Environmental

  • July 24, 2024

    Unions, Energy Groups Back Enbridge 6th Circ. Rehearing Bid

    Labor unions and energy industry groups are joining Enbridge Energy's push for the full Sixth Circuit to rehear a panel decision that sent a Michigan lawsuit aiming to shut down the company's Line 5 pipeline back to state courts.

  • July 24, 2024

    EPA Moving Toward New Regulations For 5 Chemicals

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday kicked off the process to fast-track new health risk evaluations for five chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a substance that raised alarm after the Norfolk Southern train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, last year.

  • July 23, 2024

    Knives Out For Another Pro-Agency Landmark After Chevron

    Only weeks after U.S. Supreme Court conservatives took a hatchet to the judicial deference shown to federal agencies, right-leaning lawyers are imploring the justices to rock the administrative law realm again by gutting a New Deal-era precedent at the heart of the modern regulatory system.

  • July 23, 2024

    EPA Must Ban PFAS In Pesticides, Environmental Groups Say

    Farmer advocacy groups and environmentalists urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to flex its regulatory muscles and prohibit the use of pesticide formulas and containers made with so-called forever chemicals, according to a petition that says the agency is doing little to address the issue.

  • July 23, 2024

    EPA Tells 5th Circ. Louisiana Can't Stall Chemical Regulation

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the Fifth Circuit cannot decide whether a Louisiana regulator can give a neoprene maker an extra two years to comply with a federal chemical rule because the issue is already before the D.C. Circuit.

  • July 23, 2024

    Oshkosh Says USPS Followed NEPA With New Vehicle Plan

    Oshkosh Defense joined the U.S. Postal Service in firing back at environmentalists and a coalition of 17 states' attempt to secure judgment in litigation protesting the agency's decision to replace its aging delivery fleet with only 62% electric vehicles, saying the group's challenge threatens to undermine such a significant transformation.

  • July 23, 2024

    Sidley, Cooley Craft Filter Maker's $1B Sale To IDEX Corp.

    Specialty equipment maker IDEX Corp. will buy industrial filter manufacturer Mott Corp. and its subsidiaries in a $1 billion all-cash deal led by Sidley Austin LLP and Cooley LLP, the companies announced Tuesday.

  • July 23, 2024

    House Panel Weighs New Rail Safety Regs After East Palestine

    The fiery Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last year has created new urgency for strengthening federal standards for tank car designs, rail safety technology, track inspection protocols and classifying hazardous materials-carrying trains, industry experts told a House subcommittee Tuesday.

  • July 23, 2024

    Red States Seek High Court Stay Of EPA Power Plant Rule

    Dozens of red states Tuesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to block implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule curbing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, four days after the D.C. Circuit rejected a stay request.

  • July 23, 2024

    Feds Get OK To Seek Title To ND Riverbed For Mineral Rights

    The federal government can add a cross-claim against North Dakota in litigation over who owns mineral rights beneath a portion of the Missouri River, a D.C. federal judge ruled Tuesday, clearing the way for the United States to seek a court order declaring that the riverbed is held in trust for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.

  • July 23, 2024

    LA Sued Over Illegal Pollutant Discharges In San Pedro Bay

    The city of Los Angeles was hit with a Clean Water Act suit in California federal court Tuesday by a nonprofit accusing it of regularly violating its wastewater discharge permit by exceeding limits on dangerous pollutants dispelled into the San Pedro Bay, threatening aquatic life and public health.

  • July 23, 2024

    Feds Urge Final Toss Of Youths' Constitutional Climate Suit

    The U.S. government called on a California federal judge to reject an attempt by youth plaintiffs to amend their lawsuit alleging the federal government unconstitutionally discriminates against them by favoring the fossil fuel industry's interests, saying they have alleged no harm from the policies they seek to enjoin.

  • July 23, 2024

    Stay Of Power Plant Mercury Rule Unwarranted, EPA Says

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, joined by states, cities and public health and environmental groups, is urging the D.C. Circuit not to block a new rule tightening standards for mercury and other toxic metal emissions from some coal-fired power plants.

  • July 23, 2024

    Senate Dems Roll Out Bill To Codify Chevron Deference

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of Democratic senators Tuesday in introducing a bill to codify the now-defunct doctrine of Chevron deference after it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last month.

  • July 23, 2024

    EPA Says High Court's Chevron Ruling Doesn't Doom Air Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday told the Fifth Circuit that a U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating judges' obligation to defer to federal agencies in rulemaking litigation does not impact its decision to reject states' ozone air pollution plans.

  • July 23, 2024

    'Surface Water' Stumps Mass. Justices In Loss For Insurers

    The top court in Massachusetts on Tuesday ruled in favor of a hospital seeking insurance coverage stemming from a severe rainstorm, saying it's unclear if water that pooled on the hospital's roof should be considered "surface water" that would trigger policy limits on flood damage.

  • July 23, 2024

    Chemours Loses 3rd Circ. Fight Over EPA Water Advisories

    In a precedential ruling Tuesday, the Third Circuit shot down Chemours Co.'s challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health advisories over chemicals in drinking water, finding that the advisories couldn't be reviewed by a court.

  • July 22, 2024

    No Injunction For Co.'s DQ From Habitat Restoration Deal

    A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge denied an Illinois-based construction company's emergency bid to halt the U.S. Army's procurement for a habitat restoration deal it was disqualified from, saying the protester failed to show it would be irreparably harmed.

  • July 22, 2024

    Conn. PFAS Judge Needs More Info Before Deciding Toss Bid

    A water utility and a proposed class of water customers agreed to submit additional briefs to a Connecticut state court judge tasked with determining whether those who claim to have experienced "subclinical cellular changes" after drinking water that allegedly contains "forever chemicals" have alleged an injury sufficient for judicial review.

  • July 22, 2024

    EPA Awards $4.3B In Grants For Climate Change Projects

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it's steering $4.3 billion in grant funding to 25 projects that promise to help curb greenhouse gas pollution, advance environmental justice and transition the country to clean power.

  • July 22, 2024

    Michigan's Cases To Watch 2024: A Midyear Report

    Michigan's highest court is preparing to take on cases that could restore imperiled PFAS regulations, prevent employers from cutting short employees' window to file civil rights claims and expand the reach of Michigan's consumer protection law. Here are some of Michigan's most important cases to watch for the rest of the year.

  • July 22, 2024

    San Fran Tells Justices EPA Water Regs Are Like Bad Soup

    San Francisco compared the federal government to a bad chef on Friday, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to find that a water pollution permit must include specific numerical goals rather than narrative standards the city says are too vague.

  • July 22, 2024

    Insurer Says Bank Must Pay Its $1.1M Drawdown Request

    A surety for an oil and gas operator that has recently sought Chapter 11 protection told a Washington federal court that a bank has repeatedly failed to hold up its end of an "irrevocable letter of credit," alleging the bank owes it over $1.1 million.

  • July 22, 2024

    DuPont, NC To Drop Docs Dispute In 'Forever Chemicals' Case

    North Carolina and DuPont have come to terms in a dispute over allegedly missing documents as part of the state's lawsuit alleging the predecessor of Chemours and other chemical companies poisoned North Carolina's environment with "forever chemicals."

  • July 22, 2024

    NC State Resolves Cancer Patient's Fight To Test Building

    North Carolina State University and a professor with cancer have ended a dispute over testing a campus building that contains cancer-causing chemicals, with the school telling the state's highest court the parties are ready to move on from that part of the legal dispute.

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

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    In the month since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 26 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Expect Few Changes In ITC Rulemaking

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's opinion overruling the Chevron doctrine will have less impact on the U.S. International Trade Commission than other agencies administering trade statutes, given that the commission exercises its congressionally granted authority in a manner that allows for consistent decision making at both agency and judicial levels, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

  • Opinion

    Reform NEPA To Speed Mining Permits, Clean Energy Shift

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    It is essential to balance responsible regulatory oversight with permit approvals for mining projects that are needed for the transition to renewable energy — and with the National Environmental Policy Act being one of the leading causes of permit delays, reform is urgently needed, say Ana Maria Gutierrez and Michael Miller at Womble Bond.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • Calif. Long-Tail Ruling Continues Policyholder-Friendly Trend

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    The California Supreme Court's recent ruling in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Cement & Gypsum, rejecting horizontal policy exhaustion, was the latest in a string of its decisions involving insurance coverage for continuous or progressive injury claims that favor policyholders, say Billie Mandelbaum and David Goodwin at Covington.

  • A Case Study For Calif. Cities In Water Utility Takeovers

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    With growing water scarcity and drier weather looming, some local governments in California have sought to acquire investor-owned water utilities by eminent domain — but the 2016 case of Claremont v. Golden State Water is a reminder that such municipalization attempts must meet certain statutory requirements, say attorneys at Nossaman.

  • Series

    NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    The second quarter of 2024 saw less enforcement activity in the realm of New York financial services, but brought substantial regulatory and legislative developments, including state regulators' guidance on cybersecurity compliance and customer service processes for virtual currency entities, say James Vivenzio and Andrew Lucas at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Tracking Implementation Of IRA Programs As Election Nears

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    As the Biden administration races to cement key regulations implementing the Inflation Reduction Act, a number of the law's programs and incentives are at risk of delay or repeal if Republicans retake control of Congress, the White House or both — so stakeholders should closely watch ongoing IRA implementation and guidance, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • 4 Steps To Repair Defense Credibility In Opening Statements

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    Given the continued rise of record-breaking verdicts, defense counsel need to consider fresh approaches to counteract the factors coloring juror attitudes — starting with a formula for rebuilding credibility at the very beginning of opening statements, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • Prejudicial Evidence Takeaways From Trump Hush Money Trial

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    The Manhattan District Attorney's Office's prosecution and conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts provides a lesson on whether evidence may cause substantial unfair prejudice, or if its prejudicial potential is perfectly fair within the bounds of the law, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • How Justices' Chevron Ruling May Influence Wind Projects

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    Parties both for and against the development of East Coast offshore wind development are watching the U.S. Supreme Court closely for its anticipated ruling challenging long-standing principles of agency deference that may subject decision making based on that precedent to upheaval, say attorneys at Robinson & Cole.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

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