Environmental

  • April 01, 2024

    GE Vernova Spinoff Approved, Valued At $35.7B

    General Electric Co. said its board has approved the previously announced spinoff of its electric power business GE Vernova, setting the new company up to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 2.

  • March 29, 2024

    High Bar To Meet For Novel Protest Over $45B DOE Deal

    The U.S. Department of Energy's deviation from typical federal acquisition rules to award a $45 billion contract to a company previously deemed ineligible is raising eyebrows among government contracting attorneys, but may nonetheless find support in court.

  • March 29, 2024

    Liberty Sues SEC Again Over Climate Disclosure Regs

    Liberty Energy Inc. filed a complaint against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Texas federal court, marking the company's second attempt at challenging the agency's corporate climate disclosure regulations after its previous Fifth Circuit petition was transferred to the Eighth Circuit.

  • March 29, 2024

    Tribes Lose Challenge To Minnesota Water Quality Regs

    A Minnesota federal judge on Friday shot down a suit by two Native American tribes accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of allowing the state to adopt less protective water quality standards that could harm their reservations' wildlife and crops.

  • March 29, 2024

    DC Circ. Nixes Challenges To Gas Industry Projects

    Federal energy regulators had broad discretion to approve "good cause" construction deadline extensions for a gas pipeline across New York state and a Texas Gulf Coast gas terminal expansion, according to a D.C. Circuit panel opinion on Friday that rejected conservation groups' challenges to the projects.

  • March 29, 2024

    Nikola Says Convicted Ex-CEO Plotting Illegal Board Takeover

    Electric truck manufacturer Nikola Corp. sued its former CEO and convicted felon Trevor Milton in Arizona federal court Friday, accusing him of scheming with unqualified loyalists to regain control of the company by flouting securities laws, infringing Nikola's trademarks and breaching agreements.

  • March 29, 2024

    No Need To Revisit 'Cultural Resource' Ruling, Teck Argues

    A Teck Resources unit is urging a Washington federal judge to reject the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's request to reconsider an order dismissing its claims for so-called tribal service losses stemming from a smelter's Columbia River pollution, saying the tribe erroneously argues limitations on natural resource damages don't apply to tribes.

  • March 29, 2024

    Texas Farmers Sue USDA Over Sex, Race Disaster Aid Priorities

    A group of Texas farmers is asking a federal district judge to declare the U.S. Department of Agriculture's disaster assistance and pandemic relief programs unconstitutional, alleging in a complaint Friday that the government distributes the aid based on sex and race in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

  • March 29, 2024

    2nd Circ. Backs Insurer In Sanitizer Ad Injury Coverage Suit

    An insurer doesn't owe coverage to a company accused of falsely advertising that its sanitizing products were effective in disinfecting surfaces, the Second Circuit ruled Friday, affirming a lower court's decision that the underlying class action can't be "reasonably construed" to substantially allege a claim of disparagement.

  • March 29, 2024

    Baptist Group Backs Pollution Suit Revival At 5th Circ.

    The National Baptist Convention of America has thrown its support behind Black Louisianans in litigation against St. James Parish, urging the Fifth Circuit to revive the plaintiffs' claims that the parish and the state Legislature intentionally approved harmful petrochemical facilities in predominantly Black districts and not white ones.

  • March 29, 2024

    Retirement Advisers Back Biden Admin's ESG Rule In 5th Circ.

    Supporters of a Biden administration rule allowing retirement advisers to consider environmental, social and governance issues when making decisions for clients rose to defend the policy in the Fifth Circuit, arguing the move aligns with fiduciary duties to minimize risks and maximize returns for clients.

  • March 29, 2024

    Red States Say Court Must Lift LNG Export Review Pause

    A group of 16 Republican-led states has urged a Louisiana federal judge to immediately lift the U.S. Department of Energy's pause on reviewing applications to export liquefied natural gas to non-free trade agreement countries, saying it's clearly unlawful and exceeds the department's authority.

  • March 29, 2024

    US Steel-Nippon Merger Gets Thumbs Up From ISS, Glass Lewis

    U.S. Steel said Friday that proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis & Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services have recommended that U.S. Steel shareholders vote in favor of its planned $14.9 billion sale to Nippon Steel Corp.

  • March 29, 2024

    Flint Residents Can't Show Profit From Hasty Water Rate Hike

    Residents challenging the city of Flint's rushed implementation of higher water and sewage rates couldn't show how the city unjustly profited from the change or whether the increased rate was unreasonable, a Michigan appellate panel said in upholding the dismissal of the residents' suit.

  • March 29, 2024

    Feds, Energy Cos. Clash Over Osage Wind Farm Damages Trial

    The U.S. government and Enel Green Power North America Inc. are both pushing to shape a damages trial set for May after a federal judge ordered the ejectment of more than 80 wind turbines the companies installed on Osage Nation land in Oklahoma without required mineral leases.

  • March 29, 2024

    Atty Called A Flight Risk In $1.3 Billion Tax Fraud Case

    An attorney serving a 23-year prison sentence for tax fraud in a $1.3 billion conservation easement scheme is a flight risk and should remain in federal custody while he waits for his appeal, the government told a Georgia federal court Friday.

  • March 29, 2024

    EPA Sets New Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Regulations

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday said it is finalizing new greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty vehicles such as delivery trucks, dump trucks, public utility trucks and buses.

  • March 28, 2024

    Calif. Looks To Sink Chamber's Climate Disclosure Challenge

    The state of California says a challenge by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups to its recently enacted corporate climate disclosure laws should be tossed, arguing the groups cannot sue since enforcement of the law has not begun and the groups cannot plead an injury.

  • March 28, 2024

    Kauai Groups, Hawaii Settle Suit Over Hydro Project Review

    Two West Kauai community groups say they've reached an agreement with the state of Hawaii and a utility to settle their suit over the environmental review for a hydroelectric development that threatened to divert large amounts of water from the Waimea River watershed.

  • March 28, 2024

    Fruit Grower Cleared To Leave Ch. 11 With $43M Exit Loan

    California stone fruit producer Prima Wawona is set to wind down its packing and distribution division, hand ownership of the reorganized company to creditors and leave bankruptcy after a Delaware bankruptcy judge agreed to approve its Chapter 11 plan Thursday.

  • March 28, 2024

    Deals Rumor Mill: WeWork, Reading FC, Pet Food Co.

    Ex-WeWork CEO Adam Neumann looks to buy the company back, Chiron Sports Group is in talks to buy Reading Football Club, and the private equity firms Advent and CVC eye a pet food company. Here, Law360 breaks down the notable deal rumors from the past week.

  • March 28, 2024

    Enviro Groups Prepare To Defend EPA Particulate Matter Rule

    A coalition of six health and environmental organizations has moved to intervene before the D.C. Circuit in response to challenges brought by industry groups and Republican-led states seeking to upend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent final rule tightening federal standards for fine particulate matter pollution.

  • March 28, 2024

    5th Circ. Nixes License For NM Nuke Storage Site

    The Fifth Circuit wiped out the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's license for a temporary nuclear waste storage facility in New Mexico, citing its August 2023 ruling finding the agency lacks authority to license a separate facility in Texas.

  • March 28, 2024

    Texas Wins Court Bid To Vacate Feds' Highway GHG Rule

    A Texas federal judge has dealt the Biden administration a blow by vacating a new Federal Highway Administration rule requiring states to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from federally funded highway projects, saying Congress never gave the agency that authority.

  • March 28, 2024

    Biden Admin Finalizes Rollback Of Trump-Era ESA Rules

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service on Thursday finalized three rules that strengthen Endangered Species Act protections for plants and animals by rolling back or revising three Trump-era regulations.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: South Korea

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    Numerous ESG trends have materialized in South Korea in the past three years, with impacts ranging from greenwashing prevention and carbon neutrality measures to workplace harassment and board diversity initiatives, say Chang Wook Min and Hyun Chan Jung at Jipyong.

  • How Social Media Can Affect Trial Outcomes

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    With social media’s ability to seize upon an issue and spin it into a specifically designed narrative, it is more critical than ever that a litigation communications strategy be part of trial planning to manage the impact of legal action on a company's reputation, say Sean Murphy and Steve Wood at Courtroom Sciences.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Illinois Trump Tower Ruling Illuminates Insurance 'Occurrence'

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    In Continental Casualty v. 401 North Wabash Venture, an Illinois appellate court found that Trump Tower was not entitled to insurance coverage for operating its HVAC system without a permit, helping to further define a widely litigated general liability insurance issue — what constitutes an "occurrence," say Robert Tugander and Greg Mann at Rivkin Radler.

  • A Look At Successful Bid Protests In FY 2023

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    Attorneys at Sheppard Mullin look beyond the statistics in the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s recent annual report on bid protests, sharing their insights about nine categories of sustained protests, gained from reading every fiscal year 2023 decision in which the protester had a positive result.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Biden Climate Push Expands With Contractor GHG Focus

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    President Joe Biden's recent announcement that federal agencies will consider contractors' greenhouse gas emissions when making procurement decisions demonstrates his administration's continued interest in using government contracting as a vehicle for reducing climate-related impacts — a theme first established in the early months of his term, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • Key Shifts In EU, UK Emissions Credits: Challenges For Cos.

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    An upcoming deadline to apply for free carbon dioxide emissions allowances in the European Union, and a reduction in the supply of similar allowances in the U.K., are likely to increase competition for allowances, and cause production, supply chain and contract issues for companies, say attorneys at Orrick.

  • How Shareholder Activists Are Targeting Insurers

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    As shareholder activists take a closer look at the insurance industry, they are pushing insurers to take value-enhancing and climate-related measures — but insurers can prepare by anticipating activist concerns, maintaining robust shareholder engagement, and considering changes in response to the universal proxy rules, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • House Bill Could Help Resolve 'Waters Of US' Questions

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    Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House that would restore Clean Water Act protection to areas excluded from it by the U.S. Supreme Court's Sackett v. EPA decision faces an uphill battle, but could help settle the endless debates over the definition of "waters of the United States," says Richard Leland at Akerman.

  • Calif. Climate Disclosure Laws: Next Steps For Companies

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    A trio of new climate disclosure laws in California will impose far-reaching corporate reporting requirements — so companies doing business in the state must immediately begin working to substantiate their climate claims and update marketing materials, and consider getting involved in rulemaking that will shape the legislation's impact, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Working With Emergency Services: Tips For Frontline Attys

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    The best version of a first responder-crisis lawyer relationship involves one where the first responder can trust the attorney enough to give them all the details, knowing they will exercise discretion in how much they release to the public, say Lauren Brogdon at Haynes Boone, Rick Crawford at the Los Angeles Fire Department and Christopher Sapienza at the Yonkers Police Department.

  • California's Offshore Turbine Plans Face Stiff Headwinds

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    To realize its innovative plans for floating offshore wind farms, California will face numerous challenges as companies investing in the industry will be looking for permitting transparency, predictable timelines, and meaningful coordination between jurisdictions, agencies, and stakeholders, say David Smith and David McGrath at Manatt.

  • Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence

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    Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

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