Energy

  • January 16, 2025

    Trump's DOT Pick Says Air Safety, New Tech Big Priorities

    President-elect Donald Trump's would-be transportation secretary pledged to oversee a leaner and more efficient U.S. Department of Transportation focused on expediting project permitting, prioritizing mega infrastructure projects, and ensuring that Boeing and aviation safety gets "back on track."

  • January 16, 2025

    Quarry, Conn. Town Eye Settlement In $9.5M Shutdown Feud

    The town of East Haven, Connecticut, and a quarry owner are in settlement talks to end both a lawsuit and an appeal of the owner's $10.6 million bench trial win on claims he was forced to shut down operations for improper political reasons, a federal district court filing indicates.

  • January 16, 2025

    Mining Co. Can Intervene In Nevada Lithium Project Suit

    A Nevada federal judge is allowing the owner and developer behind the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Mine to intervene in a dispute over the U.S. Department of the Interior's authorization of the project, saying the company satisfies all intervention requirements.

  • January 16, 2025

    Chancery Nixes More Docs For Exxon-Pioneer Merger Suit

    Ruling that "any further intrusions are unwarranted," Delaware's Court of Chancery on Thursday rejected a Pioneer Natural Resources stockholder bid for additional emails and text messages between the company's former CEO and Exxon Mobil Corp.'s top executive related to the two company's $60 billion merger.

  • January 16, 2025

    Trump EPA Pick Faces Climate Questions, Dodges Details

    President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday tried to steer clear of controversy at a Senate confirmation hearing, taking a conciliatory tone, deferring judgment on specific matters and promising to exercise independence.

  • January 16, 2025

    Interior Nom Stresses Need For More Fossil Fuels

    Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum said on Thursday that he will promote U.S. energy dominance and add more fossil fuel-derived electricity to the grid, as Democrats and Republican senators sparred over how much emphasis should be given to renewables.

  • January 16, 2025

    Boiler Co. Blamed For Carbon Monoxide Deaths In $18M Suit

    The home-heating boiler in a Massachusetts home where three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning last year lacked a sensor or switch that would have shut it down after water from condensation blocked an improperly installed vent pipe, a lawsuit filed in state court Wednesday alleges.

  • January 16, 2025

    Texas Ozone Fight A Repeat Of 2007, EPA Tells 5th Circ.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that Texas is feigning a misunderstanding of the Clean Air Act, saying it couldn't have hit the state with a "surprise switcheroo" because it was in an identical situation more than a decade earlier.

  • January 16, 2025

    NC Biz Court Bulletin: Judge Bids Adieu, TikTok Wants Out

    The North Carolina Business Court's former chief judge hung up his robes for the last time as the court entered the new year with a ruling that shapes the fate of beset real estate company MV Realty's consumer fraud trial and arguments by TikTok Inc. that its platform being "too engaging" isn't enough for the state to begin an enforcement action.

  • January 16, 2025

    Madigan Racketeering Case Will Go To Jury

    The Illinois federal judge overseeing a criminal racketeering trial against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime friend and political ally made certain Thursday that the jury will deliberate and decide the case, rejecting severance and acquittal requests on the last day of evidence.

  • January 16, 2025

    Phillips Mum On Future As FERC Chairmanship Nears End

    Willie Phillips on Thursday acknowledged that his time as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman is coming to an end, but wouldn't say whether he will leave the agency once President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

  • January 16, 2025

    Cleveland-Cliffs Sets Sights On US Steel, And More Rumors

    Cleveland-Cliffs has re-emerged as a potential suitor to purchase U.S. Steel after President Joe Biden blocked Nippon's planned purchase, TikTok could be sold to Elon Musk, and Prada is among potential suitors eyeing Versace. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.

  • January 16, 2025

    Enviro Org. Drops Fight Over DOE's $1.1B Diablo Canyon Award

    An environmental group has begrudgingly dismissed its challenge of a $1.1 billion U.S. Department of Energy award that aimed to help California's last nuclear power plant keep running after learning state officials have already given Pacific Gas & Electric Co. $1.3 billion for the same purpose.

  • January 16, 2025

    Pa. Energy Co. Strikes Deal To End 401(k) Class Action

    A Pennsylvania-based electricity and natural gas company agreed to settle a class action alleging it loaded its employee retirement plan with costly underperforming investment options, staving off a trial slated to begin this month.

  • January 16, 2025

    Treasury Updates Bonus Energy Tax Credit Safe Harbors

    The U.S. Treasury Department provided updates Thursday to safe harbors that clean energy project developers can use to qualify for bonus tax credits for domestically sourcing steel and aluminum parts in response to new trade restrictions on solar products from China by President Joe Biden's administration.

  • January 15, 2025

    GE Investors' $362.5M Settlement Gets Initial Greenlight

    Investors in manufacturing giant General Electric Co. have gotten an initial nod for their proposed $362.5 million eve-of-trial deal to end long-running claims that the company fraudulently concealed cash flow problems, allegedly resulting in plummeting shares after its fiscal woes were disclosed.

  • January 15, 2025

    Fla. Ex-Rep Can't Get Feds' Evidence In Foreign Agent Case

    A Florida federal judge on Wednesday denied a former congressman's bid to force U.S. prosecutors to turn over evidence showing the government improperly directed Venezuela's state-owned oil company to file a New York lawsuit against his consulting firm to obtain evidence in his criminal case, calling the request speculative.

  • January 15, 2025

    Energy Secretary Nominee Emphasizes Production At Hearing

    Energy secretary nominee Christopher Wright promised on Wednesday to "unleash American energy at home and abroad," as Democratic and Republican senators questioned him on his commitment to carrying out transmission permitting reform and increasing nuclear energy generation.

  • January 15, 2025

    Solar Power Biz Beats Shoals' Patent Case At ITC

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has cleared a North Carolina solar manufacturer from a patent case, flipping an administrative law judge's determination that a solar "trunk bus" transmission system infringes a rival's patent.

  • January 15, 2025

    Foes Of Expanded Oil Facility Face Texas Panel's Tough Queries

    A Texas appeals court directed some pointed questions to environmental groups seeking to challenge an oil facility's expansion during oral arguments Wednesday, saying facilities like the one in question have to go somewhere or else "the Europeans will starve in the cold this winter."

  • January 15, 2025

    Hino Motors Inks $1.6B Deal To End Emissions Fraud Claims

    Toyota unit Hino Motors Ltd. will pay approximately $1.6 billion in criminal and civil penalties to close out claims it illegally manipulated emissions and fuel-economy test results for more than 100,000 diesel vehicles sold in the U.S., the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

  • January 15, 2025

    Sidley-Led Flowco Raises $427M In Year's First Major IPO

    Oilfield equipment and services provider Flowco Holdings Inc. on Wednesday priced a $427 million initial public offering above its range, represented by Sidley Austin LLP and underwriters' counsel Latham & Watkins LLP, marking the year's first sizable IPO.

  • January 15, 2025

    Energy Giants Escape NYC's Climate Deception Suit

    A New York state judge has dismissed the Big Apple's suit accusing Exxon, BP and Shell of deceiving the public about the climate change effects of their operations, saying the city has failed to allege its consumer protection laws were violated.

  • January 15, 2025

    EPA Tells DC Circ. Truck GHG Emissions Rule Is Sound

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is defending its tightened greenhouse gas emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles against a challenge brought by dozens of states and industry groups, telling the D.C. Circuit that federal law empowers the agency to regulate all motor vehicles — electric or otherwise.

  • January 15, 2025

    DOJ Reports $2.9B Haul Under FCA, Largest In 3 Years

    Litigation under the False Claims Act generated a little over $2.9 billion in settlements and judgments in the most recent fiscal year, a 5% bump over 2023's total and the most in three years, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.

  • Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act

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    As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.

  • Series

    After Chevron: NRC Is Shielded From Loper Bright's Effects

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Loper Bright v. Relentless decision brought an end to Chevron deference, Congress' unique delegation of discretionary authority to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will likely insulate it from the additional judicial scrutiny that other federal agencies will face, say Ryan Lighty and Scott Clausen at Morgan Lewis.

  • How Loper Bright Weakens NEPA Enviro Justice Strategy

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    The National Environmental Policy Act is central to the Biden administration's environmental justice agenda — but the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo casts doubt on the government's ability to rely on NEPA for this purpose, and a pending federal case will test the strategy's limits, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • Navigating Antitrust Considerations In ESG Collaborations

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    The intersection of ESG goals and antitrust laws presents a complex challenge for businesses and their counsel — but by creating clear frameworks for collaboration, adhering to established guidelines and carefully considering the competitive implications of their actions, companies can work toward sustainability while mitigating legal risks, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • What Chevron's End Means For How Congress Does Business

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, overturning the Chevron doctrine, will have a far-reaching impact across the entire public policy life cycle, beginning with how Congress writes its laws and extending through agency implantation and judicial review, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • The Rise Of State And Local Environmental Leadership

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    While Congress is deadlocked, and a U.S. Supreme Court with a hostility toward the administrative state aggressively dismantles federal environmental oversight, state and local governments are stepping up with policies to shape a more sustainable future for all species, says Jonathan Rosenbloom at Albany Law School.

  • NYSE Delisting May Be The Cost Of FCPA Compliance

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    ABB’s recent decision to delist its U.S. depository receipts from the New York Stock Exchange, coupled with having settled three Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement actions, begs the question of whether the cost of FCPA compliance should factor into a company's decision to remain listed in the U.S., says John Joy at FTI Law.

  • CFTC Action Highlights Necessity Of Whistleblower Carveouts

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's novel settlement with a trading firm over allegations of manipulating the market and failing to create contract carveouts for employees to freely communicate with investigators serves as a beacon for further enforcement activity from the CFTC and other regulators, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • 5 Tips For Solar Cos. Navigating Big Shifts In US Trade Policy

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    Renewable energy developers can best mitigate new compliance risks from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s increased tariffs on imported solar cells, and simultaneously capitalize on Treasury Department incentives for domestic solar manufacturers, by following five best practices in the changing solar trade landscape, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.

  • Half-Truths Vs. Omissions: Slicing Justices' Macquarie Cake

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Macquarie v. Moab provides a road map for determining whether corporate reports that omit information should be considered misleading — and the court baked it into a dessert analogy that is key to understanding the guidelines, say Daniel Levy and Pavithra Kumar at Advanced Analytical Consulting Group.

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