With the Biden administration setting ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a clean energy future, the need for swift and efficient deployment of renewable energy projects has never been more urgent. Although the current permitting process is designed to ensure environmental protection and public safety, many […]
Energy
296 posts
Over the last 10 years, dozens of townships in Michigan have effectively halted renewable energy development by adopting severe zoning restrictions, such as moratoriums. Many of these local restrictions, however, may become moot after November 29, 2024, when a new state law that reforms the siting process for large-scale wind, […]
Over the past few years, opponents of offshore wind energy have filed at least 15 lawsuits against 5 projects in federal court. One tactic that plaintiffs in these lawsuits sometimes use is to move for a preliminary injunction to halt construction until the court reaches a final decision on the […]
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the 25 successful applicants for a shared $4.3 billion in implementation funding under the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. The grants will enable investments in solar projects, building energy-efficiency upgrades, the buildout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, […]
The draft of New York’s Clean Energy Standard Biennial Review was published July 1 by New York State Department of Public Service (NYS DPS) and New York State Energy Research and Development (NYSERDA). It illuminates the challenge ahead for New York to meet the clean energy goals of the Climate […]
Local opposition has proven to be a significant barrier to the rapid expansion of renewable energy facilities across the United States. A new edition of the Sabin Center’s Opposition to Renewable Energy Facilities in the United States report identifies 378 renewable energy projects across 47 states that have encountered significant opposition. […]
Lawyers, bar associations, and law societies have an important but not fully recognized role to play in achieving the net zero goal in the Paris Agreement. Over the last few years, a unique collaboration involving the American Bar Association (ABA), the International Bar Association (IBA), the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), […]
In November of 2022, when the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) proposed new rules to control venting, flaring, and leaks from oil and gas leases on federal land (the “Fossil Fuel Waste Rule”), they noted that these leasing rules would have an enormous ancillary climate benefit. […]