Today, April 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) revised its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures to revise categorical exclusions for upgrading and rebuilding powerlines and for solar photovoltaic systems. Under the new rulemaking, environmental reviews will not automatically be required for projects related to solar installations. The rulemaking also adds a
First observed on April 22, 1970, Earth Day has long been recognized as a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement. On that day, over 20 million demonstrators nationwide marched to raise awareness of the need to protect and preserve the environment. The energy generated from that day galvanized the country to action, leading to
In July 2023, the Ohio Legislature injected an additional $350 million into the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program (OBRP) due to the success of the program in the prior two years. Funding was split into $175 million in FY 24 and a second $175 million available in FY 25. The Legislature also reserved $1 million in
In a highly-anticipated case revolving around development impact fees, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, 144 S.Ct. 893 (2024) that legislatively-imposed conditions on building permits are not exempt from scrutiny. Although the decision can certainly be characterized as a victory for those facing sometimes exorbitant impact fees, the
New Podcast Episodes:
Avian Influenza: USDA Issues Order Requiring Testing, Reporting for Interstate Dairy Cattle Movement 
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Public Lands: DOI and BLM Issue Final Conservation and Leasing Rule for Public Lands 
On April 18, 2024, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a final rule relating to the BLM’s management and conservation of public lands. The Public Lands Rule mandates that the BLM manage the
Maryland has more pages of environmental laws per capita than any other state
Introduction
On April 19, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule adding perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) to the list of hazardous substances regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the “Superfund” statute. This designation, which had been expected for several years,
Pennsylvania has an aggressive brownfields remediation program under the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2), 35 Pa. Stat. Ann. Sections 6026.101 to .908. Section 308 of Act 2 makes all “decisions by the Department of Environmental Protection involving the reports and evaluations required under Act 2 to be considered appealable actions under”
On April 19, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication copy of its much-anticipated final rule adding two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund). The rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the