New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced June 25 that she is directing New York Power Authority to add at least one gigawatt of new nuclear power generation by building a zero-emission nuclear power plant somewhere in upstate New...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released its annual update to the list of energy communities eligible for the energy community bonus tax credit. Released as Notice 2025-31, the guidance updates...more
The methodology outlines a three-step approach for obtaining credits: retirement of coal-fired power plants, generation of replacement renewable electricity, and assurance of a just transition....more
The National Environmental Protection Act ("NEPA") requires that federal agencies assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making final decisions, including decisions on issuing federal permits,...more
The United States Energy Information Administration (“EIA”) issued a June 11th report titled: U.S. natural gas combines-cycle capacity by initial operating year (1990-2028) (“Report”). The Report provides both prior...more
In welcome news for developers and stakeholders in new carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and fossil-fueled energy transition projects, on 22 May 2025, England’s Court of Appeal dismissed an application for...more
The RUPTL carries significant strategic implications and offers substantial opportunities for investment. As Indonesia advances its energy transition, the RUPTL will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of its national...more
On May 29, 2025, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, No. 23-975, 605 U.S. ___ (2025), sharply limiting the scope of environmental review obligations under the...more
In the latest NEPA news, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the withdrawal of its interim guidance on “Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate...more
Following up on our previous posts on United States energy policy under the Trump Administration, we are writing with an update on recent State Attorney General (AG) action in response to the Trump Administration’s climate...more
Welcome to our fifth issue of Currents 2025. We are covering a multitude of issues in this edition, but we want to pass along an announcement and an event notice first. Again, thank you for reading! Tapping Into Common...more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Sustainability Spotlight, your place to keep up with all the ESG action – federal and state enforcement, shareholder proposals and litigation, and state attorney general actions. This...more
A number of the new administration’s executive actions are intended to implement a significant shift in energy and environmental policy, including the following, all issued on January 20, 2025. “Unleashing American Energy”...more
On Friday, January 3, 2025, the Montana Supreme Court issued a decision in MEIC v. DEQ (Laurel Generating Station), its second major decision on the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) in the last few weeks that affects...more
In a 6-1 ruling yesterday, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld a landmark decision finding that a 2011 state law making it illegal to consider environmental impacts (including greenhouse gas emissions) when issuing permits for...more
Last month, the High Court ruled that planning permission previously granted for a coal mine in West Cumbria was unlawful (Friends of the Earth v West Cumbria Mining [2024] EWHC 2349 (Admin) ("West Cumbria Mining")). West...more
On July 4, 2024, the UK general election took place, and the Labour Party won with a significant majority. After 14 years of Conservative Party rule, a number of changes are now expected in respect of the UK's position on...more
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
Finch v. Surrey calls for assessment of all likely direct and indirect environmental effects in EIAs, including certain Scope 3 emissions if a reasonable estimate is feasible. On 20 June 2024, the UK Supreme Court (the...more
We are pleased to announce the release of our latest whitepaper, Fueling Up: How to Make U.S. Clean Hydrogen Projects Happen. This comprehensive report explores the critical steps needed to unlock the potential of clean...more
The key principles for a Carbon Management Strategy and draft act on the revision of the Carbon Storage Act create new opportunities for investors and project developers. The German Federal Government’s Carbon Management...more
On March 22, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued additional guidance in respect of the “Energy Community Bonus” in Notice 2024-30 (the “Notice”), which provides two key updates: (1) offshore wind farms have two...more
An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind (St. 2022, c. 179, § 84) required the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to establish a demonstration project in which 10 municipalities were selected to adopt...more
If accepted, the new Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4034, “General Site Suitability Criteria for Nuclear Power Stations,” may facilitate the siting of both advanced and traditional reactors closer to population centers. The...more
As the world focuses on energy transition and decarbonisation, there is clearly no shortage of bold ambition on the part of many African governments to play a key role in global efforts to tackle climate change. Meanwhile,...more