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
Since taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump has used his executive authority to make an unprecedented number of major policy changes. This includes dramatic shifts in the legal and regulatory landscapes,...more
Among the 37 executive orders signed by President Trump in his first week in office, there are several that address the regulation of energy and the environment. While it may be too soon to know the lasting effect of these...more
President Trump is set to sign an order establishing a "national energy dominance council" to steer U.S. energy policy. Led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, this council aims to streamline...more
Our Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group rounds up President Trump’s initial volley of Executive Orders focusing on the environment and energy....more
Newly confirmed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wasted little time implementing many of President Trump’s initial energy executive orders (EOs), unleashing a round of Secretary’s Orders (SOs) this past Monday that push fossil...more
As we enter 2025 with a new president in the White House and Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate, we can look forward to a significant shift in the landscape for oil & gas transactions. The second Trump...more
This client alert provides a brief overview of President Biden’s recent decision to expand the ban on offshore oil and gas leasing, outlining its background, scope, and potential impact on the energy industry. Key...more
The 28th annual United Nations climate meeting in Dubai in December of 2023 led to several agreements aimed at phasing out fossil fuels, increasing renewable capacity, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050....more
After two years of continuous behind-the-scenes work, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va), who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, joined by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), released S. 4753, the Energy...more
Good afternoon! 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
Greenwashing Beef Production - On February 28, New York State Attorney General (NYAG) Letitia James filed a lawsuit with the New York Supreme Court against meat processing company JBS USA for misleading the public about its...more
COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, came to an end in Dubai on December 13, 2023. The nearly 200 states reached what has been labelled a “historic” agreement...more
COP28 President Sultan Al-Jaber convened a small group discussion on Sunday to discuss outstanding issues on adaptation and equitable transitions ahead of updated draft texts. A new round of draft texts is expected on Monday...more
Domestic Nuclear Power Advancement: Barriers to Entry and the Need for a National Strategy - As previously reported on this site, nuclear generation development has taken hold as a potential promise for a long-term,...more
On June 13, 2023, the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a hearing on the “Oversight of FERC: Adhering to a Mission of Affordable and Reliable Energy for America.” The hearing...more
The explosion and fire of a tanker truck just north of Center City Philadelphia, leading to the collapse of sections of Interstate 95, one of the most heavily traveled roads in the United States and the chief highway...more
President Biden is reportedly contemplating the declaration of a “national climate emergency” (NCE). According to his advisors, all options are on the table for the administration as it seeks to meet its ambitious climate...more
The world is increasingly recognizing that nuclear power can play a critical role in combatting climate change, while also providing critical energy security....more
On December 16, 2021, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)—the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, respectively—introduced a bill entitled “Fission for the...more
The Biden administration's governmentwide approach to addressing climate change throughout all industries puts an unprecedented degree of pressure on traditional energy sources to prioritize innovation in order to sustain...more
Why the American Jobs Plan Would Benefit Coal-Heavy Utility Stocks - "A close look at some of the utilities publicly supporting a federal CES, which would require utilities to increase their share of carbon-free energy...more
Since the beginning of his presidential campaign, President Joe Biden has made clear his vision to drive the United States toward world leadership in green energy. With tax policy long an important tool in the toolbox for...more
On February 3, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier proclaimed that Germany had exceeded its target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to 1990 levels. Despite clearly being aided by the deep economic slump...more
Why the U.S. isn't in Desperate Need of the Keystone XL Pipeline - "U.S. President Joe Biden fulfilled a campaign promise by scuttling the 1,897-kilometre pipeline." Why this is important: While the rescission of the...more