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Native American
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April 26, 2024
4 Takeaways From Final EPA Power Plant Rules
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's long-awaited rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants accelerates the timeline for the electricity sector's transition away from fossil fuels, though there's plenty of legal and political uncertainty to consider. Here are four key takeaways from the EPA's power plant moves.
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April 26, 2024
Support For 9th Circ. Rehearing In Oak Flat Dispute Mounting
At least 100 religious and nonprofit groups, law scholars, Native American coalitions and tribes are urging the Ninth Circuit to consider a full panel en banc hearing on a challenge to block a copper mining company from destroying a sacred Indigenous religious site in central Arizona.
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April 26, 2024
Fla. Wants DC Circ. To Pause Wetlands Permits Decision
The state of Florida has called on the D.C. Circuit to pause a lower court's February ruling that stripped the state of its federally delegated authority to administer a Clean Water Act permitting program until its appeal is resolved, arguing the decision is likely to be reversed.
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April 25, 2024
Ariz. Tribes, Groups Seek Stay In SunZia Power Line Ruling
Native American tribes and environmentalists are asking an Arizona federal district court for an emergency injunction that would stay a ruling that rejected their bid to block work on SunZia's $10 billion transmission line while they appeal the decision, arguing that construction is already going ahead in culturally sensitive locations.
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April 25, 2024
Gov't To Use Tribal Energy Purchase Preference For First Time
The Biden administration announced Thursday that it intends to purchase thousands of megawatts of carbon-pollution-free electricity certificates from tribal sources, marking the first time the government will use a nearly two-decade-old procurement preference for tribally sourced energy.
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April 25, 2024
Biden Admin's Gas Venting Curbs Are Illegal, ND Says
A North Dakota-led alliance of states has accused the Biden administration of pushing through limits on greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector illegally disguised as a rule to reduce industry waste, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
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April 25, 2024
Tribes, Enviros Want A Say In Grand Canyon Monument Suits
Three Native American tribes and a slew of conservation groups are asking an Arizona federal district court to intervene in separate lawsuits, seeking to protect an Indigenous sacred site in the Grand Canyon region from losing its National Monument designation.
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April 25, 2024
Feds Lose Bid To Toss SD Tribe's School Funding Suit
A South Dakota federal judge has denied the Bureau of Indian Affairs' attempt to dismiss a tribe's lawsuit accusing the BIA of over-collecting on a $1 million school debt obligation, finding there are enough factual allegations asserted in the amended suit to keep it alive.
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April 25, 2024
Biden Permitting Reform To Fast-Track Power Line Approvals
Streamlined federal permitting for electric transmission projects is expected to shave years off the authorization process and speed up development of new power connections, according to a final new rule released on Thursday by the Biden administration.
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April 24, 2024
Muscogee Supreme Court To Decide Descendants' Citizenship
Two descendants of those enslaved by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are in limbo as they await a decision from the tribe's high court on whether they can apply for citizenship — a ruling that could pave the way for others to be eligible for healthcare and other benefits under federal law.
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April 24, 2024
Feds Plan 12 Offshore Wind Lease Sales Through 2028
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said Wednesday the government will hold up to 12 offshore wind energy lease sales over the next five years now that updated regulations for renewable energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf have become final.
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April 24, 2024
EPA Floats $1B In School Bus, Truck Electrification Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it would offer approximately $1 billion in grants to fund the electrification of school buses, garbage trucks and other heavy-duty commercial vehicles, another part of the Biden administration's efforts to decarbonize the U.S. transportation sector.
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April 24, 2024
Biden's Latest Judge Picks Include Blocked US Atty Nom
President Joe Biden announced seven judicial nominee picks on Wednesday, including one for the Northern District of Illinois, which covers Chicago, whom he previously nominated to be U.S. attorney for the district, but has been held up by a Republican senator.
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April 23, 2024
Investor Seeks Recovery From R. Kelly, Foxwoods Fallouts
An investor has filed a Connecticut suit to recover a New York settlement worth nearly $877,000 after revolving credit deals and a security agreement surrounding a concert series that was headlined by since-imprisoned R&B artist R. Kelly at the Foxwoods Resort Casino fell apart.
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April 23, 2024
Maine Gov. Signs Bill Expanding Tribal Courts' Rights
Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Monday signed into law a bill that, so far, imposes the most significant change to the state's controversial Indian Claims Settlement Act since its passage more than two decades ago.
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April 23, 2024
Florida Loses Bid To Stay Ruling Nixing Its CWA Permit Power
A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday declined Florida's request to pause his ruling that stripped the state's federally delegated authority over a Clean Water Act permitting program, finding that the Sunshine State had not shown it was likely to succeed in its appeal of the ruling.
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April 23, 2024
BNSF Lowballing Oil Train Trespass Payout, Tribe Says
A Washington tribe said Monday that BNSF Railway Co. raked in $500 million for shipping crude oil across its reservation for nearly a decade, calling the railroad's calculation that it should pay less than $175,000 for the illegal trespass an affront to the tribe's sovereign and treaty rights.
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April 23, 2024
Cole First Native American To Chair Appropriations Committee
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, has become the first Native American to chair the full House Appropriations Committee, succeeding Rep. Kay Granger, who in March announced that she would be stepping down prior to her retirement.
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April 22, 2024
CORRECTED [New Headline]:Tribe Says NY Lottery Breaks Law
A tribe in New York has asked a federal judge to bar state officials from operating any lottery vending machines on its self-proclaimed reservation, saying gambling on Indian lands is within the jurisdiction of tribes and regulated by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
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April 22, 2024
Texas, Mo. Seek Full Vacatur Of DHS Border Wall Plan
Texas and Missouri on Monday urged a Texas federal court to fully vacate the Biden administration's plans to redirect border wall construction funds, saying the plan adopted an overarching policy the court had declared was unlawful.
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April 22, 2024
Group Backs Net Neutrality, But Not Fees On Broadband
Despite supporting a planned net neutrality regime, media advocacy group Free Press has argued against using the new rules to impose fees on the broadband industry to support telecommunications subsidies, saying the idea would only harm consumers.
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April 22, 2024
Wash. Judge Questions If Professor Was Punished For Views
A Washington federal judge seemed to doubt Monday that the University of Washington went too far when it removed a professor's political statements from his syllabi, noting that the comments were disruptive because they caused students to drop the mandatory course.
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April 22, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Settles Religious Freedom Suit With Feds
A Phoenix-based church that uses the psychedelic ayahuasca as a sacrament announced Monday that it had reached a legal settlement in Arizona federal court with a slew of federal agencies to ensure its religious right to access the federally controlled substance.
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April 22, 2024
With Power Rules On Deck, EPA Awards $7B In Solar Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it awarded $7 billion in grants to boost residential solar energy development in low-income communities, kicking off a climate change-focused week in which the agency is expected to release pollution control rules for the power sector.
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April 22, 2024
Feds Say $1M Fine Is Fair In Washington Dam Settlement
The federal government says a $1 million fine to settle Clean Water Act violations against a hydroelectric dam operator is fair despite objections from a Washington tribe, arguing that a proposed consent decree should be approved because it meets key goals that help to restore Washington's Puyallup River.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy
With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.
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Series
Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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What Minority Biz Law Ruling Could Mean For Private DEI
A Texas federal court’s recent decision to strike down key provisions of the Minority Business Development Act illustrates the wide-reaching effects of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision across legal contexts, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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How IRA Unlocks Green Energy Investments For Tribes
An Inflation Reduction Act provision going into effect May 10 represents a critical juncture for Native American tribes, offering promising economic opportunity in green energy investment, but requiring a proactive and informed approach when taking advantage of newly available tax incentives, say attorneys at Lewis Brisbois.
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What Nevada 'Superbasin' Ruling Means For Water Users
The Nevada Supreme Court's recent decision in Sullivan v. Lincoln County Water District, affirming that the state can manage multiple predesignated water basins as one "superbasin," significantly broadens the scope of water constraints that project developers in Nevada and throughout the West may need to consider, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Fears About The End Of Chevron Deference Are Overblown
While some are concerned about repercussions if the U.S. Supreme Court brings an end to Chevron deference in the Loper and Relentless cases this term, agencies and attorneys would survive just fine under the doctrines that have already begun to replace it, say Daniel Wolff and Henry Leung at Crowell & Moring.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.