The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have proposed to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the ESA to generally remove consideration of habitat when analyzing impacts to covered species. This move has potential to dramatically impact species conservation efforts and developer and landowner obligations under the
New York’s legislature has passed significant amendments to New York’s Environmental Conservation Law concerning the Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Remedial Program—commonly referred to as the State Superfund program.
NYC Local Law 97 establishes strict carbon emissions limits for large buildings throughout New York City. This blog post examines LL97’s legal implications, including compliance strategies, enforcement risks, and the broader impact on the real estate market.
On April 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced plans to implement unprecedented emergency procedures to fast-track permitting for energy and critical minerals projects on federal lands.
BOEM Halts Construction of Empire Wind 1
On April 16, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a formal director’s order instructing Empire Offshore Wind LLC to cease all construction activities related to the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project. The directive, citing concerns the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) raised about
On March 27, 2025, Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) published an agreement in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) outlining simplification measures for COFEPRIS procedures.
On April 8, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order titled Protecting American Energy From State Overreach. The order directs the U.S. attorney general to identify and take action against state and local laws “burdening” domestic energy development, especially laws addressing climate change, environmental, social, and government (ESG) initiatives, and environmental justice.
On March 12, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency’s intention to reconsider 31 environmental regulations, describing the effort as the “single most impactful day of deregulation in EPA history.” While the scope of this initiative spans air, water, and climate regulations, the most consequential actions—legally and practically—center on a handful of cross-cutting programs
The UK is transforming its grid connection system to address a backlog of over 739 GW of projects, aiming to streamline access and reduce delays.
On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to boost U.S. mining and processing of critical minerals. It directs federal agencies to prioritize and fast-track permits for such projects, invoking the Defense Production Act and other measures to enhance domestic mineral production.