EPA’s power to curb greenhouse gases faces Supreme Court scrutiny -
Courthouse News Service – October 29 -
The Supreme Court announced last Friday that it will hear challenges brought by the states of West Virginia...more
EPA rescinds previous administration’s guidance on Clean Water Act permit requirements -
Water & Wastes Digest – September 21 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is rescinding its guidance document: “Applying...more
9/24/2021
/ Air Pollution ,
Air Quality Standards ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hawaii Wildlife Fund v County of Maui ,
Hazardous Waste ,
NPDES ,
Nuclear Power ,
Petroleum
In a first, U.S. declares shortage on Colorado River, forcing water cuts - The New York Times – August 16 - With climate change and long-term drought continuing to take a toll on the Colorado River, the federal Bureau of...more
8/20/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Reclamation ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of the Interior ,
Drought ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pesticides ,
Water Supplies
Bay Area air quality regulators adopt stringent refinery particulate emissions standard -
Reuters – July 21 -
The governing board of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (District) on Wednesday adopted...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
$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
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
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
DOJ to let companies pay for environmental projects again to reduce fines -
The Hill – February 5 -
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has eliminated nine Trump-era directives on environmental law enforcement, including...more
2/5/2021
/ CA Supreme Court ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of the Interior ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Monsanto ,
Pesticides ,
Proposition 65 ,
Warning Labels ,
Wildfires ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
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
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
U.S. formally exits Paris Climate Agreement -
Bullet Associated Press – November 4 -
The United States this Wednesday formally left the Paris Climate Agreement, a global pact it helped forge five years ago during the...more
11/9/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Climate Change ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Paris Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Attorneys General ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Wildfires
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
California plans to ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 15 years -
The New York Times – September 23 -
California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars statewide by 2035, Governor Gavin Newsom announced...more
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
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
California and five major automakers finalize deal on vehicle emissions standards -
The New York Times – August 17 -
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) this Monday finalized “Settlement Agreements” with five of...more
8/21/2020
/ Automotive Industry ,
California Air Resources Board ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Center for Biological Diversity ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fuel Standards ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Historic Preservation ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
NASA ,
Native American Issues ,
PHMSA ,
Renewable Energy ,
Trump Administration ,
Wildfires
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
Air Resources Board mandates big increase in zero-emission trucks -
Bullet Los Angeles Times – June 25 -
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) last week approved the nation’s toughest clean-air mandate on trucks,...more
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
A Note to Our Readers: Although the coronavirus and its many disruptions are dominating the news, we will continue to publish the California Environmental Law and Policy Update so long as there are newsworthy developments in...more
3/27/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
CEQA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
PFAS ,
Public Comment ,
RCRA ,
Real Estate Development ,
Toxic Chemicals
Federal judge rules California-Quebec cap-and-trade agreement is valid -
San Francisco Chronicle – March 12 -
California’s agreement with Quebec to share cap-and-trade markets to reduce greenhouse gases survived its...more
3/13/2020
/ Cap-and-Trade ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Foreign Commerce ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Proposition 65 ,
Shipping ,
Stormwater Discharge Permits ,
Trump Administration ,
World Health Organization
Focus -
U.S. appeals court orders dismissal of young people's lawsuit over climate change -
U.S. News & World Report – January 17 -
A federal appeals court on Friday threw out a lawsuit by children and young adults...more
Focus -
EPA to limit science used to write public health rules -
The New York Times – November 11 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to significantly limit the scientific and medical research the...more