Environmental

  • September 13, 2024

    HSF-Led National Grid To Sell Supply Unit To Gov't For £630M

    National Grid PLC said Friday that it has agreed to sell its electricity supply system to the U.K. government for £630 million ($827 million), which will bring it into public ownership.

  • September 13, 2024

    Hungarian Amendment To Environment Law Shouldn't Fly

    Hungarian proposals to exempt maritime and aviation fuel from an update of the European Union's energy tax directive for the next 20 years risk locking some sectors of the economy into fossil fuel dependency, a think tank has said.

  • September 12, 2024

    Kids Ask Supreme Court To Revive Long-Running Climate Suit

    A group of children accusing the federal government of creating policies that worsen climate change asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revive their case, arguing in a petition filed Thursday that the Ninth Circuit overstepped when it ordered the trial court to dismiss the case this spring.

  • September 12, 2024

    House OKs Tightening Restrictions On Tax Credit For EVs

    The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill Thursday that would place further restrictions on qualifications for a tax credit for new electric vehicles amid concerns that current limits don't do enough to keep the benefits from flowing to foreign adversaries, including China.

  • September 12, 2024

    Linklaters Hires Shell's Qatar Legal Chief For Energy Practice

    Linklaters LLP has hired the head of legal for energy giant Shell in Qatar to become its global sector lead for its energy transition practice.

  • September 12, 2024

    EU Rejects Minimum Price Offers In Chinese EV Dispute

    The European Commission has rejected offers from exporters of electric vehicles made in China to stick to minimum prices that would aim to remove an unfair competitive advantage that the commission believes Chinese state subsidies give the exporters, a commission spokesman said Thursday.

  • September 11, 2024

    Litigation Spending To Rise As Cases Grow More Aggressive

    A substantial number of large companies are expecting to increase their litigation spending by double digits next year in the face of more complex and hard-fought cases — and they are more open to bringing in new legal talent to navigate the matters, according to a report released Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2024

    Philadelphia Jury Clears Monsanto In City's 5th Roundup Trial

    A Philadelphia jury on Wednesday cleared Bayer AG unit Monsanto of liability in a man's case alleging the company sold its flagship weedkiller Roundup despite knowing about its cancer-causing properties, marking the agrochemical giant's second trial win in a spate of massive plaintiffs' verdicts in the city.

  • September 11, 2024

    Gov't Spent $236B In Fraud And Improper Payments In 2023

    Federal agencies made $236 billion in improper payments in fiscal 2023, a drop of about $11 billion from the prior year, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

  • September 11, 2024

    Top Calif. Biz Bills Sitting On Gov. Newsom's Desk

    Among the hundreds of bills awaiting California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature are a number that would create new guidelines for Golden State employers, healthcare industry players, as well as artificial intelligence labeling, textile recycling and increasing criminal penalties for corporate malfeasance by tens of millions of dollars.

  • September 11, 2024

    Split 6th Circ. Backs SEC Win In Proxy Adviser Rule Change

    A divided Sixth Circuit has upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to partially undo Trump-era rules governing proxy advisers, creating an apparent split with the Fifth Circuit on whether the agency's regulatory actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

  • September 11, 2024

    Politics Impacting US Steel-Nippon Review, Biz Groups Warn

    Political pressure may be "unduly influencing" the national security review of Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion deal for U.S. Steel and could hamper future foreign investment into the U.S., business groups told Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday.

  • September 11, 2024

    San Diego Utility Hit With Suit Over Wood Waste Runoff

    San Diego Gas & Electric is using a wood treatment mixture on its power poles and in its facilities that includes toxic chemicals that poison the environment and pose a danger to humans and animals nearby, according to a suit filed in California federal court Tuesday.

  • September 11, 2024

    NC Car Parts Biz Racks Up $10M In Fines For Cheat Devices

    A North Carolina automotive components business will pay a $2.4 million criminal penalty on top of a $7 million civil fine for dealing devices used to skirt federal vehicle emissions controls, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

  • September 11, 2024

    Aussie Metal Exploration Biz Raises £250M To Fund M&A

    Greatland Gold, an Australian metal exploration company, said Wednesday that it has raised £248.6 million ($325.1 million) by issuing new shares to help fund its expected buyout of Newmont Corp., a miner based in the U.S.

  • September 10, 2024

    Buyer Says Waste Facility Co. Owes $450M Over Trashed Plan

    Energy and waste management firm Reworld Waste, a Covanta Energy successor, is facing a $450 million lawsuit from a Connecticut company alleging Reworld sabotaged its plan to develop an environmentally friendly trash incineration facility in the town of Wallingford.

  • September 10, 2024

    Prime Hydration Beats Most Beverage PFAS Claims, For Now

    A California federal judge on Monday declined to end a putative class action accusing Prime Hydration of misleadingly marketing its Grape Sports Drink as healthy when it contains so-called "forever chemicals," although she tossed most of the lawsuit's claims with leave to amend.

  • September 10, 2024

    2024's Top Rulings In Native American Law

    The U.S. Supreme Court this year has handed down rulings with huge price tags attached — from millions in healthcare reimbursement funding required for tribes to lending Florida a win that will garner it a new revenue stream — that are expected to have large implications for Native American sovereignty. Here, Law360 takes a look at some of the biggest decisions in Native American law from the first half of 2024.

  • September 10, 2024

    Keurig To Pay SEC $1.5M Over K-Cup Recyclability Claims

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday ordered Keurig Dr. Pepper to pay a $1.5 million penalty and refrain from filing inaccurate information in its annual reports to settle allegations that it inaccurately claimed that its K-Cup coffee and tea pods were effectively recyclable.

  • September 10, 2024

    Fulcrum BioEnergy Files For Ch. 11 In Delaware

    Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc., a company that endeavors to make sustainable aviation fuel, filed for Chapter 11 protection late Monday in Delaware, listing up to $500 million in debt.

  • September 10, 2024

    Ariz. Gov. Can Join Monument Suit, Tribes and Enviros Sit Out

    The state of Arizona can intervene in a fight over the Biden administration's creation of a national monument on an Indigenous site, but groups of tribes and conservation organizations aren't allowed in the suit, at least for now, a federal judge ruled Monday.

  • September 10, 2024

    Brookfield Pledges Over $1B To Ultra-Low Carbon E-Fuels Co.

    Brookfield will pump up to $1.05 billion into Infinium and its electrofuels platform, in what the asset management giant said Tuesday is its first direct sustainable aviation fuels investment.

  • September 10, 2024

    IRS Extends Tax Deadlines For NY, Conn. Storm Victims

    Victims of severe storms and flooding in New York and Connecticut will have more time to file some tax returns and make estimated payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday.

  • September 10, 2024

    Biofuel Group Wants Renewable Fuel Redo At DC Circ.

    Growth Energy said a D.C. Circuit panel erred when it said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should have exempted small petroleum refiners from renewable fuel blending requirements and held the biofuel trade group didn't have standing to challenge alternative compliance actions the agency later enacted.

  • September 10, 2024

    'Structuring Issue' Snarls TC Energy's CA$1B Pipeline Deal

    Canadian natural gas company TC Energy on Tuesday paused its planned CA$1 billion ($736.7 million) sale of a minority stake in a pipeline system and assets to an Indigenous-owned buyer, citing a "transaction structuring issue."

Expert Analysis

  • Teach Your Party Representative The Art Of Nonverbal Cues

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    As illustrated by recent reports about President Donald Trump’s nonverbal communication in court, jurors notice what’s happening at counsel table, which may color their perceptions of the case as a whole, so trial attorneys should teach party representatives to self-monitor their nonverbal behaviors, says Clint Townson at Townson Consulting.

  • ECHR Climate Rulings Hint At Direction Of Future Cases

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    Three recent climate rulings from the European Court of Human Rights show the court's tendency toward a more formalistic, hands-off approach to procedural issues but a more hands-on approach to the application of the European Convention on Human Rights, setting the first guiding principles for key issues in EU climate cases, say Stefanie Spancken-Monz and Leane Meyer at Freshfields.

  • Opinion

    Cyber Regulators Should Rely On Existing Sources Cautiously

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    New incident reporting rules proposed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency illustrate how the use of definitions, standards and approaches from existing sources can create a complex patchwork of regulations, demonstrating that it is essential for agencies to be clear about expectations and not create unnecessary confusion, says Megan Brown at Wiley.

  • DOE Funding And Cargo Preference Compliance: Key Points

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    Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Energy will disburse more than $62 billion in financing for innovative energy projects — and recipients must understand their legal obligations related to cargo preference, so they can develop compliance strategies as close to project inception as possible, say attorneys at White & Case.

  • 4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy

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    With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.

  • Cos. Must Prepare For Calif. Legislation That Would Ban PFAS

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    Pending California legislation that would ban the sale or distribution of new products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances could affect thousands of businesses — and given the bill's expected passage, and its draconian enforcement regime, companies must act now to prepare for it, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Opinion

    Seafarer Detention Under Ship Pollution Law Must Have Limits

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    The U.S. Coast Guard should reinstate limits on the number of days that foreign crew members may be forced to remain in the country while the U.S. Department of Justice investigates alleged violations of shipping pollution laws, in order to balance legitimate enforcement interests and seafarer welfare, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • 10 Tips For ESG Disclosure Compliance In Private Funds

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    As regulators increase scrutiny of misleading claims about environmental, social and governance investments, private fund sponsors should consider several practical tips for communicating accurately with potential investors, drafting comprehensive disclosures and establishing internal policies that can keep pace with evolving compliance requirements, says Jonathan Rash at Ropes & Gray.

  • Assigning Liability In Key Bridge Collapse May Be Challenging

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    In the wake of a cargo ship's collision with Baltimore's Key Bridge last month, claimants may focus on the vessel's owners and the agencies responsible for the design and maintenance of the bridge — but allocating legal liability to either private or governmental entities may be difficult under applicable state and federal laws, says Clay Robbins at Wisner Baum.

  • Macquarie Ruling Raises The Bar For Securities Fraud Claims

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week in Macquarie Infrastructure v. Moab Partners — holding that a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule does not forbid omissions in company disclosures unless they render other statements false — is a major setback for plaintiffs pursuing securities fraud claims against corporations, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Series

    Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.

  • GSA's Carbon-Free Power Plan: Tips For Electricity Suppliers

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    The U.S. General Services Administration's recent request for information concerning its intent to acquire a large amount of carbon pollution-free electricity over the next decade in the PJM Interconnection region offers key insights for companies interested in becoming electric power suppliers to federal government agencies, say Shaunna Bailey and Nicholas Dugdale at Sheppard Mullin.

  • This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener

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    As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.

  • SEC Climate Rules Create Unique Challenges For CRE

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently adopted final rules concerning climate-related disclosures for public companies are likely to affect even real estate companies that are not publicly traded, since they may be required to provide information to entities that are subject to the rules, says Laura Truesdale at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Energy Community Tax Credit Boost Will Benefit Wind Sector

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    Recent Internal Revenue Service guidance broadening tax credit eligibility to more parts of offshore wind facilities in so-called energy communities is a win for the industry, which stands to see more projects qualify for a particularly valuable bonus in the investment tax credit context due to the capital-intensive nature of offshore wind projects, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

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