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Appeals State and Local Government Environmental Litigation

Jones Day

Youth Climate Litigants See Success in One State, Dismissal in Another

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On December 18, 2024, the Montana Supreme Court ruled in the case of Held v. Montana, finding that the Montana Environmental Policy Act ("MEPA") violated the state's constitution. In the midst of great change to the federal...more

Mintz

New York City's Climate-Focused Local Law 97 Upheld By New York Court of Appeals

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On May 22, 2025, the New York Court of Appeals--the highest court in New York State--unanimously upheld New York City's Local Law 97 against a challenge brought by certain property owners. This law--Local Law 97--is “aimed...more

Perkins Coie

VMT Thresholds Must Be Based on Substantial Evidence Specific to Local Conditions

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The County of San Diego’s thresholds for exempting certain projects from vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis were not supported by substantial evidence showing they were appropriate specifically for the County. Cleveland...more

Alston & Bird

Land Use Matters | May 2025 | CEQA Appellate Decisions & Other Legal Developments

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City of Los Angeles - Expedited and Streamlined Review Process for Community Rebuilding - On March 18, 2025, Mayor Karen Bass issued Revised Emergency Executive Order No. 1 (EO 1) directing the Department of City Planning,...more

Mintz

Colorado Supreme Court Allows Climate Tort Litigation to Proceed

Mintz on

On May 12, 2025, in a 5-2 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court held that the tort claims brought by local governments in Colorado against major fossil fuel companies concerning damages stemming from climate change could...more

Perkins Coie

State Control of Injection Well Permitting Stays in Focus Amid Legal Challenges Over CCS Infrastructure

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Key Takeaways - - EPA is evaluating the Texas Railroad Commission's formal primacy application. If granted, Texas will assume primary enforcement authority—or primacy—over Class VI wells. - Carbon capture and storage...more

Downey Brand LLP

Are Your CEQA Thresholds Supported by Substantial Evidence? Fourth District Rules San Diego County’s Thresholds of Significance...

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In Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. County of San Diego (2025) 109 Cal. App.5th 1257, the Fourth District Court of Appeal invalidated two thresholds of significance adopted by the County of San Diego (“County”) that in...more

Allen Matkins

California Court Clarifies CEQA Tribal Consultation Duties in First Published AB 52 Decision

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On March 14, 2025, the California Court of Appeal for the First District issued the first published opinion interpreting Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52), the law governing tribal consultation procedures under the California...more

Meyers Nave

Court of Appeal Invalidates County's Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Screening Thresholds for CEQA Review

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A California court of appeal has held that a lead agency conducting environmental review, under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), of “vehicle miles traveled” (VMT) impacts may not unquestioningly use thresholds...more

Miller Starr Regalia

Fourth District Invalidates San Diego County’s “Infill” And “Small Project” VMT Screening Thresholds As Lacking Substantial...

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In a published opinion filed March 27, 2025, the Fourth District Court of Appeal (Div. 1) reversed the trial court’s judgment denying a writ petition, and held that two screening thresholds of significance for vehicle miles...more

Oliva Gibbs

Pleading for Help — Ohio’s Time for Twombly (and Iqbal): Ohio Supreme Court to Consider Ohio Pleading Standards in Wilson Energy,...

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Two companion cases from the Fourth District Court of Appeals — Wilson Energy and Bethel Oil & Gas — are currently on appeal at the Ohio Supreme Court. Both cases involve similar facts and require the resolution of the same...more

Harris Beach Murtha PLLC

Plaintiffs Cannot Defeat Federal Removal Jurisdiction by Artful Pleading

The allegations of a plaintiff’s complaint do not control when evaluating removal under the federal officer removal statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1), and instead the court must credit the defendant’s theory of the case when...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Energy & Climate Counsel

Climate Litigation Against the US Is Dead. How Long Will State Climate Damage Cases Survive?

On Monday morning, the Supreme Court denied certiorari in Juliana v. United States. The cert. denial leaves in place the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that ordered the case dismissed for lack of standing. At least for...more

Jenner & Block

Federal Preemption as a Vehicle to Supreme Court Review of Climate Change Cases

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On February 20, 2024, the City of Chicago sued defendant fossil fuel companies in Illinois state court, asserting state law claims, including nuisance, violations of consumer protection laws, and products liability. Chicago...more

Perkins Coie

California River Watch v. Vacaville: “A Better Considered Position” Under RCRA

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, on July 1, 2022, took the extraordinary step of reversing its prior decision in California River Watch v. City of Vacaville. The Ninth Circuit ruled that “transportation” under...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

State Law Climate Damage Cases (Still) Belong in State Court

In the first appellate decision to decide the issue since the Supreme Court decision in BP P.L.C. v. Mayor & City Council of Baltimore, the 10th Circuit ruled this week that climate damage claims brought by several Colorado...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

When it Comes to SEQRA, Reasonable Agencies Are Allowed to Disagree

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In SEQRA litigation, there is an oft-quoted proposition that the Lead Agency may not abdicate or defer its responsibilities under SEQRA to another agency. See Riverkeeper, Inc. v. Planning Bd. of Town of Se., 9 N.Y.3d 219,...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Court Decision Creates Conflicting Case Law with Respect to When to Challenge a SEQRA Final Determination

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

The Appellate Division, Second Department, recently issued a decision that appears to be a departure from prior precedent and is certain to create confusion with respect to when to commence an Article 78 claim challenging a...more

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