Matthew G. Lawson
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White House Cites National Security Concerns as Administration Moves to Save Coal and Nuclear Power Plants
A combination of stagnant power consumption growth and the rise of natural gas and renewable power sources has resulted in the displacement and potential closure of many older coal and nuclear power plants in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, since 2008, coal and nuclear energy have seen a continuous decline… Continue reading
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Fracking Industry Warns of “Devastating Effects” from Pennsylvania Court Ruling
On April 2, 2018, the Pennsylvania Superior Court issued a potentially groundbreaking decision by holding that trespass and conversion claims arising from hydraulic fracturing are not precluded by the rule of capture. Continue reading
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Can Blockchain Technology Disrupt Renewable Energy Finance?
In 2016, the world underwent its largest ever annual increase in renewable power by adding an estimated 161 gigawatts of capacity in renewable power generation. The increased stemmed from a world-wide investment of USD $240 billion in renewable energy, marking the seventh straight year that the world’s investment in renewable power sources topped $200 billion… Continue reading
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Townships Look to Take the Air Out of Wind Farm
NextEra Energy Resources LLC (“NextEra”), the largest generator of wind energy in North America, is currently locked in legal disputes with local townships over its new wind energy project, the “Tuscola Wind III Energy Center.” NextEra’s subsidiary, Tuscola Wind III LLC (“Tuscola”), plans to construct the 55 turbine wind farm across the Fairgrove, Almer, and… Continue reading
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Who Wants to Buy a Superfund Site?
On July 25, 2017, Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) administrator Scott Pruitt’s “Superfund Task Force” issued a final report revealing the Task Force’s recommendations for streamlining the remediation process of over 1,300 Superfund sites currently overseen by the EPA. Continue reading
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FERC Rule Seeks to Expand Role of Electric Storage Resources in Wholesale Electricity Markets
On February 15, 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) unanimously voted to remove barriers for electric storage resources to participate in the capacity, energy, and ancillary services markets operated by regional transmission organizations (“RTOs”) and independent system operators (“ISOs”). Continue reading
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Will Last-Minute Petition for Review Keep Natural Gas Flowing?
On February 7, 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) moved for a last-minute review to save the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline just hours before it was scheduled to be shut down. Continue reading