With a few notable exceptions the City of New Orleans residential Short-Term Rental (STR) regulations[1] enacted by City Council in March 2023 and in 2024 were largely upheld in September and October 2025, in separate decisions by the United States Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Court for
EPA Proposes Changes to TSCA PFAS Reporting Rule
On November 10, 2025, EPA released a proposed rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”), proposing to amend its reporting requirements relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”). The original rule, promulgated in 2023, led to concerns by some regulated entities that it would be difficult to collect the data required by the rule
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of November 10, 2025
Oil and Gas Leasing: Interior Department Reopens 1.56 Million Acres of Alaska’s Coastal Plain for Energy Development
On October 23 2025, the Department of the Interior announced it has reopened 1.56 million acres of Alaska’s Coastal Plain for potential oil and gas development with a Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision,
Ensuring Occupational Safety and Preventing Active Shooters: State Firearms Compliance Post-Bruen
Seyfarth Synopsis: States continue to strike down restrictions and expand gun access, requiring employer vigilance to comply with the law and protect employees from workplace violence hazards.
Employers have been alarmed by an increase in workplace violence over the last ten years, particularly in health care. The prevalence of active shooters in workplace (and
California SB 261: Climate-Related Financial Risk Reporting Requirements Approaching
California Senate Bill 261 (the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act; SB 261) requires certain businesses to submit biennial disclosures of climate-related financial risks, as well as the measures they have implemented to reduce such risks.
Supply Chain Transparency: UK Government Responds to Joint Committee Recommendations on Modern Slavery Laws
The UK modern slavery regime has faced scrutiny in recent years for failing to keep up with requirements in other jurisdictions. A recent UK government publication offers a timely and illustrative example of how UK modern slavery laws are being reviewed. The document outlines the Government’s response to various recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (a Parliamentary body) in a July report titled Forced Labour in UK Supply Chains (Sixth Report of Session 2024–25 HC 633 / HL Paper 159).
The Release Report #5: Immediate Actions
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts discussing key features of Connecticut’s new release-based cleanup regulations (the “RBCRs”), R.C.S.A. § 22a-134tt-1 et seq.
The last post in the RBCR series discussed reporting of new releases under Connecticut’s March 2022 spill regulations. This post discusses immediate response actions required for new releases (and
California AG Targets Plastic Bag Manufacturers for Misleading Recyclability Claims
On October 17, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced enforcement actions against seven plastic bag manufacturers for allegedly violating state environmental and consumer protection laws through explicit and implicit claims that plastic bags sold in California were recyclable. This comes at the conclusion of an investigation of these plastic bag manufacturers initiated by the
House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee Considers the Brand Advertising Exemption Regulations
As we reported in the last edition of newsBITE, the Advertising (Less Healthy Food and Drink) (Brand Advertising Exemption) Regulations 2025 (Brand Advertising Exemption Regulations) were published in September 2025.
The Brand Advertising Exemption Regulations came into force on 31 October 2025. They provide that “brand” advertising that does not identify a specific, less healthy product, is outside the scope of highly anticipated restrictions, which will come into force in January 2026, under the Advertising (Less Healthy Food Definitions and Exemptions) Regulations 2024 (Advertising Regulations).
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of November 3, 2025
Pipelines: PA DEP Approves Permits for Pennsylvania Sections of Northeast Supply Enhancement Project
On November 1, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) published notice in Pennsylvania Bulletin, approving parts of the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project. The DEP approved compressor stations in Lancaster and Chester counties, and the Quarryville Pipeline loop. Once completed, the