On June 3, 2023, President Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act to temporarily suspend the United States’ debt limit. The legislation also amends the National Environmental Policy Act with the intent of streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
As lithium-based batteries become more prevalent in everything from electric vehicles (EVs) to industrial-scale batteries, as well as e-scooters and personal electronics, more questions arise regarding how to properly manage and dispose or recycle them at the end of their lives. On May 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a memorandum titled “Lithium Battery Recycling Regulatory Status and Frequently Asked Questions,” clarifying how the EPA’s current hazardous waste regulations, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), apply to lithium batteries, and describing the handling requirements imposed on companies generating the waste batteries and recycling facilities ultimately receiving the waste batteries.
In a heavily fractured decision last month, the U.S. Supreme Court held in National Pork Producers Council, et al v. Ross, et al, that a California law (Cal. Health & Safety Code 25991, known as Proposition 12), which forbids the in-state sale of whole pork meat that comes from breeding pigs “confined in a
Greenberg Traurig cordially invites you to join a webinar focusing on the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation.
Thursday, June 8, 202310-11 a.m. ET | 4-5 p.m. CETREGISTERCBAM is an EU regulation that will apply as of October 2023, that will require companies importing cement, electricity, hydrogen, fertilizers, iron, steel, aluminum, and
On 1 June 2023, the European Parliament (the “EP“) plenary session adopted its proposed amendments to the draft EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD“).
The adopted text largely mirrors the version voted on by the EP’s Legal Affairs Committee in April 2023 (which we discussed in our earlier blog post), in that it confirms that:
The adopted text also confirms that non-compliant companies may be liable for damages and could be sanctioned by the national supervisory authorities of EU member states. Sanctions include taking a company’s goods off the market and/or the imposition of fines of at least 5% of a company’s net global turnover. Non-EU companies that fail to comply may also be banned from public procurement in the EU.
On 30 May 2023, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released a discussion paper titled “Prototype of a Green Classification Framework for Hong Kong” seeking feedback on developing and adopting a green taxonomy for Hong Kong. In an effort to support Hong Kong’s role in linking green financial flows between Mainland
It seems that not a day goes by without another news story bringing Arizona to the forefront of a national dialogue about water security in a time of drought, changing climate, and growing population. This article is Part 6 of Snell & Wilmer’s series providing context for that dialogue as it applies to Arizona’s diverse
On May 24, 2023, Minnesota became the latest state to impose significant restrictions on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) when Governor Tim Walz signed HF 2310. In this blog post, we examine some of the critical questions surrounding the new law.
What does the new law do?
Headlining the new law is a ban on the sale, offer for sale, or distribution for sale of certain products that contain intentionally added PFAS. This ban will be rolled out in two stages. Initially, beginning on January 1, 2025, a person may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale any of the following products if the product contains intentionally added PFAS:
The commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) may by rule identify additional products by category or use.
The second phase of the ban beginning on January 1, 2032 is a total prohibition on the sale, offer for sale, or distribution for sale of any product that contains intentionally added PFAS. A product or category of product can be excepted from this ban if the commissioner determines that the use of PFAS is a currently unavoidable use, although the commissioner may not make such a determination for a product that is included in the initial ban discussed above.
The Federation of Brazilian Banks (“FEBRABAN“) has recently approved Regulation No. 026/2023, setting forth guidelines and procedures for Brazilian banks when financing the beef industry, particularly slaughterhouses. Pursuant to the new self-regulation, as of 2025 financing should only be available to slaughterhouses that put into place a due diligence system for tracing and monitoring the activities of direct and indirect suppliers, certifying that no illegal deforestation has occurred in its supply chain. The self-regulation only applies to slaughterhouses located in the states that compose the “Amazônia Legal” and the state of Maranhão.
Farmland Preservation: Appraiser Pleads Guilty to Agricultural Conservation Easement Fraud
On May 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a North Carolina land appraiser, Walter “Terry” Douglas Roberts II, pleaded guilty to fraudulently inflating the value of at least eighteen agricultural conservation easements “by at least 70%,” allowing landowners to claim fraudulent