Your Guide to Emerging Issues in Environmental Regulation and Litigation.
On March 30, 2026, the governor of Colorado signed into law Senate Bill 16 (“Bill”), also known as the “Plastic Pellet-Free Waters Act” (“Act”). The Bill prohibits facilities from discharging plastic pellets or preproduction plastic materials into state waters. Plastic pellets are found in items we use every day, including computers, kitchenware, and even toys. …
It did not take the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals very long to react to the Illinois Supreme Court’s January 23, 2026 pollution exclusion ruling as reported in our January 29, 2026 Environmental Law Monitor Blog. On March 13, the Seventh Circuit ruled that an AIG unit has no duty to cover $150 million in …
On March 13, 2026, the federal government directed Sable Offshore Corp. to restart operations of the Santa Ynez Pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara, which was suspended by California in 2015 following the Refugio Oil Spill. The purpose of the recent directive, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, is to “address supply disruption …
On March 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Department of Transportation (“DOT”) on behalf of the U.S., filed suit against California in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California to block the California fuel mandates. At issue are regulations established by the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”). The …
Earlier this year, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed the Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act, sponsored by Senators Linda Greenstein and Bob Smith. The Act seeks to address intentionally added perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS) in consumer products; it also funds mandated PFAS-related research. Beginning two years after the Act’s effective, January 12, 2026, the …
In August 2024, the NJDEP introduced the Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) rule amendment package as part of the Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) initiative. These rules are meant to reform New Jersey’s environmental land-use regulations by including current and projected climate-change impacts, such as sea-level rise, chronic flooding, and extreme weather, into all major …
On February 24, 2026, the Department of the Interior published its final rule in the Federal Register, overhauling the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Rule adopts the interim final rule published on July 3, 2025, with minor changes. NEPA was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970 and requires …
A little over a month ago, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) approved permits for four new dual-fuel combustion turbines to be used at Georgia Power’s Plant Bowen, a huge coal-fired facility located just a few dozen miles northwest of Atlanta. In response, earlier this week, environmental groups promptly filed a lawsuit (see the petition …
The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to determine whether a Colorado climate tort claim against Exxon Mobil Corp. and Suncor Energy Inc. can proceed in state court, a decision that may determine whether state efforts to impose climate liability are federally preempted. The city and county of Boulder, Colo. filed suit against Exxon and Suncor …
The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a press release on its efforts over the last year regarding PFAS contamination, noting it “represents just the beginning of the Trump Administration’s fight against the risks of PFAS contamination.” Some of the work the agency highlighted included “better testing and detection, direct community support, enforcement, clear public education, commonsense …