Climate Law Blog

By Leah Adelman and Jacob Elkin Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law has published an update to its Report on Opposition to Renewable Energy Facilities in the United States, which documents local restrictions on and opposition to the siting of renewable energy projects. The updated report highlights 121 local policies restricting new […]

In order to achieve the greenhouse gas reductions needed to sustain a livable climate, we must scale up renewable energy capacity at a rapid pace. Wind and solar energy facilities emit no air pollution and have minimal environmental effects as compared to fossil fuel plants, but like all types of development, renewable energy projects do […]

On June 22, 2011, the New York State Legislature passed The Power NY Act of 2011 (A. 8510/S. 5844) (PNY Act).[1] Governor Cuomo is expected to sign it.  The new law, once enacted, would do two very important things:  (1) provide a mechanism to allow owners of residential and non-residential buildings to borrow money for […]

by Cullen Howe & Danielle Sugarman Columbia Law School’s Center for Climate Change Law (CCCL) has prepared a first draft of a model municipal wind siting ordinance (PDF).  The model ordinance presents a framework for the adoption, implementation and enforcement of standards to promote effective and efficient use of wind energy resources.  We began by […]