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Environmental
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September 10, 2024
Ariz. Gov. Can Join Monument Suit, Tribes and Enviros Sit Out
The state of Arizona can intervene in a fight over the Biden administration's creation of a national monument on an Indigenous site, but groups of tribes and conservation organizations aren't allowed in the suit, at least for now, a federal judge ruled Monday.
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September 10, 2024
Brookfield Pledges Over $1B To Ultra-Low Carbon E-Fuels Co.
Brookfield will pump up to $1.05 billion into Infinium and its electrofuels platform, in what the asset management giant said Tuesday is its first direct sustainable aviation fuels investment.
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September 10, 2024
IRS Extends Tax Deadlines For NY, Conn. Storm Victims
Victims of severe storms and flooding in New York and Connecticut will have more time to file some tax returns and make estimated payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday.
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September 10, 2024
Biofuel Group Wants Renewable Fuel Redo At DC Circ.
Growth Energy said a D.C. Circuit panel erred when it said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should have exempted small petroleum refiners from renewable fuel blending requirements and held the biofuel trade group didn't have standing to challenge alternative compliance actions the agency later enacted.
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September 10, 2024
'Structuring Issue' Snarls TC Energy's CA$1B Pipeline Deal
Canadian natural gas company TC Energy on Tuesday paused its planned CA$1 billion ($736.7 million) sale of a minority stake in a pipeline system and assets to an Indigenous-owned buyer, citing a "transaction structuring issue."
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September 09, 2024
DC Judge Won't Halt Colo. Trail Over Radiation Concerns
A D.C. federal judge will allow a trail development project in Colorado's Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge to move forward, rejecting a preliminary injunction bid from environmental and public health groups that claimed federal regulators disregarded unsafe levels of radiation in the area when authorizing the project.
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September 09, 2024
Judge Won't End Mich. Dam Flooding Suit Before Discovery
A Michigan judge said Monday it would be premature to free the state from liability for two dams' collapse before further discovery, telling government lawyers he would be reversed "in a nanosecond" if he ended the suit so soon.
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September 09, 2024
EPA Power Plant GHG Rule Is Unworkable, DC Circ. Told
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's push to curb greenhouse gas pollution from power plants imposes unrealistic carbon capture and sequestration requirements, jeopardizes power grid reliability and exceeds its Clean Air Act authority, two dozen states and a host of coal and utility groups told the D.C. Circuit on Friday.
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September 09, 2024
Investment Firm Can't Fell Timber Co.'s Carbon Offset Suit
The North Carolina Business Court has trimmed a timber company's lawsuit accusing a forestland investment firm of overstating land's carbon offset value in a sale, but let most of the claims escape being felled, reasoning that the timber company's complaint alleged plausible accusations of contract violations.
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September 09, 2024
5th Circ. Lets BP Keep Deepwater Horizon Cleanup Suit Win
The Fifth Circuit won't upend BP's win in a suit by a boat captain alleging he was injured while helping with the cleanup of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, finding the trial court rightly excluded his expert for failing to prove that exposure to the chemicals could have caused his claimed injuries.
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September 09, 2024
Red States, Industry Look To Sink EPA Vehicle Emissions Rule
The federal government's rule requiring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks and vans must be squashed because it favors electric vehicles in a way only Congress can do, 26 red states and a coalition of business groups have told the D.C. Circuit.
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September 09, 2024
FERC Botched Tenn. Pipeline Approval, Enviro Orgs Tell DC Circ.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relied on a botched climate change analysis to unlawfully approve a Tennessee pipeline project that will serve a Tennessee Valley Authority gas-fired power plant that is set to replace a coal-fired plant, environmentalists told the D.C. Circuit.
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September 09, 2024
Ohio Train Derailment Plaintiffs Seek Final OK Of $600M Deal
Residents and others affected by the Norfolk Southern train derailment and toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, last year are asking an Ohio federal court for final approval of a $600 million settlement, including a $162 million payout for their attorneys.
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September 09, 2024
Zeta MDL Judge Limits Talk Of Arnold & Itkin Billing 'Scheme'
A Harris County judge said on Monday she would limit what questions a drilling rig owner could ask witnesses about where they received medical care during an upcoming trial amid allegations that attorneys for seamen injured while on the ship during Hurricane Zeta engaged in a scheme to inflate medical bills.
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September 09, 2024
Five Point Energy Clinches 4th Fund With $1.4B In Tow
Sustainable infrastructure-focused private equity shop Five Point Energy LLC on Monday announced that it clinched its fourth fund above target after securing $1.4 billion from investors.
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September 09, 2024
EPA Enforcement Alert Issued For Illegal HFC Imports
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it is cracking down on illegal imports of hydrofluorocarbons, potent greenhouse gases that are used in refrigeration and air-conditioning and slated to be phased down.
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September 06, 2024
Texas Biz Court Will Be A Brave New World For Energy Cos.
Energy companies gained a new forum to hash out their legal fights Sept. 1 when the Texas business court recently started hearing cases, but questions about the court and how it'll operate might give companies pause before they take the plunge. Here's what energy companies and energy attorneys should know as the new court gets up and running.
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September 06, 2024
Ex-CEO Of Defunct Solar Co. Seeks Sanctions In Fraud Suit
The former CEO of a bankrupt solar energy firm filed a motion for sanctions Friday in Michigan federal court, alleging the plaintiffs' counsel misrepresented the ex-CEO's inability to produce information during a discovery meeting regarding claims he defrauded customers by selling faulty solar systems.
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September 06, 2024
Arkema Calls Timing 'Suspect' In Bid To Lift NJ PFAS Suit Stay
Chemical company Arkema Inc. is arguing that if rival Solvay is allowed to sue it, the litigation could upend an impending settlement worth up to $108 million it negotiated with the state of New Jersey that would end claims over "forever chemical" contamination at a facility both companies owned.
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September 06, 2024
2nd Circ. Won't Revive Solar Cos.' National Grid Tax Suit
The Second Circuit declined to revive one of two proposed class actions brought by solar companies against National Grid alleging it illegally charged them for taxes in an effort to dampen competition from renewables, finding on Friday that the district court properly determined it lacked subject matter jurisdiction.
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September 06, 2024
EPA Updates Public Engagement Plan For 1st Time In 20 Years
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is beefing up its public engagement policy to better communicate with community members, Native American tribes, businesses, trade groups and other parties with a stake in the EPA's programs and regulations.
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September 06, 2024
DuPont Spinoff Must Explain Record Policy For Missing Docs
A discovery referee for North Carolina's Business Court is ordering a DuPont spin-off to share its document retention policy with the attorney general after dozens of boxes of information the state wanted for a lawsuit over PFAS pollution were not made available from storage facilities.
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September 06, 2024
Pa. Borough Says Insurer, Atty Wrongfully Settled Feud
A Pennsylvania borough accused its insurer-retained counsel of committing legal malpractice by consummating a settlement acting against its wishes in an underlying "baseless" lawsuit brought by a borough council member, telling a state court that the attorney acted in the insurer's best interest.
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September 06, 2024
Texas Justices To Weigh In On Native American Park Dispute
The Texas Supreme Court agreed Friday to answer a question from the Fifth Circuit about religious freedom under the Lone Star State's constitution to aid the federal appellate court in resolving a dispute between Native American church members and San Antonio over access to a local park.
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September 06, 2024
Atlanta Hit With Clean Water Suit Over Wastewater Discharge
A conservation group sued Atlanta in Georgia federal court Friday, claiming the city failed to properly maintain its largest wastewater treatment plant, sending excessive pollution, including harmful bacteria, into the Chattahoochee River — a charge the city says it has corrected.
Expert Analysis
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Opinion
Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem
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.
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Calif. Long-Tail Ruling Continues Policyholder-Friendly Trend
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.
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A Case Study For Calif. Cities In Water Utility Takeovers
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.
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Series
NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2
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.
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Series
Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer
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.
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Tracking Implementation Of IRA Programs As Election Nears
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.
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Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule
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.
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4 Steps To Repair Defense Credibility In Opening Statements
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.
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Prejudicial Evidence Takeaways From Trump Hush Money Trial
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.
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How Justices' Chevron Ruling May Influence Wind Projects
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.
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After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
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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New Laws, Regs Mean More Scrutiny Of Airline Carbon Claims
Recent climate disclosure laws and regulations in the U.S. and Europe mean that scrutiny of airlines' green claims will likely continue to intensify — so carriers must make sure their efforts to reduce carbon emissions through use of sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen and carbon offsets measure up to their marketing, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
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Atmospheric Rivers: Force Majeure Or Just A Rainy Day?
As atmospheric rivers pummel California with intense rainfall, flooding and landslides, agencies and contractors in the state struggling to manage projects may invoke force majeure — but as with all construction risk issues, the terms of the agreement govern, and relief may not always be available, say Kyle Hamilton and Corey Boock at Nossaman.
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Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.