Energy

  • October 02, 2024

    U.S. Steel Must Face Testing Suit Over Long-Gone Zinc Plant

    U.S. Steel can't escape a lawsuit from neighbors of a long-closed zinc refinery outside Pittsburgh seeking to make the company pay for long-term environmental testing, a Pennsylvania appellate panel ruled Tuesday, reasoning that the plaintiffs properly invoked a state law governing the cleanup of hazardous pollution.

  • October 02, 2024

    Enviro Groups Seek To Defend EPA's Veto Of Pebble Mine

    A slew of environmental groups have called on an Alaska federal judge to let them defend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision to block a plan to build the controversial Pebble Mine, saying they want to protect the Bristol Bay headwaters from the mine's "devastating and unavoidable adverse impacts."

  • October 02, 2024

    Enviro Groups Step Up Effort To Block JBS' US Listing

    Eighteen sustainability-focused investor groups are urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to reject a potential U.S. stock listing by Brazilian meat conglomerate JBS SA, alleging the company is misleading the public regarding climate risks posed by its operations.

  • October 02, 2024

    Madigan Can't Duck Bribery Claims After High Court Ruling

    An Illinois federal judge on Wednesday declined to dismiss bribery charges against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling limiting the reach of a bribery statute that once criminalized gratuities, while also refusing to sever his case from his co-defendant's.

  • October 02, 2024

    Co. Nixes 2nd Insurer From Chemical Leak Defense Suit

    A subcontractor facing consolidated personal injury claims over a chemical leak at a LyondellBasell facility in La Porte, Texas, voluntarily tossed its coverage claims against a second insurer in Texas federal court, leaving one insurer remaining in the dispute.

  • October 02, 2024

    EPA Settles Suit Over Washington Aquatic Cyanide Rules

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to evaluate Washington state's water quality standards for cyanide pollution, resolving a lawsuit that accused the agency of maintaining lax standards that threaten wildlife.

  • October 02, 2024

    Reed Smith Enviro Ace Remembered As Kind Mentor

    Todd Maiden, a longtime environmental attorney in Reed Smith LLP's San Francisco office who died last month, was deeply passionate about preserving the environment and enjoyed mentoring young associates. He leaves behind a legacy as the "kindest and gentlest of souls," his former colleagues said.

  • October 02, 2024

    Quinn Emanuel Can't Ignore Past Oro Negro Ties, Oil Co. Says

    Oro Negro Drilling Pte. Ltd. said former counsel Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP must produce confidential information in a discovery bid to disqualify its attorneys in Mexican proceedings.

  • October 02, 2024

    Justices Asked To Short-Circuit Mass. Offshore Wind Project

    Massachusetts residents are telling the U.S. Supreme Court it's the last hope for endangered North Atlantic right whales that were overlooked when the federal government approved a large offshore wind energy project in the waters off of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

  • October 02, 2024

    DC Circ. Urged To Scrap EPA Mercury Rule For Coal Plants

    States and industry groups fighting a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule curbing mercury and other toxic metal emissions at some coal-fired power plants told the D.C. Circuit it would impose exorbitant and unjustifiable costs for no public health benefit, and is actually aimed at forcing plants to retire to advance climate goals.

  • October 01, 2024

    Convicted CEO Narrows Fee Bid Against Conn. Utility Co-Op

    A former Connecticut utility CEO has dropped some attorney fee claims against his onetime employer following a jury conviction for stealing public funds, telling a federal judge on Tuesday to focus on a bid for fees should prosecutors choose to litigate a second indictment.

  • October 01, 2024

    Lordstown Brass Beat Investor Suit Over Failed Foxconn Deal

    An Ohio federal judge on Monday freed current and former executives of Lordstown Motors Corp., now Nu Ride, from a proposed securities class action alleging they concealed problems ahead of a failed partnership with Taiwan-based Foxconn, saying delays and "other minor issues" didn't make general, positive statements inaccurate.

  • October 01, 2024

    Bribe-Laundering Gets Ecuador Ex-Official 10 Years In Prison

    A Florida federal judge on Tuesday sentenced Ecuador's former comptroller to 10 years in prison after a jury earlier this year convicted him on multiple counts related to laundering millions of dollars in bribe money he received in exchange for eliminating fines connected to a defective hydroelectric dam and other projects.

  • October 01, 2024

    Complications Again Delay Citgo Sales Hearing In Delaware

    A federal judge in Delaware on Tuesday further delayed a forthcoming auction of Citgo's parent company to satisfy billions of dollars in Venezuelan debt, and he ordered additional briefing as he grapples with parallel litigation that allegedly threatens to undermine the sale process.

  • October 01, 2024

    Judge Stays Calif. Locomotive Emissions Rule Challenge

    A California federal judge halted litigation brought by rail industry groups challenging a regulation requiring railroads to transition to zero-emission locomotives in the Golden State over the next decade, finding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's upcoming authorization decision will greatly impact the case.

  • October 01, 2024

    EPA Can't Justify Water Permitting Rule, La. Judge Told

    Republican-led states and industry groups fired back at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's defense of its rule broadening states' and tribes' power to veto infrastructure projects over water quality concerns, telling a Louisiana federal judge it goes against what Congress intended with the Clean Water Act.

  • October 01, 2024

    Feds Didn't Consider Gold Mine's Full Impact, Judge Says

    The federal government didn't realistically study the potential spill risks associated with a large open-pit gold mine when it approved the project, an Alaskan federal judge has said, arguing the Army Corps of Engineers erred in concluding that a catastrophic event is a "worst case" scenario in its environmental analysis.

  • October 01, 2024

    Davis Polk-Led Brazilian Lubricants Maker Eyes $400M IPO

    Moove Lubricants Holdings, a private equity-backed lubricants producer based in Brazil, on Tuesday unveiled terms for an estimated $400 million initial public offering, represented by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and underwriters' counsel Paul Hastings LLP.

  • October 01, 2024

    First Marshall Fire Trial To Decide Liability For All Plaintiffs

    A Colorado state judge ruled Monday that the first trial in consolidated lawsuits against Xcel Energy and telecom companies for damages related to a 2021 wildfire will decide liability for all plaintiffs unless they show a good reason to opt-out.

  • October 01, 2024

    Tennessee Judge Affirms TVA-Approved Gas Turbine Project

    A Tennessee federal judge rejected the Sierra Club's challenge of an environmental assessment that the Tennessee Valley Authority completed to install new gas combustion turbines at one of its existing facilities in the Volunteer State.

  • October 01, 2024

    Pennsylvania Gas Leaseholders Get Royalties Suit Certified

    Hundreds of Pennsylvania landowners with natural gas leases have been certified by a federal judge as a class in their lawsuit against Range Resources, which they say took more money out of their royalty payments than their contracts permitted.

  • October 01, 2024

    EPA Can't Justify Particulate Matter Rule, DC Circ. Told

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can't justify its decision to ratchet down a fine particulate matter air pollution standard, Republican-led states and industry groups told the D.C. Circuit on Monday.

  • October 01, 2024

    Ex-Interior Dept. Deputy's Oil Stocks Violated Ethics Laws

    The onetime deputy secretary of the Interior, Tommy Beaudreau, who moved into private practice last year and now co-leads WilmerHale's energy practice, violated government ethics laws by failing to recuse himself from drilling-related matters while knowingly holding petroleum stocks, according to an internal watchdog's ethics report released Tuesday.

  • October 01, 2024

    Treasury Plans Final Direct Pay Partnership Regs By Year-End

    The U.S. Treasury Department is eyeing the end of the year to finalize regulations for development projects to elect out of their partnership tax status to qualify for a direct cash payment of their clean energy tax credits, an official said Tuesday.

  • September 30, 2024

    Siemens Will Pay $104M For Stealing GE, Mitsubishi Secrets

    Siemens Energy on Monday pled guilty to wire fraud and agreed to pay $104 million to put to rest federal prosecutors' case accusing the company of misappropriating the confidential information of General Electric and Mitsubishi, a plea deal that comes after multiple former Siemens executives pled guilty in related cases.

Expert Analysis

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents

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    Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • New NHTSA Fuel Economy Rule Adds Compliance Complexity

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    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recently announced final rule on new corporate average fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks will create challenges for manufacturers, which must also comply with the EPA's multipollutant rule and California's zero-emission vehicle programs, say Joanne Rotondi and Hannah Graae at Hogan Lovells.

  • 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.

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