FINRA's Eileen Murray Defends Increased Regulation of ESG
In a recent interview with CNBC, FINRA Chair Eileen Murray forcefully made the case for increased government regulation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures by public companies. Citing concerns with the lack of ESG accountability, consistency and transparency, Murray...
ESG Regulatory Landscape Creates Commercial Pitfalls
With Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues top of mind in almost every industry, including at the recently concluded COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, the burgeoning US regulatory landscape and accompanying litigation trends are giving rise to a variety...
Electricity Transmission Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
On Monday, November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the “Act”), commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The package provides funding opportunities for a variety of traditional infrastructure projects...
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Accelerating the Deployment of Hydrogen
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF). The overall package is worth $1 trillion, and advances much of President Biden’s economic agenda, ranging from...
Caging the Crypto Beast
On this episode of Bracewell Sidebar, we continue their conversation with Anne Termine about cryptocurrency, including how different regulators are trying to create order in the hard to regulate cryptocurrency markets. Anne joined the firm in June 2021, with over...
Dispute Resolution in the Oil and Gas Sector: Q&A
Bracewell’s John Gilbert offers a Q&A guide to dispute resolution in the oil and gas industry. This Q&A gives a high-level overview of the typical types of claims in the sector, who the parties to a dispute tend to be...
A Bright Spot in the Solar Market: Commerce Rejects Anonymous Petitions Requesting Anti-Circumvention Investigation and Tariffs
The U.S. Department of Commerce this week declined to launch an investigation into alleged circumvention of anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) by Chinese solar panel companies. The decision was a response to a petition filed with the agency on August...
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Review of Challenge to Equitable Mootness Doctrine
In a decision that will likely impact bankruptcy proceedings around the country, the Supreme Court recently denied the petition for writ of certiorari of David Hargreaves, which challenged the equitable mootness doctrine.1 As a result, the concept of equitable mootness...
The SEC Joins DOJ's War on Corporate Offenders
Last week we wrote about the three-pronged attack that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will use to get more aggressive in prosecuting cases and how they punish corporate offenders. Now, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced its...
EPA Announces Forthcoming Regulations to Curb Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sources
On November 2, 2021, the EPA announced a proposed rule aimed at reducing methane emissions from oil and gas sources.1 The proposed rule is part of the Biden Administration’s U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, which was simultaneously unveiled by...
Reeves County District Court Rules in Favor of Oil & Gas Operator in Produced Water Dispute
On November 2, 2021, the Reeves County, Texas, District Court held in COG Operating LLC (“COG”) vs. Cactus Water Services, LLC et al. (“Cactus”) that COG, the oil & gas operator, (1) owns, among other things, the products contained in...
Reminder: Environmental Law Seminar, November 9-10
On this episode of the Environmental Law Monitor, we take a break from our regularly scheduled program to give a preview of this week’s Environmental Law Seminar. For any questions you may have about the seminar, please contact Daniel Pope...
OSHA Issues COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Requiring Employee Vaccination or Weekly Testing
Today the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) published its “COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard” (the “ETS”) in the Federal Register. The ETS applies to employers with a total of 100 employees or more, based on OSHA’s rationale...
Africa’s Infrastructure Paradox: Transmission Infra in Ghana
Introduction Africa’s infrastructure needs – including road, rail, ports, transmission and power – are considerable, and will become increasingly pronounced on account of the continent’s need for such infrastructure to support its social and economic growth. It is estimated that...
Cryptocurrency for Beginners
On this episode of Bracewell Sidebar, Anne Termine, a former chief attorney at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, joins us to talk about cryptocurrency. In the first part of this two-part episode, Anne provides insight on understanding how cryptocurrencies...