020
/ Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Climate Change ,
Department of the Interior ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Lockheed Martin ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Site Remediation ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water Quality ,
Water Quality Control Boards
New EPA rule aims to limit tough clean air measures under Biden -
The New York Times – December 9 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this Wednesday completed a rule that could weaken federal authority to...more
12/11/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Air Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Draft Guidance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Hawaii Wildlife Fund v County of Maui ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pollution Control ,
Regulatory Reform ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. EPA recommends testing wastewater for PFAS -
Bullet Chemical & Engineering News – December 1 -
Certain facilities may have to test for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their...more
12/4/2020
/ Automotive Industry ,
Biden Administration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Contamination ,
Department of Toxic Substances Control ,
Environmental Impact Statements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
NPDES ,
PFAS ,
Power Plants ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water Supplies
Trade groups sue California to stop threatened species listing for Western Joshua Tree -
Bullet Desert Sun – October 27 -
Several trade groups and a high desert town sued in Fresno County Superior Court on October 21 over...more
10/30/2020
/ California Endangered Species Act ,
Clean Air Act ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Department of Toxic Substances Control ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Land Developers ,
Landfills ,
Nuclear Power ,
Nuclear Waste ,
Proposed Legislation ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Court allows Exide to abandon a toxic site in Vernon. Taxpayers will fund the cleanup -
Bullet Los Angeles Times – October 16 -
Chief Judge Christopher Sontchi of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Delaware ruled...more
10/23/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Jury Verdicts ,
Monsanto ,
Pollution Control ,
Proposition 65 ,
Public Safety ,
Site Remediation ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Warning Labels
President Trump makes agricultural water demands priority for new office -
U.S. News & World Report – October 13 -
President Donald Trump this Tuesday created what he called a “subcabinet” for federal water issues,...more
10/16/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Board of Supervisors ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Oil & Gas ,
Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Policy ,
Trump Administration