Navigating Environmental Restrictions on Alternative Project Delivery for Complex Infrastructure Projects
On-Demand Webinar | Charting a Course for Offshore Wind Energy in California
[WEBINAR] Update on the California Environmental Quality Act: What’s New for 2018
The new administration has repeatedly expressed its staunch support for nuclear energy. President Trump’s first-day executive order “Unleashing American Energy” specifically encouraged the development of nuclear energy...more
Stakeholders should stay informed as state and federal officials advance plans and policies for water conservation, water quality, and climate resilience in California....more
In December 2022, planning permission was granted by the secretary of state for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities ("SoS") to extract coal from a coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England. The project would have been the...more
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other environmental laws can create significant legal risks for the delivery of complex infrastructure projects using...more
La Sentencia C-280 de 2024 de la Corte Constitucional de Colombia (la Sentencia) del 11 de julio de 2024, declaró la exequibilidad condicionada del inciso segundo del Artículo 57 de 1993, bajo el entendido de que hay un...more
The Situation: On June 20, 2024, the UK Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) [2024]...more
This is the fifth in a series of six eAlerts on the Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule published in the Federal Register on May 1, 2024 (Final Rule) by the Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Final Rule...more
Late last month, the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases quietly released a three-paragraph memo on how agencies should determine the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions. I hesitate to call it...more
Welcome to “CEQA News You Can Use,” a quarterly production of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP’s Natural Resources lawyers. This publication provides quick, useful bites of CEQA news, which we hope can be a resource to...more
Several recent proposals impacting implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") demonstrate a renewed focus on considering climate change in federal decision-making. In July, the Council on Environmental...more
An environmental impact report need not discuss impacts that are too speculative in nature for proper evaluation or assess economic costs not linked to a physical change in the environment. County of Butte v. Dept. of Water...more
Last month, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf wrote to the Federal Highway Administration, stating that Oakland “is suffering from a crippling housing and homelessness crisis.”...more
In compliance with the Climate Roadmap Act, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office has released the final version of its new regulations and two final protocols regarding new MEPA review procedures to...more
After commencing a regulatory review effort in February 2021, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has issued proposed amended Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) regulations...more
After reviewing and responding to initial public comments, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has issued its revised draft Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Interim...more
CARB to Hold Second Public Workshop on Clean Miles Standard to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Ride-Sharing Services - On July 17, 2020, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will hold another public...more
More changes to CEQA timelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic - Bullet Allen Matkins – April 30 - In response to public-health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued...more
On January 9th, President Donald Trump in conjunction with the Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”) proposed sweeping regulatory revisions to rules that govern how the CEQ implements the National Environmental Policy Act...more
Agency consideration of climate change curtailed in update to decades-old policy - On January 9, 2020, President Trump’s Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”) proposed to “update” the nearly forty-year-old regulations...more
CARB Reports Continued Declines in Greenhouse Gas Emissions - The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is reporting that in 2017, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the state were 424 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2...more
The Council on Environmental Quality published draft guidance June 26, 2019, on how to assess greenhouse gas emissions under the National Environmental Policy Act, the law that requires environmental impact assessment for...more
On July 19, 2018, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, and collectively with FWS, the Services) announced several proposed changes to the regulations implementing the...more
The Natural Resources Agency has initiated formal rulemaking for a comprehensive update to the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines. The proposed CEQA Guidelines amendments are the most comprehensive update...more
On August 15, President Donald J. Trump signed a second executive order "streamlining" the federal environmental permitting process with a goal of making construction of transportation, water, and other infrastructure...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - California Legislature extends state's cap-and-trade program in rare bipartisan effort to address climate change - Los Angeles Times - Jul 17 - California lawmakers voted Monday...more