Environmental

  • December 03, 2024

    Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action

    December's appellate forecast calls for a squall of showdowns in a tiny time period before the holidays, including arguments involving recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, Big Tech's patents and popular purveyors of health food. In addition, winds of change are swirling around the White House's litigation posture and judicial nominations, and we'll quiz you on the latter in this edition of Wheeling & Appealing.

  • December 03, 2024

    MTA, NY Officials Rip Bid To Block Revised Congestion Pricing

    New York officials have told a federal judge that residents, truckers and community groups cannot sideline Manhattan's recently resurrected congestion pricing, saying there's zero merit to the plaintiffs' claims that they'd be irreparably harmed by allegedly unconstitutional and discriminatory tolls.

  • December 03, 2024

    Judge Says ND Can Intervene In Dakota Access Pipeline Row

    The state of North Dakota can back the federal government in a challenge by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe over the Dakota Access Pipeline, a federal district court judge said, after the state argued that a shutdown would substantially impact its economy and undermine its sovereign interests.

  • December 03, 2024

    Willkie Adds Litigation Heavyweight, Energy Expert In DC

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP announced Tuesday that it has brought on two Washington, D.C., partners — a new chair for its regulatory litigation practice group who joined from King & Spalding LLP and an energy-focused finance attorney who joined from Greenberg Traurig LLP.

  • December 03, 2024

    Trump Pledges To Block $14.9B US Steel-Nippon Deal

    President-elect Donald Trump has reiterated his opposition to the proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, pledging on Truth Social to block the deal and virtually extinguishing any remaining glimmers of hope that it can get done.

  • December 02, 2024

    DC Circ. Asked To Spike 'Dangerous' NEPA Regulatons Ruling

    Environmental groups are asking the D.C. Circuit to overturn a panel's "demonstrably dangerous" ruling that the White House Council on Environmental Quality lacks the authority to issue legally binding regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act.

  • December 02, 2024

    Newsom Wants $25M For Expected Legal Fights With Trump

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that he wants up to $25 million for litigation and legal fights he foresees with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, kicking off the first day of a special session the state Legislature held at the governor's request after Trump's win.

  • December 02, 2024

    Insurer Says Telecom Co. Can't Ax Marshall Fire Coverage Suit

    Liberty Mutual urged a Colorado federal court to allow it to proceed with a lawsuit against a Lumen Technologies subsidiary over coverage for underlying litigation linking the 2021 Marshall Fire to an unmoored telecommunications line, arguing that the insurer had clear standing to bring the suit.

  • December 02, 2024

    EPA Pitches Partial Ban On Food Crop Pesticide Chlorpyrifos

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday it is proposing a rule to revoke tolerances over the use of chlorpyrifos on foods, a year after the Eighth Circuit said the agency hurriedly instituted a ban and didn't fulsomely consider the possibility of allowing some beneficial uses to continue.

  • December 02, 2024

    Green Group Urges Justices To Save Wash. Port CWA Ruling

    A Washington state environmental group is urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to disturb a Ninth Circuit ruling that protects its right to sue over pollution discharges under the citizen enforcement provision of the Clean Water Act.

  • December 02, 2024

    Mining Cos. Ask Justices To Sink Peruvians' Pollution Claims

    The Renco Group Inc., owned by U.S. billionaire Ira Rennert, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an Eighth Circuit ruling that greenlit a lawsuit filed by more than 2,000 Peruvians who are seeking to hold The Renco Group and other companies liable for alleged lead poisoning tied to a smelting and refining complex in rural Peru.

  • December 02, 2024

    Solar Cos. Ask High Court To Review Vermont-Imposed Fine

    Allco Renewable Energy Ltd. and several other companies pursuing a solar generation project in Bennington, Vermont, are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to wade into their row with the Vermont Public Utility Commission and hold that it had no authority to impose a civil penalty on them without a jury trial.

  • December 02, 2024

    PE Firms Swap Calisen Stake At Reported $5B Value

    A majority stake in Calisen Group is changing hands in a private equity-backed deal that is said to value the British smart metering company at more than $5 billion, according to disclosures made Monday. 

  • December 02, 2024

    3 Firms Guide UAE Food Delivery App's Landmark $2B IPO

    Shares in Talabat, a food delivery app based in the United Arab Emirates, are set to begin trading next week following a $2 billion initial public offering that marked the largest global technology IPO this year, under guidance from three law firms.

  • December 02, 2024

    US Pitches $7.5B Loan To Stellantis-Samsung Battery Venture

    The U.S. Department of Energy on Monday said it intends to lend up to $7.54 billion to back a pair of lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities that a joint venture of Samsung SDI and automaker Stellantis NV is developing in central Indiana.

  • November 27, 2024

    Law Firm's Ads Irrelevant To Toxic Tort Case, Plaintiffs Say

    Colorado residents suing a medical sterilization facility over alleged exposure to ethylene oxide have urged a state judge to reject the company's subpoena of Meta for documents about a plaintiffs law firm's advertising for the litigation, arguing the information is irrelevant and would invade their privacy.

  • November 27, 2024

    Texas Tells 5th Circ. EPA Botched Ozone Compliance Orders

    The state of Texas called on the Fifth Circuit to vacate part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action requiring the state to revise its plan addressing "moderate" nonattainment of ground-level ozone standards for the Dallas, Houston and San Antonio areas, in light of the cities' upgrade to "serious" nonattainment.

  • November 27, 2024

    GOP-Led States Accuse BlackRock Of Driving Up Coal Prices

    Texas is leading a coalition of nearly a dozen Republican-led states suing BlackRock Inc. and two other large asset managers for allegedly running an "investment cartel" that takes advantage of their large holdings in publicly traded energy companies to drive up coal prices, a claim that BlackRock has said is "baseless and defies common sense."

  • November 27, 2024

    Illinois Top Court Will Decide Fate Of $7B Power Line Permit

    The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to review a lower court's decision striking state utility regulators' approval to build part of the $7 billion Grain Belt Express high-voltage transmission line.

  • November 27, 2024

    EPA Mercury Rule Is Fatally Flawed, DC Circ. Told

    Republican-led states and fossil fuel industry groups fired back at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent defense of its rule strengthening standards for mercury and other toxic air emissions at power plants, telling the D.C. Circuit the agency misinterpreted the Clean Air Act's pollution reduction goals.

  • November 27, 2024

    EPA Asks DC Circ. To Keep Emissions Rules In Place

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is defending its strict new emissions limits for cars, trucks and vans against a legal challenge from red states and industry groups, telling the D.C. Circuit that the Clean Air Act grants federal regulators authority over both gas-powered and electric vehicles.

  • November 27, 2024

    Trump Nominees Receive Bomb Threats, Feds Say

    Some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet appointees and administration nominees were targeted with "numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents," federal law enforcement officials said Wednesday, confirming reports from Trump's transition team.

  • November 26, 2024

    Utah, Farm Groups Can't Reopen Bears Ears Monument Case

    A D.C. federal judge has denied a bid by the state of Utah and two farming groups to lift a more than three-year stay in a challenge to the Bears Ears National Monument, saying that pending independent proceedings weigh upon the case and that there's no evidence of a demonstrated hardship.

  • November 26, 2024

    Tossing Uri Consumers' Claims Stifles 'Growth,' Justice Says

    A Texas appellate court justice said Tuesday that a decision by the court finding that power plants owed nothing to consumers for damages resulting from outages during Winter Storm Uri stifles "growth" in common law, dissenting from his colleagues who denied a motion for the whole court to rehear the case.

  • November 26, 2024

    NY Groups, Truckers Say Congestion Pricing Unconstitutional

    A New York teachers union, and coalitions of residents and truckers have told a federal judge that Manhattan's recently resurrected congestion pricing is still unconstitutional and discriminatory, and federal and state transportation agencies shouldn't be allowed to shake their claims just because the tolls will be reduced.

Expert Analysis

  • Trump Fossil Fuel Focus Won't End Interest In Clean Energy

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    A second Donald Trump administration is expected to prioritize expanding oil and gas drilling and reducing regulations — but some clean energy investments, including energy storage, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel, will likely continue to garner bipartisan and market support, says Scott Segal at Bracewell.

  • EPA's New Lead Pipe Rule Leaves Key Questions Unanswered

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently released update to its Lead and Copper Rule is a major step forward in the elimination of lead from drinking water systems, but it lacks meaningful guidance on alternative materials, jurisdictional concerns, cost allocation and other topics, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

  • What To Expect From State AGs As Federal Control Changes

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    Under the next Trump administration, Democratic attorneys general are poised to strengthen enforcement in certain areas as Republican attorneys general continue their efforts with stronger federal support — resulting in a confusing patchwork of policies that create unintended liabilities for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • In SF Water Case, Justices Signal How Loper May Be Applied

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    Skeptical questions from U.S. Supreme Court justices during oral argument in San Francisco v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offer hints of how the court intends to apply limits on agency regulatory autonomy established last term in Loper Bright, says Karen Cullinane at Goldberg Segalla.

  • Trump Rollback Of Biden Enviro Policies: What To Expect

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    Donald Trump's upcoming second presidential term will usher significant shifts in U.S. environmental and natural resource law and policy — and while the Biden administration is racing to secure its legacy, the incoming Trump administration is making plans to dramatically roll back most, if not all, of Biden's environmental initiatives, say attorneys at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Why K-Cup Claims Landed Keurig In Hot Water With SEC

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with Keurig Dr. Pepper for making incomplete statements regarding the recyclability of K-cup pods highlights the importance of comprehensive corporate disclosures, particularly with respect to ESG matters, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

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    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • Dissecting New Circuit Split Over SEC's Proxy Adviser Rule

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    The Sixth Circuit recently upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's partial rescission of enhanced conflict-of-interest disclosure requirements for proxy voting advice businesses, creating a circuit split over broader questions concerning the standard for assessing the legality of agency actions in general, say attorneys at Cahill Gordon.

  • The Unfolding Potential of Green Hydrogen In Brazil

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    A new federal law in Brazil establishing a legal framework for hydrogen development is the country's latest step toward creating a favorable environment for green hydrogen production, but significant challenges — including high production costs, technological hurdles and a lack of infrastructure — remain, says David Andrew Taylor at Almeida Advogados.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

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    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • A Shift In Control Of Congress May Doom These Enviro Regs

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    If the election leads to a change in control of Congress, lawmakers will likely use the lookback provision of the Congressional Review Act to challenge the Biden administration's late-term regulatory efforts — including recent initiatives on air pollutant source classification, lead pipe removal and hydrofluorocarbon emissions, say attorneys at Jones Walker.

  • Election Could Bring Change In Weather For Offshore Wind

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    Under another Trump administration, the offshore wind sector would encounter substantial headwinds, as Trump's policy track record emphasizes fossil fuel dominance and environmental rollbacks, while a Harris victory would likely further entrench the pro-renewable energy stance taken by the Biden administration, say attorneys at Jones Walker.

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