The 28th United Nations (U.N.) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) wrapped up in Dubai in mid-December 2023. This Article summarizes key takeaways and describes the potential implications for businesses and...more
1/19/2024
/ Business Entities ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
COP ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Green Technology ,
Investors ,
Natural Gas ,
Paris Agreement ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
United Nations ,
World Bank
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two climate disclosure bills into law on October 7, 2023. They will impose significant reporting obligations on thousands of companies doing business in California. SB 253, the Climate...more
10/19/2023
/ California ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) recently announced rulemaking intended to clarify a key cost containment provision of the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), the state’s carbon emissions cap-and-trade program. The...more
Two climate-related regulatory programs affecting business and industry in Washington state took effect on January 1, 2023. First, the Climate Commitment Act introduces an economywide emissions cap-and-invest program. Second,...more
The 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2020. While much was discussed, there are four takeaways that may be of greatest interest to business...more
12/23/2022
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Carbon Off-Set Credits ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
COP ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Summit ,
Global Market ,
Institutional Investors ,
Investment ,
Net Zero ,
Sustainability ,
United Nations
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) curtailed the agency’s authority to regulate emissions from power plants through rules shifting electricity generation from...more
The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), wrapped up earlier this month in Glasgow, Scotland, after two weeks of negotiations. While attention was focused on national pledges to reduce...more
11/23/2021
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
COP ,
Disclosure ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Net Zero ,
Paris Agreement ,
State and Local Government ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
United Nations
The Washington Legislature passed Senate Bill 5126, the Climate Commitment Act, on April 24, 2021, which establishes a greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-invest program for utilities, industrial facilities, and other operations...more
4/29/2021
/ Cap-and-Trade ,
Carbon Off-Set Credits ,
Clean Air Act ,
Compliance ,
Covered Entities ,
Department of Ecology ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Net Zero ,
Opt-In ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
The Washington Legislature passed House Bill 1091, which directs the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to adopt rules establishing a Clean Fuels Program to limit the aggregate, overall greenhouse gas emissions...more
Over the past few weeks, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has taken several actions that put climate change front and center, reflecting the importance to many investors of climate change related disclosures.
In...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on April 10, 2020, issued interim guidance regarding field work at contaminated sites. When deciding whether to continue on-site cleanup and emergency action construction...more
Washington state’s Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) ruled on February 26 that the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) exceeded its Clean Water Act (CWA) authority by inserting a permit condition in the Aquatic...more
In a split decision issued on January 16, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Ecology (Ecology) lacks authority under the state’s Clean Air Act (the act) to cap greenhouse gas emissions from...more
1/24/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Cap-and-Trade ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Air Act ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Imports ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Petroleum ,
Rulemaking Process ,
WA Supreme Court
In the waning hours of the 2019 session, the Washington Legislature narrowly passed SB 5993, which increases the tax on petroleum that primarily funds the state’s contaminated site cleanup program, protects the funds from...more
In a decision issued last month, the Washington Supreme Court narrowed “owner or operator” liability under the Model Toxics Control Act, RCW 70.105D (MTCA). In Pope Resources, LP v. Wash. Dept. of Natural Resources, the court...more
The Washington State Court of Appeals recently held the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) liable as an operator or owner of a contaminated site under the Model Toxics Control Act, RCW 70.105D (MTCA), in Pope Resources, LP...more