Inflation Reduction Act
The SEC’s Final Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures: A Guide for In-House Counsel
The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently adopted rules governing climate-related disclosures, although significantly pared back from the rules proposed two years ago, represent a major change to the existing public-company disclosure regime. The rules require that public companies include...
Natural Resources: Renewable Energy
Bracewell’s Taylor Stuart , Joshua Robichaud and Catherine McCarthy recently contributed a chapter on renewable energy for the American Bar Association’s Recent Developments in Infrastructure and Regulated Industries 2023 . This chapter provides a high-level summary of notable developments in...
Third Circuit Provides Guidance on Reviewability of Constructive Approvals Resulting From FERC Deadlocks in PJM Focused-MOPR Appeal
On December 1, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that outcomes by operation of law caused by deadlocks among the members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) are judicially reviewable as final...
Offshore Wind Litigation: Court Denies Fishing Groups’ Challenge to Major Offshore Wind Project
Judge Indira Talwani of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts has rejected another challenge to federal permits and approvals for the Vineyard Wind Project (Vineyard Wind or the Project). Vineyard Wind is under construction off the coast...
New California Offshore Wind Legislation Addresses Procurement and Permitting
The offshore wind industry now has California’s answer to a pressing concern—how might the state procure this generation resource? California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a suite of bills that create a mechanism for the state to procure offshore wind...
Endangered Species Act Developments: Court Finds Species Do Not Get The “Benefit Of The Doubt” & Agencies Propose Compensatory Mitigation Under ESA Section 7
Two recent developments may have meaningful impacts on the implementation of Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). First, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Maine Lobstermen’s Association v. National Marine Fisheries Service and held...
CAISO Proposes $9.2 Billion Transmission Plan, But Offshore Wind Transmission Projects Delayed
The California Independent System Operator’s (“CAISO”) draft 2022-2023 Transmission Plan (“Plan”) endorses $9.2 billion in transmission projects to accommodate the state’s projected 40 GW of new resources expected in the next ten years. Given California’s clean energy and decarbonization policies...
Department of Energy Seeks Public Input on Implementation of $760 Million Transmission Siting Grant Program
On January 13, 2023, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) launched its Transmission Siting and Economic Development (“TSED”) Grants program, which will provide $760 million in investment authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) to support states and local communities in...
FERC Proposes Reforms to Backstop Transmission Siting Authority, Implementing Changes Required by 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
On Thursday, December 15, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) proposing changes to FERC’s authority under section 216 of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”). Section 216 provides FERC with jurisdiction...
PRG Pulse 2022 Post-Election Analysis
CONTENTS The Big Picture Congressional Overview White House Response Congressional Oversight The Key Issues Clean Energy & IRA Implementation Hydrogen Offshore Wind and Solar Carbon Capture & Storage Critical Minerals Oil & Gas Permitting Reform and Energy Infrastructure Energy...
East Coast Turns Focus to Offshore Wind Transmission
Many east coast states procuring offshore wind are now pivoting towards tackling the difficulties of interconnecting this significant resource. While some states, like New Jersey and New York, are working independently to address how to interconnect offshore wind projects efficiently...
Fifth Circuit Condemns Texas Transmission ROFR Law on Constitutional Grounds
On August 30, 2022, the Fifth Circuit issued an opinion condemning a far-reaching Texas law on electric transmission right-of-first-refusal (“ROFR”). The decision concerns a 2019 Texas law that restricted the ability to build, own, or operate new transmissions lines to...
The UK National Security and Investment Act: Key Implications for the Energy Sector
Click here to read in Joomag format. Background The UK’s National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the “ Act ”) entered into force on 4 January 2022, introducing a new investment control regime for acquisitions in the UK, with the...
TSA Revises Cybersecurity Directive for Critical Pipeline and LNG Facilities
Following significant collaboration with the industry, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a revised directive , effective July 27, 2022, which updates one of the prior directives issued in the wake of a May 2021 cyberattack on one of the...
Senate Considers FERC's Role in Hydrogen Pipeline Development
Last week, the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources (SENR) held a hearing on “ Federal Regulatory Authorities Governing the Development of Interstate Hydrogen Pipelines, Storage, Import, and Export .” Chaired by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), the Committee considered...