Environmental Law & Climate Change Community

Title	Views
1	The race to stop mountaintop coal mining	9809
2	Statute Of Limitations Began With Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Judge Says	7946
3	LexisNexis Top 50 Blogs for Environmental Law & Climate Change – 2011 Nominations	5327

DOE Identifies Possible Carbon Sequestration Storage Sites

By Steven M. Siros, Partner, Jenner & Block On May 1, 2012, the Department of Energy released the North American Storage Atlas that maps the potential carbon dioxide storage capacity in North America. According to the Atlas , there is at least 500...

Published Thu, May 3 2012 2:10 PM by Steven M. Siros

Filed under: climate change, CO2, greenhouse gases, global warming, carbon dioxide, Jenner Block, Steven Siros, Jenner & Block Corporate Environmental Lawyer Blog, alternative energy, DOE, North American Storage Atlas, carbon sequestration storage sites

Supreme Court of Virginia Once Again Holds That Climate Change Lawsuit Did Not Trigger Duty to Defend by Insurer

RICHMOND, Va. - (Mealey's) An underlying complaint alleges that damages were the "natural and probable consequence" of an insured's intentional actions, the Virginia Supreme Court said April 20, upholding its finding that a commercial...

Published Mon, Apr 23 2012 7:29 PM by Jennifer Hans

Filed under: Carbon Dioxide Emissions, climate change, greenhouse gases, global warming, Virginia, occurrence, duty to defend, commercial general liability insurance, bodily injury, AES v Steadfast Insurance, accident, Virginia Supreme Court

More Funding Sought For Water Infrastructure Improvements

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block Seven national water and wastewater associations asked House and Senate members to oppose cuts to the FY 13 appropriations for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) requested by...

Published Wed, Apr 4 2012 5:48 PM by E. Lynn Grayson

Filed under: climate change, wastewater, clean water, Clean Water Act, drinking water, Jenner Block, Lynn Grayson, sewage treatment, Lake Mead, water shortage, water utilities

Could the Amazon Become a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emitter Rather Than a Sink?

The Amazon has long been conceived of as a CO2 sink because of its mass of vegetation. Researchers are now concerned that drought and deforestation may make it a net emitter. Because of regular measurements of about 100,000 trees, researchers estimate...

Published Mon, Apr 2 2012 9:05 PM by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Filed under: climate change, Thomas Clarke, global warming, El Nino, drought, water shortages, deforestation, greenhouse gas, carbon sink, climate crisis, water usage, carbon emissions, water resources, Amazon

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Report Quantifies the Environmental Value of Building Reuse

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP Recently, the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation issued a report that confirms the environmental benefit of building reuse. The report concludes...

Published Mon, Apr 2 2012 2:00 PM by J. Cullen Howe

Filed under: climate change, green buildings, New York, Columbia Law School, Cullen Howe, energy efficient buildings, carbon emissions, retrofitting, building reuse, historic buildings, National Trust for Historic Preservation

EPA Green-House Gas Regulation Argued Before Court

By William Perry Pendley, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mountain States Legal Foundation A hard-hitting brief filed by a western, nonprofit, public-interest legal foundation challenging the attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA...

Published Fri, Mar 16 2012 3:18 PM by William Perry Pendley

Filed under: climate change, greenhouse gases, EPA, GHG, emissions, William Perry Pendley, Mountain States Legal Foundation, green-house gas, clean air, endangerment rule

Global Warming: There are Reasonable, Cost-Effective Steps that Can Slow the Temperature Rise, but They May Be Rendered Moot by Massive Increases in CO2

First, some good news. Prior posts have noted repeatedly the key role that methane plays in global warming (the longterm trend in temperature, not seasonal or annual variations). Prior posts have also noted the role that particulates-aerosols play in...

Published Sun, Mar 4 2012 2:18 AM by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Filed under: climate change, aerosols, methane, Thomas Clarke, greenhouse gases, global warming, carbon dioxide, air pollution, soot, China, coal, electric power plants

Environmental Initiatives and the Role of the Green Technology Pilot Program

By Sarah M. Wong, Marquette University Law School The United States has entered a heightened state of environmental awareness. America's history of industrialization and consumerism in the early 1900s resulted in the realization that an increasing...

Published Thu, Feb 2 2012 10:58 AM by LexisNexis Environmental Law Community Staff

Filed under: climate change, Sustainability, air pollution, renewable energy, greenhouse gas, coal, BP oil spill, green energy, green technology, patents, Sarah Wong

Marten Law: Ninth Circuit Finds Fish & Wildlife Failed to Adequately Account for Climate Impacts, and Keeps Yellowstone Grizzlies on ESA List

By Jessica K. Ferrell, Partner, Marten Law PLLC "The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a Montana district court ruling that blocked the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (the "Service") from removing Yellowstone grizzly bears...

Published Thu, Jan 26 2012 2:33 PM by Jessica K Ferrell

Filed under: Endangered species, climate change, Yellowstone, threatened species, Marten Law, Ninth Circuit, Jessica Ferrell, grizzly bears, distinct population segment, Fish and Wildlife, Greater Yellowstone Coalition v Servheen

WHO Announces Second Meeting On Global Collaboration In Chemical Risk Assessment

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its second meeting focused on strengthening global collaboration in chemical risk assessment to be held 29-30 March 2012 in Bonn, Germany. The first meeting...

Published Mon, Jan 23 2012 6:36 PM by E. Lynn Grayson

Filed under: climate change, toxic torts, RCRA, chemicals, Jenner Block, Lynn Grayson, World Health Organization, risk assessments, WHO, chemical safety, public health

California Superior Court blocks regional GHG regulations for failing to undertake CEQA review

In Nov. 2010 the California Building Industry Association (CBIA) filed suit against the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's (BAAQMD) CEQA Guidelines re GHG emissions. Among other requirements, environmental evaluations were required if a project...

Published Sat, Jan 21 2012 6:50 PM by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Filed under: climate change, Thomas Clarke, global warming, California, GHG, green house gases, global temperatures, AQMD, AB 32, urban sprawl, California Building Industry Association, EIS, Alameda Superior Court

World Health Organization (WHO) Issues Life Stage Guidance for Risk Assessment

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block According to WHO, a significant challenge exists with monitoring and assessing individual and population level exposure and risk to environmental chemicals associated with how to consider age and life-stage...

Published Mon, Jan 9 2012 10:26 AM by E. Lynn Grayson

Filed under: climate change, toxic torts, RCRA, contaminants, chemicals, Jenner Block, Lynn Grayson, World Health Organization, risk assessments, health trends, WHO

CCX Sued For Fraud

By Steven M. Siros, Partner, Jenner & Block On December 14, 2011, a group of investors that purchased trading privileges on the Chicago Climate Exchange ("CCX") sued the CCX and its founders, alleging fraud and violations of Illinois'...

Published Fri, Jan 6 2012 5:58 PM by Steven M. Siros

Filed under: climate change, cap and trade, Jenner Block, Steven Siros, Illinois, fraud, Chicago Climate Exchange, deceptive practices, consumer fraud, CCX, Intercontinental Exchange

Plugging in Electric Vehicles May Raise IQs

By J. Wylie Donald, Partner, McCarter & English It's not Gone with the Wind or Harry Potter, but an article just published in the public health journal, Health Affairs , is worth picking up, if only to start you thinking. In Six Climate Change...

Published Tue, Dec 13 2011 10:43 AM by J. Wylie Donald

Filed under: climate change, electric car, electric vehicles, J. Wylie Donald, McCarter English, health care costs, leaded gas, Ethyl Corp v EPA, hybrid cars, plug in vehicles

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: New Study Calls into Question the Offsetting Potential of White Roofs

By Adam Riedel U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu has consistently touted the benefits of white or reflective roofs and "cool pavements" (white or lightly colored pavements) in combating climate change, and has even mandated that all new roofs...

Published Tue, Nov 29 2011 3:17 PM by Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law

Filed under: climate change, energy efficiency, green buildings, Department of Energy, albedo, Steven Chu, cool pavements, Adam Riedel, white roofs, reflective roofs