The Council on Environmental Quality’s recent proposed revisions to NEPA regulations would explicitly include environmental justice in the NEPA process and codify a definition for the term. This proposal signals an upcoming first, a fixed place for EJ in federal law.
Continue Reading EJ Evolution: Proposed NEPA Regulations Spotlight Environmental Justice
EPA administratively closed its Title VI investigations into whether LDEQ and LDH engaged in racial discrimination when issuing approvals for two Louisiana facilities. To find out more about how this impacts environmental justice considerations in Louisiana, read it on the Energy Law Blog.
Continue Reading EJ Evolution: EPA Closes Title VI Investigations into LDEQ and LDH
On June 8, 2023, the Ocean Policy Committee (composed of members from the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy) published a Request for Information, seeking input on developing an “Ocean Justice Strategy.” This strategy will focus on environmental justice (“EJ”) concerns for communities residing near the ocean, coasts, and Great
On May 17, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts dismissed plaintiffs’ challenges to the Vineyard Wind Project—the United States’s first major offshore wind project. The plaintiffs, nearby residents, challenged the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (“BOEM”) final Environmental Impact Statement and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (“NMFS”) Biological Opinion related
The pursuit of alternative energy sources has become increasingly important in our quest for a sustainable future. Lithium, a key component in rechargeable batteries, has emerged as a vital element for powering electric vehicles and storing renewable energy. The rising demand for lithium, combined with Federal tax credits for lithium production, has intensified lithium exploration
We’re now past the halfway point of the session. Six of the nine House CCS bills have now been effectively killed in the House Natural Resources Committee. HB 10 and HB 35 were involuntarily deferred in this week’s committee meeting on Wednesday, which essentially means the bills were voted down. HB 10 sought to remove
HB 571 was heard in the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday due to a tax feature applicable to extracted carbon dioxide. As anticipated, it received a quick and favorable vote after an uneventful hearing and will likely be set for a vote on the House floor next week.
In stark contrast, an exciting and
On April 21, 2023, the Biden administration reinforced and expanded its commitment to promoting environmental justice by signing new Executive Order 14096, “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.” This executive order is the latest in a series of actions under the Biden Administration that build upon Executive Order 12898, signed in 1994
Hurry Up and Wait. This week was set up to be a busy week for CCS bills, but everything was postponed. HB 571 was expected to be scheduled for a vote on the House floor this week, but it was recommitted to the House Committee on Appropriations based on the fiscal note attached to the bill.
HB 571 is expected to be scheduled for a vote on the House floor next Wednesday, April 26, or Thursday, April 27. HB 571 moved favorably out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment on April 20, as amended[1]. The adopted amendments include the following: use of more precise language identifying