Your Guide to Emerging Issues in Environmental Regulation and Litigation.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday unanimously held that the dozens of pending environmental damage lawsuits against oil and gas companies in Louisiana belong in federal court under the federal officer removal statute. Over the past decade, several Louisiana parishes filed lawsuits in state court against various oil and gas companies alleging the companies violated …
On April 22, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal seeking to reverse a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that denied an oil and gas pipeline owner’s efforts to transfer from state court to federal court a lawsuit filed by State of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel seeking to shut down a pipeline between …
On April 6, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), which lists contaminants currently not subject to any national primary drinking water regulations. These contaminants are either presently known or in the future will appear in public water systems and may be subject …
The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) are federal air pollution regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act. Finalized in 2012 and effective beginning in 2015, MATS establish technology‑based emission limits for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted by coal‑ and oil‑fired power plants. In 2024, the EPA finalized …
California Senate Bill 1137 (S.B. 1137), enacted in September 2022 and implemented in June 2024, establishes a 3,200-foot health protection zone around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, retirement homes, and other similarly sensitive locations. Within this zone, the legislation prohibits the drilling of new oil and gas wells, as well as the redrilling or deepening of …
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 …