Climate Change & Resiliency
Clean Power Plan Repeal and Replacement Proposed By EPA
By: Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz On August 18, 2018, the Trump administration proposed sweeping changes to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations of power plant greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, which would replace the Clean Power Plan regulations promulgated by the Obama administration in 2015. According to EPA’s projections, the proposed changes would result in increased emissions of…
New York Moves Closer to Offshore Wind Energy Procurement
On July 12, 2018, the New York State Public Service Commission (“PSC”) issued an Order directing the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) to begin soliciting bids for approximately 800 MW of offshore wind capacity in the fourth quarter of 2018, taking the State closer to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s goal of…
DEC Releases Flood Risk Management Guidance Affecting the Flood Hazard Area Applied to State Permit Applications
On June 20, 2018, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) released two draft flood risk management guidance documents intended to advise New York state agencies on how to incorporate the consideration of future climate risks, including risks of sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding, into existing regulatory processes. The non-binding guidance is…
Federal Agencies Begin Rulemaking to Weaken Fuel Economy Standards
By: Nathaniel Eisen As one of numerous attempts by the Trump Administration to roll back Obama-era rules, in the coming weeks, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are expected to announce a proposed rule that would weaken the agencies’ 2012 national standards for vehicular greenhouse gas emissions and fuel…
New York Denies Water Quality Permit for Another Natural Gas Pipeline
In late April, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYSDEC”) denied a Water Quality Certification (“WQC”) under the Clean Water Act to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company (“Transco”) for the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement natural gas pipeline (the “Project”). Among other components, the Project would include a 17.4 mile underwater pipeline with a diameter…
Reviving a Clean Energy Agenda, New Jersey Sets an Ambitious Wind Energy Goal
On January 31, 2018, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order setting the state on track to develop 3,500 megawatts (“MW”) of offshore wind power by 2030. This target is among the most ambitious in the country and has the potential to power 1.5 million homes. This order follows New York’s recent issuance…