The final Scoping Plan (Plan) for New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (“CLCPA” or the “Act”) was passed overwhelmingly by the Climate Action Council (“Council” or “CAC”) on December 19, 2022. The vote was 19 to 3. The Scoping Plan provides recommendations to meet the Act’s mandates, including significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating building and transportation electrification, and securing climate justice.
“Permanent Vacation” In Palm Springs? – Fourth District Holds CEQA’s Short 35-Day Statute of Limitations Does Not Apply Despite City’s Filing of NOE Due To Subsequent Material Change In Street Vacation Project Which Triggered Maximum 180-Day Limitations Period
In a published opinion filed on February 23, 2023, the Fourth District Court of Appeal reversed a judgment of dismissal after the sustaining of a demurrer and held that an amended writ petition challenging a city’s street closure project sufficiently stated claims against the city for Vehicle Code, local ordinance, and CEQA violations. Committee to Relocate Marilyn v. City of Palm Springs (PS Resorts, Real Party in Interest) (2023) 88 Cal.App.5th 607. As relevant here, it held the operative petition was not time-barred despite its first alleging CEQA violations more than 35 days after the City’s filing of a Notice of Exemption (“NOE”) because the City subsequently changed its project from a street vacation to an allegedly temporary street closure and Petitioner (the “Committee” or “Petitioner”) filed its amended petition alleging a CEQA claim within 180 days of learning of the change.
Neighbor’s General Complaints of Environmental Concerns Insufficient to Exhaust Administrative Remedies as to CEQA Exemption Determination
In Arcadians for Environmental Preservation v. City of Arcadia (Feb. 16, 2023, No. B320586) ___Cal.App.5th___ [2023 Cal. App. LEXIS 103] the Second District Court of Appeal found no error in a trial court ruling that there had been a failure to exhaust administrative remedies where project opponents merely raised general environmental objections without identifying any
BOEM Floats Proposal to Modernize Offshore Wind Regulations
A new proposal aims to streamline the process for permitting and developing offshore renewable energy projects and reduce costs to developers.
By Janice Schneider, Nikki Buffa, Nathaniel Glynn, and Brian McCall
On January 30, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a new proposed rule to update the agency’s regulations governing renewable energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).[1] The proposed rule is the first major overhaul of BOEM’s offshore renewable energy regulations since they were promulgated, and seeks to benefit from the agency’s and industry’s experience since 2009. Since then, BOEM has conducted 11 offshore wind energy lease sales and currently is managing 27 active commercial leases.
The proposed regulations would “modernize regulations, streamline overly complex and burdensome processes, clarify ambiguous provisions and enhance compliance provisions in order to decrease costs and uncertainty associated with the deployment of offshore wind facilities,” and would save developers an estimated $1 billion over a 20-year period.[2] Regulatory changes to decrease costs and increase certainty for developers are particularly critical when offshore wind energy developers are facing ever-increasing installation and materials costs. Some developers are even seeking to renegotiate power purchase agreements for their contracts that account for increased development costs. Comments on the proposed rule are due by March 31, 2023.
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—March 6, 2023
COVID-19: SCOTUS Denies Tyson’s Petition to Keep COVID Cases in Federal Court
On February 21, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) denied Tyson Foods, Inc.’s (Tyson) petition to keep in federal court several negligence cases alleging that the 2020 COVID-related deaths of workers employed at Tyson’s Waterloo, Iowa plant were caused by
Biden Veto of Repudiation of ESG Worker Savings Rule a Positive for ESG
Winners and losers will be selected by the marketplace and not by the Executive branch.
California Appeals Court Rules that State Water Board’s Duty to Prevent Waste and Unreasonable Use of Water is “Highly Discretionary”
On February 27, 2023, in a much anticipated decision, California’s Second District Court of Appeal overruled the trial court by determining that the State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) did not violate its duty to prevent waste and unreasonable use of water when it declined to investigate wastewater discharges from four Los Angeles area Publicly Owned Treatment Works (“POTWs”). The Court found that the State Water Board’s duty under state law to prevent waste and unreasonable use of water is “highly discretionary” and does not require an investigation or assessment of every allegation of unreasonable use. (Los Angeles Waterkeeper v. State Water Resources Control Board, Case No. B309151 (2d Dist. 2023).)
First District Reverses Judgment In Controversial “People’s Park” CEQA Case, Holds UC Regents’ Program/Project EIR For Long Range Development Plan And Site-Specific Student Housing Project At The Park Failed To Adequately Analyze Alternative Housing Sites, And Student Noise Impacts
In a published opinion filed February 24, 2023, the First District Court of Appeal (Div. 5) reversed a judgment upholding the adequacy of the EIR for the University of California, Berkeley’s long range campus development plan (“LRDP”) and a controversial housing development project at the historic People’s Park. Make UC a Good Neighbor v. Regents of University of California (Resources for Community Development, Real Party in Interest) (2023 88 Cal.App.5th 656. The opinion comes in a case that has been much publicized in popular news media as involving both development of an iconic historic site, currently plagued with crime and homelessness, and treatment of housed college students as presumptive purveyors of “party noise” environmental impacts; it has also (justifiably) resulted in renewed calls for CEQA reform, including from Governor Newsom.
New and Updated Guidance on the Scope of the UK Plastic Packaging Tax
The Plastic Packaging Tax (the Tax) came into force on 1 April 2022 and applies to finished plastic packaging components (PPC) produced for commercial purposes or imported into the UK that contain less than 30% recycled plastic by weight. Since our previous article and our FAQ for businesses explaining the Tax, HMRC has updated its original guidance to help businesses better understand the Tax. This comes partly because there have been fewer registrations from businesses who consider themselves liable for the Tax than HMRC had anticipated. HMRC has also published a new piece of guidance containing provisions regarding secondary liability and joint and several liability for the Tax.
DOE Issues FOA for Carbon Capture Large-Scale Pilots and Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program
On February 23, 2023, the US Department of Energy (DOE) published two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) titled Carbon Capture Large-Scale Pilot Projects and Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program.
Both programs provide incentives for the power and industrial sectors to develop carbon capture technologies. Together they will award more than $2.5 billion in funding to eligible projects at new and existing industrial facilities. As carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) continues to develop and grow, this funding presents opportunity for a broad range of stakeholders that operate in various industrial sectors.