On February 17, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a final rule adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Inc. airplanes. This new AD requires locking features to be installed on applicable network interfaces to prevent unauthorized network access. FAA seeks 45-day public comment on any written data, views, or arguments associated
Project Vault: The Promises and Pitfalls of the Critical Minerals Stockpile Initiative
The recently announced stockpile represents significant opportunities, but much of that depends on unresolved details that companies must continue to monitor.
By Charles E. Carpenter, Joshua W. Marnitz, and Austin J. Pierce
Key Points:
- The $12 billion stockpile has been characterized as similar to other US strategic “reserves” but has a distinct setup
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—February 18, 2026
Webinars this month—Register Now!
- Feb. 24 at noon, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Calculation and Enforcement
- Feb. 27 at noon, Understanding the Basics of the USDA National Appeals Division with Devin Winklosky, former USDA Administrative Judge (Attorney CLE available)
Pesticides/Herbicides: EPA Announces Dicamba Approval for 2026, 2027 Growing Seasons 
On February 6, 2026, the Environmental Protection
EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR): What Lies Ahead in 2026?
In late 2025, the EU postponed the application of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR) for the the second time. Under Regulation (EU) 2025/2650, the EUDR is now scheduled to enter into application on December 30, 2026. This Legal Update discusses the likelihood of re-opening of the EUDR for further simplification. We also address other
Process Versus Production: First District Upholds Program EIR For Tiburon’s General Plan/Housing Element Update, Holds Site-Specific Analysis Of Impacts Of Developing Identified RHNA Inventory Site Can Be Deferred Under CEQA Tiering Principles Until Specific Project Is Proposed
In a partially published opinion filed on February 2, 2026, the First District Court of Appeal (Div. 3) addressed a “weighty issue . . . affecting the CEQA responsibilities of local governments throughout the state” in reversing the trial court’s judgment granting a writ petition challenging the adequacy of the Town of Tiburon’s (“Town”) program
Five For Five: How the APA Protected Offshore Wind (For Now)
On December 22, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued short and nearly identical lease suspension orders that halted construction on five utility-scale offshore wind projects off Virginia, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, alleging new and classified national security threats. These suspensions sparked an immediate wave of litigation as the affected developers
NOAA Finalizes Changes to Deep Seabed Mining Regulations
On Jan. 21, 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) finalized revisions to its existing regulations governing deep seabed mining in areas beyond the national jurisdiction of the United States.
Louisiana’s New State and Local Combined Sales and Use Tax Return: What Tax Practitioners Need to Know
Louisiana’s long-anticipated Combined State and Local Sales Tax Return is now live beginning with the January 2026 return, due February 20th. For in-house tax directors at mid-size and large companies, this is one of those transitions that may present additional challenges. The combined return is administered by the Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board (the
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—February 12, 2026
Webinars this month:
- Feb. 24, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Calculation and Enforcement
- Feb. 27, Understanding the Basics of the USDA National Appeals Division with Devin Winklosky, former USDA Administrative Judge (Attorney CLE available)
Technology: EPA Publishes Clean Air Act ‘Right to Repair’ Guidance Document 
On January 30, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced
PHMSA Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend Hazardous Materials Regulations for Consistency with International Standards
Among the changes, the proposed rule would amend Hazardous Materials Regulations to treat sodium ion batteries in a manner similar to the way lithium ion batteries are regulated.
On February 10, 2026, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to