Recent legislation aimed at blocking future acquisition of immovable property in Louisiana by companies controlled by foreign adversaries includes an exception for such companies who have already conducted oil and gas operations in the state. Currently, the bill has passed both the Louisiana House and Senate and awaits the vote of Governor John Bel Edwards before becoming law.
Continue Reading Latest Version of Louisiana Property Protection Bill Grants an Exception to Oil and Gas Investment By Companies Controlled By Countries Deemed a “Foreign Adversary”

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

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel of the Louisiana Third Circuit Appeal affirmed the authority of the Louisiana Tax Commission to correct property tax assessments of #pipelines when a local assessor uses values that are too high or do not reflect fair market value. Cheryl Kornick represented the taxpayer in this matter.
Continue Reading Louisiana Third Circuit Affirms Authority of Tax Commission to Correct Pipeline Property Tax Assessments

On May 25, 2023, the Nation’s first U.S.-built offshore wind substation departed from a Texas fabrication facility for the South Fork Wind Farm in federal waters on the New York outer continental shelf. This marks the start of Jones Act compliant offshore wind support vessels being manufactured domestically, including the first-ever U.S. flagged wind turbine installation vessel (“WTIV”) and offshore wind service operations vessel (“SOV”), both of which are currently under construction in Texas and Louisiana, respectively.
Continue Reading MADE IN AMERICA: U.S.-Built Offshore Wind Substation and Support Vessels Start to Set Sail for Federal Waters

On June 16, the Texas Supreme Court considered the award of noneconomic damages in the amount of just over $15 million in a wrongful death case arising from a trucking accident. In a plurality opinion, the Court reversed and remanded for a new trial, holding that the jury’s discretion to make an award is limited and that noneconomic damages must be supported by evidence of the nature, duration, and severity of the injury to support both the existence and the amount of compensable loss. Additionally, the Court held that unsubstantiated arguments to the jury, such as comparisons of mental anguish to the cost of a fighter jet, a work of art, or miles driven by a defendant’s vehicles, are improper.
Continue Reading “Juries cannot simply pick a number and put it in the blank.” – Texas Supreme Court Remands Case Involving $15 Million Jury Award for Noneconomic Damages Where Award was Unsupported and Arguments to the Jury Unsubstantiated

On June 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed a district court’s order vacating the attachment of property under Rule B of the Supplemental Rules of Admiralty. The property at issue was seized in support of a time charterer’s claims pending in UK arbitration. The Third Circuit found that, in order to qualify as facially valid maritime claims for purposes of Rule B, the claims must be actually asserted and ready for adjudication. Applying English law to the claims, the Court held that while a claim for the breach of a charter party qualified, a claim for implied indemnity and a contingent breach of charter party claim did not. …
Continue Reading Third Circuit Restores Rule B Attachment Based On Breach of Contract Claim Under English Law, Implied Indemnity Claim Not Enough

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…

The 2023 Louisiana Regular Session has ended. HB 571 by Speaker Schexnayder was the only one of the nine CCS bills filed in the House to pass. HB 571 provided a balanced approach between providing additional protections for local governments and communities while permitting the CCS industry in Louisiana to move forward. 

HB 571 by…

In Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas LLC v. 1776 Energy Partners, LLC, — S.W.3d —, No. 22-0095, 2023 WL 3556695 (Tex. 2023), the Texas Supreme Court held that, as a matter of law, the operator of a joint operating agreement, Ovintiv, did not owe interest on production payments owed to the non-operator, 1776 Energy, that…

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA, No. 21-454 (May 25, 2023) is a landmark ruling in environmental law interpreting the scope of water bodies covered by the Clean Water Act (CWA) – an issue that has been debated by courts, presidential administrations, and federal agencies for decades. The Court’s ruling holds…