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Environmental
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September 05, 2024
LA Developer Beats RICO Suit Over CEQA Fight At 9th Circ.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed Thursday a decision tossing a Hollywood hotel developer's $100 million racketeering suit against rival hotel developers, rejecting the plaintiff developer's allegations that its competitors had pursued "objectively baseless" sham California Environmental Quality Act litigation to extort the firm.
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September 05, 2024
Asbestos Claimants Want A Say In 4th Circ. 'Two-Step' Appeal
Asbestos cancer survivors and the estates of victims with pending claims against Aldrich Pump LLC, DBMP LLC and Murray Boiler LLC have asked the Fourth Circuit's permission to file an amicus brief in an appeal centered on the separate Chapter 11 case of Georgia-Pacific unit Bestwall, saying they had been prevented from pursuing relief while Aldrich, DBMP and Murray pursue bankruptcy.
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September 05, 2024
Talks In Geothermal Fight Go On Amid Request For Monument
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, a California tribe and a group of nonprofits say proposed settlement talks in a dispute over a series of geothermal energy leases will continue despite a recent bid by federal lawmakers to have the land in question designated as a national monument.
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September 05, 2024
Dodge Ram Drivers Urge 6th Circ. To Revive Emissions Claims
Dodge Ram drivers pressed the Sixth Circuit to revive their proposed class action alleging Fiat Chrysler and engine manufacturer Cummins deceptively marketed their trucks as being more environmentally friendly than they actually were, saying a Michigan federal judge incorrectly found that their claims conflicted with federal law.
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September 05, 2024
Biden To Block US Steel-Nippon, And More Deal Rumors
President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to block the $14.9 billion merger of U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners may team up to buy Smartsheet, and Springer Nature is planning an initial public offering. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors reported over the past week.
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September 05, 2024
Pa. City Iced Retirees Out Of Ch. 9 Plan Talks, Committee Says
Retiree creditors in the city of Chester, Pennsylvania's bankruptcy have denounced its proposed Chapter 9 plan, telling a judge in Philadelphia it is a "blunt-instrument approach" to complex issues and was docketed without consulting their committee that represents the largest creditor group.
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September 05, 2024
Biden Admin Issues Plans To Address PFAS Use, Exposure
The Biden administration has said it will continue to look for new technologies to remove so-called forever chemicals from the environment and find safe alternatives for the substances, which are used in a vast number of consumer and commercial products.
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September 05, 2024
Green Groups Fight Red State AGs' Attack On Civil Rights Regs
Environmental and civil rights groups are opposing a petition filed by attorneys general from 23 primarily Republican-led states demanding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency roll back civil rights regulations that prohibit actions that may unintentionally affect racial groups in different ways.
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September 05, 2024
Hydropower Co. Asks Judge To Stem River Cleanup Suit
NCR Voyix Corp. hasn't proven that the drawdown of a reservoir has hampered its cleanup of a Superfund site contaminated by paper waste nor that the drawdown was mishandled, a power company has told a Michigan federal judge.
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September 05, 2024
Ariz. Tribe Doubled Down In Lithium Project Row, Court Told
The federal government has accused the Hualapai Indian Tribe of doubling down on conjecture with regard to the possible effects of the Big Sandy Valley Lithium Exploration Project, urging an Arizona federal judge to reject the tribe's request for a preliminary injunction.
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September 05, 2024
EPA Asks To End Texas, Okla. Air Plan Fight Due To Lost Docs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking the Fifth Circuit to vacate its challenged 2016 rule that partially disapproved regional haze plans created by Texas and Oklahoma and imposed a federal plan, having lost key records needed to justify its decisions.
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September 05, 2024
EPA Issues Carbon Sequestration Well Permits In Texas
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued draft permits to Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC for three proposed carbon sequestration wells, marking the first time the agency has issued such permits in the state of Texas.
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September 05, 2024
Biden Administration Approves 10th Offshore Wind Project
The Biden-Harris administration on Thursday announced a federal approval of a two-gigawatt wind project proposed to be built off the Maryland coast — the 10th commercial-scale offshore wind project the administration has approved.
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September 05, 2024
EPA Unveils $151M Cleanup Plan For NJ Superfund Site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday a $151.1 million deal to cover the federal agency's past and future costs of cleanup at a New Jersey superfund site with high levels of lead contamination.
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September 04, 2024
Singapore Phosphate Co. Drops China Claim Over Panda Park
Singaporean company AsiaPhos has agreed to pay the Chinese government some $1.17 million to end a dispute stemming from the cancelation of the company's phosphate mining permits to make way for a giant panda reserve, several months after a Swiss court rejected the company's appeal.
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September 04, 2024
Turning Tides: Real Estate's Impending Insurance Crisis
Climate risk, once an abstract concept, is now a stark reality in the real estate industry as damage from stronger and more frequent weather events portends a drastic correction in the property insurance market. This new series explores state and local government efforts, shifting investor behavior, and home-buying trends as the climate-driven insurance crisis bubbles to the surface.
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September 04, 2024
Towns Say Settlement Doesn't Limit Rail Merger Appeal
A coalition of Illinois towns challenging the approval of Canadian Pacific's $31 billion merger with Kansas City Southern told the D.C. Circuit the federal government is trying to use a settlement struck by Chicago's commuter rail system to limit the issues in the case.
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September 04, 2024
EPA Strengthens Trump-Era 'Once In, Always In' Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday strengthened a Trump-era rule that it said could let industrial facilities emit more harmful air pollution after downgrading to a less severe pollution source category.
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September 04, 2024
Former Michelin Tire Factory Site Worth $30M, NJ Jurors Told
The owner of a 22-acre former Michelin Tire factory in Milltown, New Jersey, told jurors Wednesday it should be paid at least $30 million by a borough redevelopment agency to acquire the property through eminent domain for the construction of a 350-unit mixed-use residential development.
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September 04, 2024
EPA Coke Ovens Rule Challenged By Green Groups, Industry
Green groups and a coke-making business have kicked off challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule strengthening emission standards for hazardous air pollutants like benzene, mercury, lead and arsenic that are emitted by coke oven facilities.
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September 04, 2024
US Steel, Nippon Defend Deal After VP Harris Voices Concern
U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel on Wednesday reiterated the value they see in their planned $14.9 billion merger, despite opposition voiced by Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
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September 03, 2024
Army Corps Gets 150K Comments Against Enbridge Pipeline
Environmental, health and faith groups have joined the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians in submitting about 150,000 comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opposing Enbridge Inc.'s plans to reroute its controversial Line 5 pipeline.
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September 03, 2024
5th Circ. Panel Pushes Plaintiff Groups In Oil Terminal Row
A Fifth Circuit panel seemed wary of a claim by several groups who argued they hadn't forfeited arguments relating to vessel traffic on Texas' Gulf Coast, saying during oral arguments last week that the group's brief didn't include anything about forfeiture.
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September 03, 2024
Fed. Circ. Has Questions About Data On Solar Duty Review
The Federal Circuit struggled Tuesday morning to piece together the facts in an appeal from the U.S. Court of International Trade over anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar cells, with a judge at one point declaring that "neither side, it seems to me, has provided a coherent explanation."
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September 03, 2024
Feds Ask Sixth Circ. To Uphold Highway GHG Rule
The federal government called on the Sixth Circuit to overturn a district court ruling finding the Federal Highway Administration overstepped its authority by directing states to set targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from federally funded highway projects, arguing the rule aligns with Congress' instructions.
Expert Analysis
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Updated Federal Rules Can Improve Product Liability MDLs
The recent amendment of a federal evidence rule regarding expert testimony and the proposal of a civil rule on managing early discovery in multidistrict legislation hold great promise for promoting the uniform and efficient processes that high-stakes product liability cases particularly need, say Alan Klein and William Heaston at Duane Morris.
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Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent
As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.
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Adopting 7 Principles May Improve Voluntary Carbon Markets
The Biden administration's recently issued joint policy statement on improving the integrity of voluntary carbon markets may help companies using carbon credits to offset their emissions withstand scrutiny by government agencies, the public and investors, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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EU Directive Significantly Strengthens Enviro Protection
The recently revised European Union directive on environmental protection significantly strengthens its prior legislation and broadens the scope of environmental crime through the introduction of offenses for conduct resulting in severe damage, say Katharina Humphrey and Julian Reichert at Gibson Dunn.
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How Act 126 Will Jump-Start Lithium Production In Louisiana
Louisiana's recent passage of Act 126, which helps create a legal and regulatory framework for lithium brine production and direct lithium extraction in the state, should help bolster the U.S. supply of this key mineral, and contribute to increased energy independence for the nation, say Marjorie McKeithen and Justin Marocco at Jones Walker.
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Legal Battles Show Brands' Dilemma In Luxury Resale Trend
Recent litigation, such as Chanel's pending case against The RealReal, underscores the intricate balance luxury brands must strike between protecting their trademarks and embracing the burgeoning secondhand market that values sustainability, says Prachi Ajmera at Michelman & Robinson.
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Why Jurors Balk At 'I Don't Recall' — And How To Respond
Jurors often react negatively to a witness who responds “I don’t remember” because they tend to hold erroneous beliefs about the nature of human memory, but attorneys can adopt a few strategies to mitigate the impact of these biases, say Steve Wood and Ava Hernández at Courtroom Sciences.
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How Federal And State Microfiber Pollution Policy Is Evolving
Growing efforts to address synthetic microfiber pollution may create compliance and litigation issues for businesses in the textile and apparel industries, so companies should track developing federal and state legislation and regulation in this space, and should consider associated greenwashing risks, says Arie Feltman-Frank at Jenner & Block.
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An Insurance Coverage Checklist For PFAS Defendants
With PFAS liability exposures attracting increased media attention, now is a good time for companies that could be exposed to liability related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to review existing and past insurance policies, and consider taking proactive steps to maximize their likelihood of coverage, say attorneys at Nossaman.
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Series
Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge at Robinson Bradshaw.
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10 Tips To Build Trust With Your Witness During Trial Prep
Preparing a witness for deposition or trial requires more than just legal skills — lawyers must also work to cultivate trust with the witness, using strategies ranging from wearing a hat when conducting mock cross-examination to offering them a ride to court before they testify, say Faye Paul Teller and Sara McDermott at Munger Tolles.
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Opinion
It's Time To Defuse The Ticking Time Bomb Of US Landfills
After recent fires at landfills in Alabama and California sent toxic fumes into surrounding communities, it is clear that existing penalties for landfill mismanagement are insufficient — so policymakers must enact major changes to the way we dispose of solid waste, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.
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A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence
The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.
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To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef
To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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EPA Heavy-Duty Vehicle GHG Rules Face Bumpy Road Ahead
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for owners and operators of heavy-duty vehicles are facing opposition from both states and the transportation industry, and their arguments will mirror two pending cases challenging the EPA's authority, says Grant Laizer at Adams and Reese.