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Project Finance
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February 21, 2024
Green Groups Press FERC To Rescind Tenn. Pipeline Approval
Environmentalists on Tuesday urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to undo its approval of a Tennessee pipeline project that will serve a Tennessee Valley Authority gas-fired power plant that is replacing a coal-fired plant, saying the agency botched its consideration of the project's climate change impacts.
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February 20, 2024
Groups, Scholars Back Tribes In High Court Healthcare Bid
A coalition of Native American and Alaskan Native healthcare boards and nonprofits are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold rulings that ordered the federal government to reimburse two tribes millions in administrative healthcare costs, arguing that the obligation is deeply rooted in the trust relationship between the United States and its Indigenous nations.
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February 20, 2024
Tribes, Enviro Orgs Can Join Fight Over Tongass Protections
An Alaska federal judge said a coalition of tribes, conservation groups, fishers and tourism businesses can join litigation to help defend a challenged Biden administration rule that reinstated roadless area protections for some 9 million acres of the vast Tongass National Forest.
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February 20, 2024
Developers Deny 'Shell Game' Amid Push For More Sanctions
Real estate developers facing potential imprisonment over their failure to pay EB-5 investors at least $26 million in settlement and sanction judgments have told an Illinois federal court their money is not hidden in a "shell game" but rather tied up in receivership proceedings the investors already know about.
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February 20, 2024
5th Circ. Seeks Texas Justices' Input On LNG Permit Fight
The Fifth Circuit has yanked its prior ruling that scrapped an emissions permit issued by Texas environmental regulators for a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal, saying it wants the state's Supreme Court to weigh in on how to define the best available pollution control technology under Texas law.
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February 20, 2024
DC Circ. Says FERC Fight Over 'Onshore' Meaning Is Moot
The D.C. Circuit has dumped a fight between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and an advocacy group concerning whether the agency has jurisdiction over facilities that transport liquefied natural gas to port via truck, saying the dispute is moot because the proposed facility in question isn't being built.
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February 20, 2024
FERC Greenlights $6.7B Vistra-Energy Harbor Merger
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a $6.7 billion proposed merger between Vistra Corp. and Ohio-based Energy Harbor LLC after taking extra time to review the tie-up amid competition concerns from both federal antitrust officials and state consumer advocates.
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February 20, 2024
Cozen O'Connor Hires Ex-Eckert Seamans Public Finance Atty
Philadelphia-based Cozen O'Connor said Tuesday it has hired a former finance attorney from Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC for its public and project finance practice.
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February 20, 2024
Validity Of $2B Venezuelan Bonds Remains Unresolved In NY
New York's highest court on Tuesday cleared a path for Venezuela's state-owned oil company to argue that nearly $2 billion in defaulted bonds are invalid under its domestic law, saying the validity question can now be answered by the federal courts.
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February 16, 2024
6th Circ. Rejects FirstEnergy Objector's Appeal In $180M Case
The Sixth Circuit on Friday rejected an appeal from a FirstEnergy investor who was holding up a $180 million settlement in a derivative suit seeking to hold the utility company responsible for its involvement in a $1 billion bribery scandal.
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February 16, 2024
4th Circ. Won't Rethink Overturning Bid-Rigging Conviction
The Fourth Circuit declined to reconsider a panel ruling that overturned a former Contech executive's bid-rigging conviction, despite the U.S. Department of Justice's contention that the decision flouts long-standing precedent.
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February 16, 2024
Up Next At High Court: Deadlines, Delivery Drivers & Smog
The U.S. Supreme Court will be closed Monday for Presidents Day and will begin a short oral argument week on Tuesday, during which the justices will consider the deadlines for challenging a federal agency's action and bringing copyright infringement claims.
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February 16, 2024
FERC Rejects Hydro Project Permits Amid Tribal Opposition
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has denied preliminary permits for three proposed hydropower projects on Navajo Nation land in Arizona, saying a recently revised policy clarifying Indigenous rights in the agency's decision-making process and the tribe's overwhelming opposition to the applications swayed the decision.
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February 16, 2024
Clean Energy Cos. Must Pay Heed To PFAS Crackdown
The clean energy industry shouldn't downplay the growing scrutiny over so-called forever chemicals, many of which are present in key components of their projects and can't be easily replaced, attorneys say.
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February 16, 2024
Canada Liable Under NAFTA For Axed LNG Project, Co. Says
A U.S. company that invested at least $120 million in a since-thwarted liquefied natural gas project maintained that Canada is liable for $1 billion in damages for breaches of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and that the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes has jurisdiction over its claims.
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February 16, 2024
Feds Tell 1st Circ. Mass. Wind Farm Approval Was Sound
The federal government has said a Massachusetts federal judge properly dumped a challenge lodged by commercial fishing groups seeking to upend federal approvals of the Vineyard Wind project, telling the First Circuit that the record shows federal agencies thoroughly studied the project's potential impacts.
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February 16, 2024
Ape Farm Says Ga. Officials Monkeying With $300M Bond Deal
The company behind a proposed — and highly controversial — 1.75 million-square-foot monkey rearing facility in southwest Georgia has taken its fight against local officials to federal court, accusing a development authority of trying amid public outcry to back out of a $300 million bond deal to finance the project.
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February 16, 2024
Taxation With Representation: Paul Weiss, Kirkland
In this week's Taxation With Representation, Diamondback buys Endeavor, KKR & Co. acquires a stake in Cotiviti, and Gilead Sciences Inc. purchases CymaBay Therapeutics Inc.
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February 15, 2024
FERC Churn Won't Impact Grid Policy Push, Chair Says
A looming commissioner departure that could leave the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission without enough members to fully function is not affecting efforts to finalize a long-awaited overhaul of the agency's electric transmission planning policies, Chair Willie Phillips said Thursday.
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February 15, 2024
Baker McKenzie Can't Send Malpractice Suit To London
An Illinois state appeals court has rejected a push by Chicago-based Baker McKenzie to transfer to London a legal malpractice suit accusing the international law firm of botching a client's bid to reacquire a coal mine in Russia, saying in a 2-1 decision that Cook County has an interest in deciding the case even if the alleged misconduct stems from attorneys in a Russian member firm.
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February 15, 2024
New York Says Thruway Doesn't Cut Through Cayuga Land
New York state officials are asking a federal district court to dismiss litigation by the Cayuga Nation that seeks a cut of the tolls collected on the New York State Thruway, arguing that the tribe can't prove it had possession of the land over which the highway was being built.
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February 15, 2024
DOI Inks Klamath Basin Agreement With Tribes, Water Users
The U.S. Department of the Interior said it has struck an agreement that will see water users and tribes work together in a push to improve the environment and water supplies in the drought-prone Klamath River Basin of southern Oregon and northern California, pledging $72 million for projects.
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February 14, 2024
USDA Says $20M Will Help Tribes Access Climate Market
Federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native corporations and villages are getting a $20 million bump to broaden their access to emerging climate markets as a way to address ongoing climate change, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.
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February 14, 2024
Network Group Wants Faster Access To Utility Poles
Federal regulators must push for further reforms in order to expedite talks between utility pole owners and high-speed equipment attachers on how to divvy up pole upgrade costs, a broadband trade group said.
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February 14, 2024
FCC Must Distribute School IT Funds, Tech Firms Tell DC Circ.
Two tech companies are calling on the D.C. Circuit to force the Federal Communications Commission to release funds to pay for information technology and broadband services the firms provide in elementary and secondary schools around the country.
Expert Analysis
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The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.
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Rising Interest Rates Bring Risk For Construction Contractors
With rising interest rates causing many construction projects to be slowed or halted, it's important for general contractors to implement safeguard measures against the risk of significant financial losses caused by owner-driven schedule modifications, says Kevin Riexinger at Gfeller Laurie.
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How Focus On Congruency Affects Corporate Political Activity
Congruency — whether the contributions made by a company-sponsored political action committee align with the corporation's public statements on issues of social responsibility — is undoubtedly the next frontier in the battle over corporate political activity, despite the limited success of shareholder proposals on the issue, says Carol Laham at Wiley.
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Mont. Kids' Climate Decision Reflects 3 Enviro Trends
A Montana district court's recent ruling in Held v. Montana represents a rare win for activist plaintiffs seeking to use rights-based theories to address climate change concerns — and calls attention to three environmental trends that are increasingly influencing climate litigation and policy, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.
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To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation
Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.
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Strategies For Enforcing Arbitral Awards Against Sovereigns
When a large project or investment in a foreign country is unexpectedly expropriated by a new government, companies often prevail in arbitration — but if the sovereign refuses to pay up, collecting the arbitral award may require persistence, creativity, and a mixture of hard and soft approaches, say Gabe Bluestone and Jeff Newton at OmniBridgeway.
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Calif. Protected Species Law Changes: Real Fix Or Red Tape?
California's recent amendments to its "fully protected species" statutes create a temporary permitting regime intended to accelerate the building of renewable energy, transportation and water infrastructure in response to climate change — but the new legislation could become another obstacle to the projects it purports to benefit, says Paul Weiland at Nossaman.
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Perspectives
More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap
Colorado is the most recent state to allow other types of legal providers, not just attorneys, to offer specific services in certain circumstances — and more states should rethink the century-old assumptions that shape our current regulatory rules, say Natalie Anne Knowlton and Janet Drobinske at the University of Denver.
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What New Offshore Drilling Bond Rules Would Mean For Cos.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's recently proposed changes to when offshore oil, gas and sulfur lessees must post supplemental financial assurance related to their operations provides greater clarity for stakeholders, but some smaller operators may not satisfy the proposal's new credit rating requirements, say attorneys at V&E.
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Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure
Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.
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Key Drivers Behind Widespread Adoption Of NAV Financing
While net asset value-based lending has existed for years, NAV lending has only started to move into the mainstream recently — likely due to difficult market conditions faced by sponsors including persistent inflation, high interest rates and a lack of exit opportunities, say Matthew Kerfoot and Jinyoung Joo at Proskauer.
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NHTSA Fuel Proposal May Boost EVs — Given More Chargers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recently proposed revised fuel economy standards may spur automakers to further advance development and sales of electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles — but only if consumer concerns over inadequate infrastructure are addressed, say Levi McAllister and Mark Fanelli at Morgan Lewis.
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Series
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'
Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.
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What Legal Personhood For DAOs Means For Crypto Industry
A California federal court's recent ruling in U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Ooki DAO that a decentralized autonomous organization is a legal person, despite lacking a centralized coordinating authority, has several potentially significant implications for decentralized finance, say Jeffry Henderson and Douglas Arend at Greenberg Traurig.
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4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.