A series of recent actions undertaken by President Biden, near the end of his term, and President Trump, in the early days of his presidency, have called into question a key issue under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act...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
On January 20, President Trump issued several executive orders taking aim at former President Biden’s offshore oil and gas development bans, as well as overturning several other actions designed to boost climate protections....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
With just days remaining in office, President Joe Biden has cast uncertainty over President-Elect Donald Trump's campaign promises of U.S. energy dominance. On Jan. 6, 2025, President Biden announced an executive action to...more
“While Republicans have taken unified control of the federal government, President-elect Donald Trump is going to lean heavily on an expansive use of executive power from his first day back in the Oval Office as he has...more
In his final days in office, President Joe Biden has exercised his executive authority to withdraw more than 625 million acres of federal waters from future oil and gas leasing – the largest withdrawal of its kind in U.S....more
Republicans have swept the 2024 elections, returning Donald Trump to the White House as the 47th President and flipping the Senate to a Republican majority. Having narrowly maintained control of the House of Representatives,...more
With U.S. President Joe Biden taking office in January 2021, many energy industry participants have questions regarding how new federal policy may adversely affect oil and gas operators pursuing exploration and development...more
President-elect Biden will assume office in January, 2021, with a divided nation, the global coronavirus pandemic, and a domestic energy market in a distressed state. The new administration will need to oversee the management...more
More Federal Permits Handed Down as MVP Presses FERC for Construction Restart - "The Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC told FERC that it has received a series of key federal waterbody crossing permits, bolstering its case to...more
Everyone noticed when President Trump issued an order earlier this month banning offshore oil and gas drilling in certain areas until 2032. It was obvious to everyone that this was a campaign stunt, intended to improve his...more
Corona-Induced CO2 Emission Reductions are Not Yet Detectable in the Atmosphere - "Based on current data measured in the energy, industry, and mobility sectors, restrictions of social life during the corona pandemic can be...more
Outlook for This Week in the Nation's Capital - Congress Returns. Both the House and Senate return this week from the August recess period....more
Outlook for This Week in the Nation's Capital - Congress. The House and Senate have one week of legislative work remaining before they break for the Fourth of July recess period, and it looks to be quite busy. ...more
Wage and Hour Rulemaking News. June 12, 2019, was the deadline for submission of public comments in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour’s Division’s (WHD) proposed changes to clarify what forms of payment...more
On March 29, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Alaska issued its ruling in a case challenging a presidential executive order which would have reversed withdrawals of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)...more
Oil Soars After Trump Nixes Iran Nuclear Deal, Stocks Rally - "Crude oil prices rose more than 3 percent on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a nuclear accord with Iran, a move that...more
Focus - Cost of officially downsized Delta tunnel plan still exceeds currently pledged funds - Sacramento Bee - Feb 9 The troubled Delta tunnels project was officially downsized Wednesday, as Governor Brown’s...more
Let’s take a look at what President Trump has done for the oil industry in his first year (This is not about decorum, dossiers, tweets, or Oprah’s inauguration.) As in the past I refer to sources whose opinions and insights...more
Focus - Brown administration working to scale down $17 billion Delta tunnels project - The Mercury News - Jan 12 Faced with a shortage of money and political support after seven years of work, Governor Jerry Brown’s...more
On Thursday, January 4, 2018, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a proposal to open 25 of its 26 offshore planning areas for leasing for oil and gas drilling, reversing an Obama Administration drilling plan that...more
During his first year in Washington, President Trump made his mark on energy and environmental issues by issuing executive orders (EOs), proclamations, and presidential memoranda. Seeking to undo regulations enacted during...more
Another short-term continuing resolution is all but guaranteed as the current continuing resolution will expire later this month and budget talks last week did not result in a deal or hint at one in the near future. As the...more
Focus - Trump to open the door for oil drilling off U.S.’s East Coast - Bloomberg - Dec 11 The Trump administration is preparing to unveil an expansive offshore oil plan that would open the door to selling new drilling...more