Environmental

  • March 18, 2026

    Suit Aims To Stop Gulf Endangered Species Exemption

    A conservation group asked a D.C. federal judge Wednesday to declare that an upcoming U.S. Department of the Interior meeting to exempt oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act was called illegally, arguing that the meeting could ultimately result in species' extinction.

  • March 18, 2026

    Coal Plant Order Was Right Call, Energy Dept. Tells DC Circ.

    The U.S. Department of Energy has urged the D.C. Circuit to back the DOE's order keeping a Michigan coal-fired power plant open, saying the Federal Power Act gives Energy Secretary Chris Wright broad emergency authority to prevent power plants from closing.

  • March 18, 2026

    Groups Urge DC Circ. To Rescind 2 DOE Coal Plant Orders

    A group of environmental and public interest organizations urged the D.C. Circuit to overturn U.S. Department of Energy emergency orders requiring two Indiana coal-powered plants to continue operating into late March, arguing the DOE overstepped its authority.

  • March 18, 2026

    CFTC Rescinds Request For Climate Risk Information

    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Wednesday withdrew a request for information on climate-related financial risk published in 2022, on the grounds that President Donald Trump had revoked the executive order under which it was authorized.

  • March 17, 2026

    NEPA Suit On Biden Immigration Rules Not Moot, DC Circ. Told

    The D.C. Circuit was pressed to revive a lawsuit accusing the Biden administration of neglecting to consider the environmental effect of reversing the first Trump administration's border policies, even though President Donald Trump has reinstated many of those policies.

  • March 17, 2026

    Trump Admin Accused Of Retaliation In Colo. Climate Lab Suit

    A nonprofit research consortium of 129 colleges asked a federal judge to stop the Trump administration from breaking up the climate and weather lab it operates in Boulder, Colorado, claiming the administration is acting on retribution alone in its decision.

  • March 17, 2026

    Trump's Pipeline Order Stokes Turf War Over Energy Permits

    The Trump administration is taking executive power into uncharted territory by asserting it can override state law to restart a California oil pipeline, but such an expansion of presidential authority over energy infrastructure may invite skepticism from courts.

  • March 17, 2026

    Judge Blasts Admin For Shifting White House Project Claims

    A D.C. federal judge blasted top administration attorneys Tuesday for "shifting theories" of authority for the White House's East Wing ballroom project, saying the administration was likely looking for "an escape hatch" to avoid an injunction and promised to try to rule before above-ground work begins next month.

  • March 17, 2026

    BlackRock, State Street Want GOP States' ESG Suit Pared

    BlackRock and State Street have asked a Texas federal judge to significantly winnow antitrust claims from Republican state attorneys general accusing the asset managers of driving up coal prices, arguing that claims based on electricity buyers are too far removed from coal.

  • March 17, 2026

    5th Circ. Sends Texas' Ozone Plan Back To EPA

    The Fifth Circuit has withdrawn its opinion backing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's disapproval of Texas' plan to meet federal ozone standards, finding the agency's new cross-state emissions rule indicates it had relied on data and modeling that was unavailable to Texas before submission.

  • March 17, 2026

    Idaho Tribe Looks To Void Approval Of $2B Gold Mine Project

    An Idaho tribe says the U.S. Forest Service violated bedrock environmental laws that provide first lines of defense for its rights in approving a $2 billion gold mining project within the Boise and Payette national forests, arguing it failed to consider any alternative methods for the endeavor.

  • March 17, 2026

    Tulsa Shuts Down Engineer's Age, Race Bias Suit At 10th Circ.

    The Tenth Circuit refused Tuesday to reopen a Tulsa, Oklahoma, employee's lawsuit claiming he was passed over for a promotion because he's a middle-aged Chinese man, ruling he couldn't overcome the city's assertion that it wanted someone with more leadership experience.

  • March 17, 2026

    NY Accuses Solar Co., Lenders Of $275M Homeowner Fraud

    New York's attorney general sued a solar panel company and two lending partners in New York state court Tuesday, accusing them of a $275 million scheme involving costly solar and home improvement projects falsely pitched to homeowners as free or subsidized.

  • March 17, 2026

    Miss. Expands Energy Project Tax Break To Battery Systems

    Mississippi will offer energy storage facilities that use battery energy storage systems a property tax break for energy projects under a bill signed by the governor.

  • March 17, 2026

    Apple Can't Shake Most PFAS Claims In Smartwatch Suit

    A California federal judge won't let Apple Inc. escape a proposed class action alleging that the wristbands of its Apple Watch products contain dangerous forever chemicals, saying the complaint is sufficient to allege that the company knew of the risks but didn't warn consumers.

  • March 17, 2026

    Inspector Nabs Collective Cert. In Engineering Co. OT Spat

    An environmental inspector supported his claims that an engineering company and two related entities similarly paid day-rate workers without compensating them for their overtime, a Pennsylvania federal judge said, conditionally certifying a collective.

  • March 16, 2026

    1st Circ. Affirms Block Of Trump's 'Unprecedented' Aid Freeze

    The First Circuit on Monday mostly upheld a lower court's order blocking the Trump administration from enacting a "sweeping and unprecedented categorical 'freeze' of federal financial assistance," ruling that the states involved in the suit will likely successfully show that the federal government acted arbitrarily and capriciously.

  • March 16, 2026

    Enviro Groups, Industry Sue EPA Over NOx Emission Standards

    The Sierra Club challenged new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules on gas-fired power plant emissions, alleging Monday the amended regulations are "woefully inadequate" because they do little to protect the public from dangerous pollution, while an industry group sued separately over new source performance standards for turbines.

  • March 16, 2026

    SEIU Sues To Revive EPA Climate Endangerment Finding

    One of the largest labor unions in the nation is asking the D.C. Circuit to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's move last month to rescind its landmark 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health, which allowed the agency to regulate vehicle emissions.

  • March 16, 2026

    US Won't Alter Stance After Interior Restores Riverbed Opinion

    Federal attorneys told the D.C. federal court that the U.S. Department of the Interior has reinstated a prior legal opinion concluding that North Dakota, not the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, owns mineral rights beneath a portion of the Missouri River flowing through the Fort Berthold Reservation.

  • March 16, 2026

    Environmental Groups Fight EPA's $3B Grant Cut In Court

    Environmental advocacy groups and localities seeking to revive their suit accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of illegally stripping $3 billion from a congressionally created program told the D.C. Circuit on Monday that the government's own documentation indicated that the funding should have remained in place when Congress axed "unobligated" funding.

  • March 16, 2026

    Enviros, Ariz. Tribes Continue Push To Halt SunZia Power Line

    A coalition of tribes and conservation groups has asked an Arizona district court to vacate an Interior Department decision that allowed construction of a 520-mile power line route to proceed, arguing the federal agency treated cultural property "as an afterthought" and ignored the effects on the San Pedro Valley.

  • March 16, 2026

    SD Eliminates Ag Land Assessment, Tax Oversight Task Force

    South Dakota eliminated a task force that oversaw the assessment and taxation of agricultural land and required the state Department of Revenue to provide data relating to the valuation of such land to state legislative tax committees under a bill signed by the governor.

  • March 16, 2026

    PFAS Judge Again Declines Recusal Over DuPont, 3M Ties

    A Connecticut federal judge again declined to recuse himself in a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances lawsuit, dismissing the plaintiffs' concerns that his former law clerk's representation of several DuPont-related defendants as well as his daughter's employment at a firm representing co-defendant 3M would affect his ability to remain impartial.

  • March 16, 2026

    Apache Women Urge Justice Kagan To Halt Ariz. Land Swap

    A group of Apache women are asking Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan to block the federal government's transfer of a sacred Apache worship site within Arizona's Tonto National Forest to a copper mining company, arguing that this could be the last chance to prevent a generational tragedy.

Expert Analysis

  • Reports Of Chemical Safety Board's Demise Are Premature

    Author Photo

    Despite the Trump administration's proposal to close down the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, companies should note that the agency recently enforced its accidental release reporting rule for the first time, is conducting ongoing investigations and expects more funding from Congress, say attorneys at Conn Maciel.

  • How Trump's Space Order May Ease Industry's Growth

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump's recent executive order aimed at removing environmental hurdles for spaceport authorization and streamlining the space industry's regulatory framework may open opportunities not only for established launch providers, but also smaller companies and spaceport authorities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Avoiding Unforced Evidentiary Errors At Trial

    Author Photo

    To avoid self-inflicted missteps at trial, lawyers must plan their evidentiary strategy as early as their claims and defenses, with an eye toward some of the more common pitfalls, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Agentic AI Puts A New Twist On Attorney Ethics Obligations

    Author Photo

    As lawyers increasingly use autonomous artificial intelligence agents, disciplinary authorities must decide whether attorney responsibility for an AI-caused legal ethics violation is personal or supervisory, and firms must enact strong policies regarding agentic AI use and supervision, says Grace Wynn at HWG.

  • Resilience Planning Is New Key To Corporate Sustainability

    Author Photo

    While the current wave of deregulation may reduce government enforcement related to climate issues, businesses still need to evaluate how climate volatility may affect their operations and create new legal risks — making the apolitical concept of resilience increasingly important for companies, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Cos. Face EU, US Regulatory Tension On Many Fronts

    Author Photo

    When the European Union sets stringent standards, companies seeking to operate in the international marketplace must conform to them, or else concede opportunities — but with the current U.S. administration pushing hard to roll back regulations, global companies face an increasing tension over which standards to follow, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How EU Is Tweaking Enviro Laws After US Trade Deal

    Author Photo

    While a recent joint statement from the European Union and the U.S. in the wake of their trade deal does not mention special treatment for U.S. companies, the EU's ongoing commitment to streamline its sustainability legislation suggests an openness to addressing concerns raised by the U.S., say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.

  • Restored Charging Project Funds Revive Hope For EV Market

    Author Photo

    While 2025 began with a host of government actions that prompted some to predict the demise of the U.S. electric vehicle market, the Trump administration's recent restoration of federal funding for EV charging infrastructure under new terms presents market participants with reason for optimism, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

    Author Photo

    Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

    Author Photo

    A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.

  • Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

    Author Photo

    Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.

  • Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

    Author Photo

    As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Teaching Trial Advocacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

    Author Photo

    Teaching trial advocacy skills to other lawyers makes us better litigators because it makes us question our default methods, connect to young attorneys with new perspectives and focus on the needs of the real people at the heart of every trial, say Reuben Guttman, Veronica Finkelstein and Joleen Youngers.

  • Navigating Brazil's Regulations, Incentives For Green Projects

    Author Photo

    Brazil's evolving environmental regulatory framework and ongoing moves to attract international capital for climate-focused projects may appeal to U.S.-based companies and investors interested in sustainable development — but taking advantage of these opportunities requires careful planning and meaningful stakeholder engagement, says Milena Angulo at Guimarães.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Environmental archive.