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On July 24, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it will publish the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (“Solar PEIS”) for solar energy development in six southwestern states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.  The Solar PEIS is a major step ahead in the permitting of utility-scale solar energy…

The American Petroleum Institute (API) and America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) recently issued a report from Battelle Memorial Institute pointing out the weaknesses in U.S. EPA’s proposed study of hydraulic fracturing operations.  For example:  “Congress requested a study ‘relying on best available science and independent sources of information.’ It appears questionable, because of its genesis…

Yesterday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA, upholding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions against claims from a variety of interests.  The opinion addressed challenges to three EPA rulemakings:  (1) the agency’s “Endangerment Finding,” where it…

Describing the proposed BLM rule for fracking as “a good first step,” a group of 38 Democrats in the House of Representatives called for disclosure of fracking chemicals before drilling.  The proposed regulations require disclosure of fracking chemicals only after the operation is complete.  In a letter to the Department of the Interior, the lawmakers…

In Los Angeles this Wednesday, three City Council members introduced a resolution urging the Governor and California regulators to impose a moratorium on fracking until the state determines that the practice does not endanger public health, the water supply or the environment.  The concern arises in part because California, unlike some other oil-producing states, does…

Several members of the Western States Petroleum Association have agreed to share information about their fracking operations in response to the California Department of Conservation’s request for operators to report to a disclosure registry, FracFrocus (see May 8, 2012 post).  Many, including Occidental Petroleum Corp. and XTO Energy/ExxonMobil, have already posted to the website…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the latest proposed settlement in EPA’s Clean Air Act enforcement initiative against petroleum refiners. Hess Corporation will pay an $850,000 civil penalty and spend more than $45 million on new pollution controls at its Port Reading, New Jersey refinery to resolve alleged…

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Few firms view their Environment, Land Use, and Natural Resources practices as core legal services. Stoel Rives is one of them. The firm ranks #8 in the United States according to Law360’s list of the largest practices of its kind. Our sophisticated compliance counseling, permitting, regulatory development, and litigation practices continue a long tradition of specialization and deep experience. Our environment, land use, and natural resource attorneys incorporate prior agency experience, technical acumen, and industry knowledge into their legal advice. They also build strong relationships with agency officials and industry associations. Our litigation successes include landmark decisions. More than 60 attorneys, paralegals, and compliance analysts comprise Stoel Rives’ nationwide Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources practice.