As we have reported on in past columns, New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) calls for greenhouse gas reduction from 1990 levels of 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050. Consequently, New York is seeking renewable energy ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden administration green energy policies run aground after OPEC slashes oil production
As we have previously reported in this column, American energy policy and the focus on climate change have been a central tenet of the Biden administration. Shortly after inauguration, the president signed an executive order declaring climate change a crisis, ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act with significant climate, energy policy provisions
On Aug. 12, the House of Representatives passed the Inflation Reduction Act. It was signed by President Biden on Aug. 16. The bill is a scaled-back version of his proposed Build Back Better Plan that was agreed to after West ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden Administration seems intent on forcing New Green Deal transition to renewables
As we have reported on previously in this column, climate change policies have been a focus under the Biden administration. Immediately after taking the oath of office, the president signed an executive order declaring climate change a crisis, initiated a ...
Read More »Environmental Law: New York State budget attempts to pre-empt local municipal zoning regulation
The New York State budget often includes dramatic and striking changes to state law and policy. For example, in 2019, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed the sweeping Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) that turns state energy priorities upside down ...
Read More »Environmental Law: NY taking aggressive climate policy action with legislation and regulations
In past columns we have reported on the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which was adopted by Gov. Cuomo in 2020. The CLCPA requires that New York State limit greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from all sectors (power generation, ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden administration proposes changes to National Environmental Policy Act regulations
On Oct. 6, the Biden administration announced additional steps to roll back regulatory reforms instituted by the Trump administration. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced that it plans to restore three central provisions of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden Administration electric vehicle mandate faces practical, economic challenges
On Aug. 5, President Joe Biden announced that he would sign an Executive Order that sets the ambitious goal of making one-half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero emission vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric or fuel ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Biden administration proposes major green policies under infrastructure plan
The Biden administration announced a major infrastructure plan captioned the American Jobs Plan in March 2021 with massive $2.3 trillion expenditures and a broad definition of what counts for infrastructure. The proposal addresses bridges and roads to an extent but ...
Read More »Environmental Law: United States energy policy changes dramatically under Biden administration
As we reported on in this column previously, national energy policies were key issues in the 2020 presidential election. After a tumultuous election and inauguration, newly elected President Biden wasted no time dramatically changing United States energy policy. Within hours ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Potential environmental policies in a new presidential administration
With the presidential election concluded and a new Biden administration on the horizon in 2021, it’s useful to look ahead to potential environmental policies that may be implemented. Although environmental policy changes from administration to administration, the switch from one ...
Read More »Environmental Law: Energy policy and the fracking battle in the November election
With the presidential election less than three weeks out and the pandemic hitting the state, questions about energy policy and fracking are popping up in various ways. Although it has been a few years since this column has addressed fracking ...
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