The EPA recently initiated a process that may result in the first federal regulation of chemicals used in fracking, a drilling technique that has significantly enhanced energy production and development in the United States. In a response to a citizen... Read More

By Meredith James and Dianne Saxe. Helen Slottje, a lawyer in Ithaca, New York, was recently awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work “helping towns across New York defend themselves from oil and gas companies by passing local bans... Read More

Professor Michael Gerrard of Columbia Law School laid out the pluses and minuses fracking and climate change mitigation at a recent panel discussion. On the plus side: burning natural gas yields about one-half the amount of carbon dioxide as burning coal... Read More

Brown Has Golden State Thinking Big Even In Tough Times During the 30-plus years Barbara O'Connor has known California Gov. Jerry Brown (D), she says the man once derided as "Gov. Moonbeam" has developed a well-deserved reputation as... Read More

_________________________________________________________________________________________ Keep pace with the latest developments on fracking, a hotly contested and rapidly evolving area of the law. _________________________________________________________________________________________... Read More

By Daniel K. Kolta , Associate, Marten Law PLLC In the absence of comprehensive federal regulations governing hydraulic fracturing, several states have begun to adopt their own rules. In this Emerging Issues Analysis, Daniel Kolta of Marten Law PLLC... Read More

ENVIRONMENT: The NORTH CAROLINA Senate approves SB 820, legislation that would legalize the natural gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the Tar Heel State. The measure moves to the House (NEWS & OBSERVER [RALEIGH])... Read More

On August 23rd, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a package of proposed rules governing air emissions from the oil and natural gas industry, which includes the EPA's first air standards targeting emissions from gas... Read More

By Meredith Odato Graham The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has announced the availability of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public comments on “the information that should be reported or disclosed... Read More

Environmental Client Alert The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) rulemaking regarding surface activities for oil and gas wells, Environmental Protection Performance Standards at Oil and Gas Well Sites (Chapters... Read More

Fifth Circuit Upholds Texas Clean Air Act Flexible Permit Program On August 13, 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Fifth Circuit) issued its opinion upholding the Texas Flexible Permit Program. For now, the decision in Texas v. U... Read More

ENVIRONMENT The WYOMING Game and Fish Commission approves a plan to allow hunters to kill up to 52 wolves in the Equality State this fall (IDAHO STATESMAN [BOISE]). • The HAWAII House gives final approval to HB 2296, which would bar the import... Read More

KASICH SIGNS OH FRACKING BILL: Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) signed sweeping energy legislation last week (SB 315) that among many provisions establishes new rules regulating natural gas drilling procedures in the Buckeye State. But some Republican lawmakers... Read More

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP Hydraulic fracturing (fracking), a process used by the oil and gas industry for more than 60 years, has attracted the national spotlight. By injecting fluids and other materials... Read More

By William A. Ruskin A Lone Pine Order is an innovative judicial case management tool that requires toxic tort plaintiffs to produce credible expert evidence to support their theory of causation (or another key component of plaintiffs' claim)... Read More