Environmental

  • March 04, 2025

    High Court Says EPA Went Too Far With SF Water Permit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with San Francisco in its attempt to escape the terms of a federal sewer and wastewater system permit that the city challenged as too vague and difficult to comply with.

  • March 03, 2025

    Aspiration Founder Arrested For Alleged $145M Fraud Scheme

    Joseph Sanberg, co-founder of the celebrity-backed and sustainability-focused financial services company Aspiration Partners Inc., was arrested Monday over federal criminal allegations he schemed to defraud investor funds out of at least $145 million, federal prosecutors in California announced.

  • March 03, 2025

    Colo. Judge Vacates Fed Orders Allowing Wild Horse Removal

    A Colorado federal judge vacated two U.S. Bureau of Land Management orders removing wild horses and donkeys from public lands Monday, finding they violate not only administrative and environmental laws, but a law governing protected populations of wild horses.

  • March 03, 2025

    $100M Deal To End Suit Against Colo. Reservoir Project

    An environmental group and Colorado water district said they have inked a $100 million settlement to end a lawsuit challenging federal approvals for a $2 billion water pipeline and reservoir project, allowing the project to proceed with construction.

  • March 03, 2025

    Chamber Leads Group Challenging NY Climate Superfund Bill

    A U.S. Chamber of Commerce-led coalition asked a New York federal judge to block a "plainly unconstitutional" Empire State law that promises to impose $75 billion in cost-recovery demands on fossil fuel companies to help pay for climate adaptation projects.

  • March 03, 2025

    EPA Chief Asks Watchdog To Investigate $20B Grant Program

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Monday it's asking its internal investigators to look into how $20 billion in congressionally supplied grant money has been distributed.

  • March 03, 2025

    5 Mass. Rulings You May Have Missed In February

    Justices in Suffolk County Superior Court's business litigation session tackled a range of issues in February, including greenwashing, consumer protection and development disputes.

  • March 03, 2025

    Enviro Groups Say DOGE Teams Are Violating Transparency Law

    Five federal agencies are violating their legal obligations to provide transparency about their connection to the Elon Musk-headed entity that's leading the Trump administration's effort to reduce government staffing and spending levels, environmentalists said in a D.C. federal lawsuit filed Monday.

  • March 03, 2025

    Jet Co. Says Insurer Can't Modify Airport Damage Appraisal

    A private jet charter company said a Liberty Mutual unit underpaid its claim for property damage to airport facilities following a March 2023 storm, telling a Kentucky federal court that the insurer is now seeking to unlawfully modify an ongoing appraisal of the claimed loss.

  • March 03, 2025

    $1.4B Genesis Deal Creates Top Global Soda Ash Producer

    Genesis Energy LP said Monday it has completed the sale of its soda ash manufacturing Alkali Business to an affiliate of WE Soda Ltd. at an enterprise value of $1.425 billion, creating what the buyer said is the largest soda ash producer in the world.

  • March 03, 2025

    Justices Turn Away Peru Mining Pollution Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by a mining company controlled by billionaire Ira Rennert to resolve whether the Eighth Circuit incorrectly denied the dismissal of claims raised by over 1,000 Peruvians alleging improper pollution.

  • February 28, 2025

    Trump Still Isn't Obeying Order To Free FEMA Funds, AGs Say

    The Trump administration still has not restored millions of dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds as part of a temporary restraining order barring a freeze on funding for federal grant and aid programs, a coalition of states told a Rhode Island federal judge Friday, asking the court to enforce its order.

  • February 28, 2025

    Trump Admin Cuts Raise Trade Secret Security Concerns

    As the Trump administration reduces the size of the federal government, intellectual property attorneys are expressing concerns about the continued safeguarding of trade secrets that companies are required to disclose to certain agencies.

  • February 28, 2025

    Up Next At High Court: Gun Violence Liability & Nuclear Waste

    The U.S. Supreme Court will return to the bench Monday to consider Mexico's attempt to hold gun manufacturers and distributors liable for cartel-related gun violence and a nuclear waste site dispute that could determine who can challenge future agency actions.

  • February 28, 2025

    Insurer Gets Partial Early Win In Oil Pollution Coverage Suit

    Because of a late notice, an insurer shouldn't have to defend an oil and gas company against litigation claiming it damaged neighboring land after it discharged wastewater, a U.S. magistrate judge recommended to a Texas federal court Friday, but indemnification might still be on table.

  • February 28, 2025

    Feds Say Tribes Can't Block New Oregon Casino

    The federal government and an Oregon Native American tribe are pushing back on a bid from three other tribes to block the operation of a new casino in Oregon, telling the D.C. Circuit that the tribes filed their emergency motion improperly and are likely to lose on the merits of their case.

  • February 28, 2025

    Seattle Property Owner Slaps Exxon With Cleanup Suit

    A Seattle property owner hit Exxon Mobil Corp. with a lawsuit seeking to hold it liable for the costs of cleaning up pollution from a former gas station, according to a complaint the energy giant removed to federal court on Friday.

  • February 28, 2025

    La. Regulators Ask Justices To Review Tesla Sales Ban Case

    Louisiana regulators have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review Tesla's case over the state's ban on direct sales by automakers, saying the presence of car dealership owners on a regulatory board does not violate the electric-car company's due process rights.

  • February 28, 2025

    Carbon Project Investor C-Quest Hits Ch. 7

    Carbon project developer C-Quest Capital has filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in a Delaware bankruptcy court as its ex-CEO faces charges he fraudulently obtained millions of dollars worth of carbon credits.

  • February 28, 2025

    3M Wants Texas 'Forever Chemical' Suit Tossed

    3M Co. told a Texas federal judge that the Lone Star State's lawsuit accusing chemical manufacturers of selling forever chemical-containing products despite knowing they present health risks to humans should be tossed because the court doesn't have jurisdiction over the companies.

  • February 28, 2025

    Lewis Brisbois Adds Miami Litigation Trio From Fowler White

    Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP added a trio of experienced litigation partners to its products liability practice in Miami from Fowler White Burnett PA.

  • February 28, 2025

    MPLX Paying $715M For Full Control Of BANGL Pipeline

    Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP-advised MPLX LP said Friday it has agreed to acquire the remaining 55% interest in the BANGL pipeline system of Texas for $715 million, plus potential future earnout payments, from affiliates of WhiteWater and Diamondback Energy.

  • February 28, 2025

    Missouri Judge Won't Step Aside From Plastics Recycling Suit

    A Missouri federal judge denied petrochemical companies' request that he recuse himself from a proposed class action accusing them of misleading people about plastic's recyclability due to his wife's position as a Kansas City council member.

  • February 27, 2025

    Apple Falsely Touted Watches As 'Carbon Neutral,' Buyers Say

    Apple Watch purchasers on Wednesday lodged a proposed class action in California federal court, claiming that the tech giant marketed various smartwatch products as "carbon neutral" despite Apple not actually providing "genuine, additional carbon reductions."

  • February 27, 2025

    Norfolk Southern Escapes Investors' Derailment Fraud Suit

    A New York federal judge on Thursday dumped a proposed securities fraud class action alleging Norfolk Southern misled investors by falsely touting its commitments to safety while embarking on risky cost-cutting operational and staffing changes that ultimately led to 2023's fiery derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At Order Ending Federal Contractor Affirmative Action

    Author Photo

    To comply with President Donald Trump's executive order revoking affirmative action requirements in the next 90 days, federal contractors should focus on identification of protected groups, responsibilities of "diversity officer" positions and annual compliance reviews, says Jeremy Burkhart at Holland & Knight.

  • Opinion

    Courts Should Nix Conferencing Rule In 1 Discovery Scenario

    Author Photo

    Parties are generally required to meet and confer to resolve a discovery dispute before bringing a related motion, but courts should dispense with this conferencing requirement when a party fails to specify a time by which it will complete its production, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law.

  • 4 Keys To Litigating In An Active Regulatory Environment

    Author Photo

    For companies facing litigation influenced by government regulatory action — a recent trend that a politically charged atmosphere will exacerbate — there are a few principles that can help to align litigation strategy with broader public positioning in the regulatory and oversight context, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

    Author Photo

    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • Gas Contract Fight Holds Lessons On Force Majeure Clauses

    Author Photo

    Ongoing litigation over gas deliveries during Winter Storm Uri underscores the need for precision and foresight when negotiating force majeure clauses in contracts — particularly in the energy sector, where climate-related disruptions and market volatility are inevitable, but often unpredictable, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

  • What Vinyl Acetate's Prop 65 Listing Means For Cos.

    Author Photo

    California's recent move to add vinyl acetate to the Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, with enforcement starting later this year, will have sweeping compliance and risk implications for businesses in the retail, food and beverage, paint, adhesive, industrial manufacturing, and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Opinion

    Commercial Tree Thinning Should Be Part of Wildfire Control

    Author Photo

    The devastating wildfires currently afflicting California make it clear that the U.S. Forest Service should step up its use of methods including commercial tree removal to lower fire risk — but litigation that drags on for years stymies many of these efforts and endangers the public, says Jeffrey Beelaert at Givens Pursley.

  • 5 Ways To Create Effective Mock Assignments For Associates

    Author Photo

    In order to effectively develop associates’ critical thinking skills, firms should design mock assignments that contain a few key ingredients, from messy fact patterns to actionable feedback, says Abdi Shayesteh at AltaClaro.

  • More Environmental Claims, More Greenwashing Challenges

    Author Photo

    As companies prepare for the 2025 greenwashing landscape, they should take heed of a D.C. appellate decision that shows that environmental claims are increasingly subject to attack and provides plaintiffs with a playbook for challenging corporate claims of sustainability, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Assessing Gary Gensler's Legacy At The SEC

    Author Photo

    Gary Gensler's tenure as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair is defined by a record of commonsense regulation in some areas and social activism in others, and by increasing judicial skepticism about the SEC's authority to fulfill its regulatory, enforcement, administrative law and adjudicatory functions, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Opinion

    Legal Personhood Can Give Natural Entities Their Day In Court

    Author Photo

    Granting legal personhood to natural entities like the River Thames, or vulnerable species like the Pacific bearded seal and Arctic ringed seal, could protect them from ecological threats and the vagaries of politics, and help us transform our relationship with nature, says Sachin Nandha at the International Centre for Sustainability.

  • Artfully Conceding Liability Can Offer Defendants 3 Benefits

    Author Photo

    In the rare case that a company makes the strategic decision to admit liability, it’s important to do so clearly and consistently in order to benefit from the various forms of armor that come from an honest acknowledgment, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • Mentorship Resolutions For The New Year

    Author Photo

    Attorneys tend to focus on personal achievements or career milestones when they set yearly goals, but one important area often gets overlooked in this process — mentoring relationships, which are some of the most effective tools for professional growth, say Kelly Galligan at Rutan & Tucker and Andra Greene at Phillips ADR.

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.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!