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
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
2021 Land Use, Environmental & Natural Resources Update -
Allen Matkins – March 25 -
With the end of the first quarter of 2021 approaching, we thought it timely to issue an update on selected recent developments and...more
3/26/2021
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
Environmental Policies ,
Hydraulic Fracturing Study ,
Natural Resources ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pollution Control ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Water Boards ,
Water ,
Water Supplies
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
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
State senators introduce bill to ban hydraulic fracturing in California by 2027 -
San Francisco Chronicle – February 17 -
State Senators Scott Wiener and Monique Limon have introduced a bill that would halt the...more
2/19/2021
/ Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fracking ,
Fracking Bans ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
NEPA ,
NHTSA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Public Works ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Park
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. Fish and Wildlife Service faces suit over removal of endangered species protections for gray wolves -
Bullet The Hill – November 9 -
Last Friday, a coalition of conservation groups filed a notice of intent to sue...more
11/13/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
CPUC ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Efficiency ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Governor Newsom ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Plants ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Waste Treatment Facilities ,
Wastewater
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
EPA chief challenges California effort to mandate zero emission vehicles in 2035 -
Bullet Reuters – September 28 -
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Monday questioned...more
10/2/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Final Rules ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Public Land ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
Montage Healdsburg resort faces $6.4 million fine for construction stormwater-related violations -
Bullet The Press-Democrat – September 15 -
The developer of the Montage Healdsburg hotel in Sonoma County is facing...more
9/18/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Bureau of Reclamation ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Review ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Oil & Gas ,
Waste Management ,
Water Quality ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Water Supplies ,
Watershed
White House directs agencies to relax enforcement -
Los Angeles Times – September 9 -
A memorandum produced by the White House Office of Management and Budget and sent to federal agency heads last week instructs them to...more
9/11/2020
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Deregulation ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Farms ,
Groundwater ,
Infrastructure ,
Mineral Extraction ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water ,
Water Supplies
California targets diesel trucks, ships for biggest pollution reductions in over a decade -
Bullet Los Angeles Times – August 27 -
The California Air Resources Board this Thursday adopted its biggest pollution-cutting...more
8/28/2020
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Dow Chemical ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Review ,
Forest Service ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
National Parks ,
Natural Resources ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pesticides ,
Water Supplies
Federal court blocks Interior Department’s relaxation of migratory bird safeguards -
U.S. News & World Report – August 12 -
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York this Tuesday struck down a U.S....more
8/14/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Biofuel ,
Clean Water Act ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Department of the Interior ,
Diesel Fuel ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Incidental Take Permits ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Navigable Waters Protection Rule ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Attorneys General ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Wastewater ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Water Resources Control Board ,
Waters of the United States
Billions for national parks as historic bill becomes law -
Bullet The Mercury News – August 4 -
President Donald Trump this Tuesday signed into law the “Great American Outdoors Act,” which will provide $9.5 billion over...more
8/7/2020
/ California Energy Commission ,
Conservation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) ,
Land Preservation ,
National Environmental Policies ,
National Parks ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
Wildlife Protection
Federal agencies to limit water pollution enforcement where states have taken action -
Bullet The Hill – July 27 -
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday released a memorandom stating that it will not pursue...more
7/31/2020
/ Clean Water Act ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Environmental Litigation ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Policy Memorandums ,
Water Pollution ,
Water Quality Control Boards
Supreme Court reinstates streamlined permitting for pipelines, but not for Keystone XL project -
Bullet Bloomberg Law – July 6 -
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reinstated a streamlined permitting program, known as...more
7/10/2020
/ Conflicts of Interest ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fracking ,
Governor Newsom ,
Keystone XL Pipeline ,
National Parks ,
Nationwide Permits (NWPs) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Supreme Court says pipeline may cross underneath Appalachian Trail -
Bullet NPR – June 15 -
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a new 600-mile natural gas pipeline can cross underneath the Appalachian Trail on...more
6/19/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Drinking Water ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
National Parks ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Popular
EPA limits states' power to stop oil and gas pipelines -
Bullet NPR – June 1 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday issued a new rule intended to expedite the approval process for pipeline...more
6/5/2020
/ Clean Air Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Section 401 ,
Trump Administration
States sue over rollback of fuel efficiency standards -
Bullet The San Diego Union-Tribune – May 27 -
California, joined by nearly two dozen other states, the District of Columbia and the City of Los Angeles, on...more
5/29/2020
/ California Air Resources Board ,
Clean-Up Costs ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Superfund ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Water Quality
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration's California water plan -
Bullet Associated Press – May 12 -
A preliminary injunction was issued on Monday temporarily blocking the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (Bureau)...more
5/15/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Nationwide Permits (NWPs) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Public Comment ,
Water Quality ,
Water Supplies