January 2011
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EPA Schedules Listening Sessions On Proposed Greenhouse Gas Rules
EPA has announced five listening sessions to gain public input and feedback into the rulemaking process for new greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil fuel fired power plants and petroleum refineries. Each session is scheduled to last two hours and will feature a facilitated roundtable discussion among Clean Air Act stakeholders selected for their expertise… Continue reading
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Property Owner Faces RCRA Liability for Refusing to Allow Prior Owner to Remediate
On January 21, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois held that a current property owner’s refusal to grant a prior owner access for the purpose of remediation could result in the current owner being held liable as a “contributor” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), 42 U.S.C. §… Continue reading
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Climate Change Year in Review 2010 Published
LexisNexis announced today that it published its annual year-in-review article on climate change developments, authored by Jenner & Block partner Gabrielle Sigel. The article, titled “2010 Climate Change Year in Review: The Executive Branch Takes Charge” is posted on Lexis.com at 2011 Emerging Issues 5502. Continue reading
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CEC’s Environmental Outlook For North America: Nine Trends To Watch For in 2011
A new report released by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), North American Outlook to 2030, identifies the major forces and underlying trends likely to shape the environment of North America in 2030. CEC noted nine areas to watch: Continue reading
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Shareholder Resolutions Filed Today Over Hydraulic Fracturing Risks
U.S. investors announced today they have filed shareholder resolutions with nine oil and gas companies, pressing them to disclose their plans for managing water pollution, litigation and regulatory risks that are increasingly associated with ever-expanding natural gas hydraulic fracturing operations, also known as “fracking.” Resolutions were filed with a number of the natural gas industry’s… Continue reading
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OSHA Succumbs to Noisy Public Comment
On January 19, 2011, in response to vociferous objection from the regulated community, OSHA withdrew its proposed official interpretation of the term “feasible administrative or engineering controls” as used in its General Industry and Construction Occupational Noise Exposure standards. The regulated community had strongly objected to a proposed OSHA interpretation which would have required employers… Continue reading
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Water Is World’s Most Urgent Sustainability Challenge
In commenting on sustainability trends in 2010, SustainAbility, a company providing innovation and solutions to make business and markets sustainable, noted that water was the world’s most urgent sustainability challenge in 2010. Continue reading
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U.S. Supreme Court Denies Petition to Consider Comer GHG Nuisance Decision
On January 11, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for a writ of mandamus filed by the plaintiffs in Comer v. Murphy Oil U.S.A., a climate change common law case with an unusual procedural outcome in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In re Comer, et al., No. 10-294 (docketed Aug. 30, 2010).… Continue reading
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November 2010 Update: Environmental Lender Liability
Jenner & Block’s Environmental, Energy & Natural Resources Law Practice recently [updated] Environmental Cost Recovery & Lender Liability Update Resource Center. Of note in this month’s update are summaries of…NL Indus., Inc. v. Halliburton Co. and the U.S. Court for the Western District of Washington’s December 7 decision in United States v. Washington State Dep’t… Continue reading
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Vermont Law Top 10 Environmental Watch List 2011
Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center launched its first annual Top 10 Environmental Watch list today. Environmental faculty and students researched more than 75 judicial, regulatory and legislative actions before selecting what they consider the 10 most important environmental law and policy issues of 2010. Continue reading