The Continuing Impact of Coal Ash - Energy Law Insights
April has proven a busy month for environmental issues when it comes to the regulatory arena. Below are just a few of the notable developments:...more
EPA’s long-awaited proposal would set aggressive emission reduction targets with many different approaches and timelines to achieve them. On May 11, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its...more
Just before the inauguration of President Biden, the Trump administration surprised many by failing to revise the stringent CO2 standard for new coal-fired power plants. That standard, adopted by the Obama administration, is...more
U.S. Banks Prepare to Seize Energy Assets as Shale Boom Goes Bust - "Major U.S. lenders are preparing to become operators of oil and gas fields across the country for the first time in a generation to avoid losses on loans...more
The Insanity is Over: ‘Navigable’ Now Means ‘Navigable’ Again - "The Trump administration has now announced that the intentionally ambiguous and easily abused Waters of the United States Rule has been replaced by the new,...more
On June 19, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final “Affordable Clean Energy” (“ACE”) rule to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan (“CPP”), which was suspended by the U.S. Supreme Court after...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) yesterday issued a final version of the previously proposed Affordable Clean Air Act Affordable Clean Energy (“ACE”) Rule. The ACE rule had been proposed on August...more
Revised Definition of "Waters of the United States" - Proposed Rule - "The agencies' proposal is the second step in a two-step process to review and revise the definition of 'waters of the United States' consistent with...more
In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the controversial “Clean Power Plan,” which was immediately the subject of a legal challenge and was subsequently stayed by the United States Supreme Court....more
As Storm Looms, 4th Circuit Reverses Ruling Against Dominion on Coal Ash Pollution at Chesapeake Site - "Water pollution from a coal ash landfill and settling ponds at a closed power plant in Chesapeake is not a violation of...more
EPA to Restrict Scientific Advisers Who Get Agency Grants - "Pruitt did not say how restrictive the policy would be. But it has the potential to greatly reduce the body of expert scientists who could serve on the boards...more
Department of Interior Rescinds OSM Enforcement Policies - On October 12, 2017, the Department of the Interior ("DOI") withdrew two prior Office of Surface Mining ("OSM") policies affecting mining operations. DOI rescinded...more
Groundbreaking Held for New Methanol Plant in Kanawha County, West Virginia - "US Methanol expects it will open its first American facility, Liberty One, in mid-2018, which will be capable of producing 200,000 metric tons...more