Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Archives: Climate Change

Maryland 2024 BEPS Regulations: A Critical Analysis of Legal and Economic Risks

We are available to assist Maryland businesses in navigating these regulatory challenges, including providing turnkey services for GHG tracking and compliance.… Continue Reading

Delay in Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting in California has Implications for All of Us

By Stuart Kaplow on September 1, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

SB 219 marks a significant moment in the evolution of climate disclosure laws… Continue Reading

The Paradox of Banning Electric Vehicles in Older Garages: Legislative Intent vs. Structural Reality

By Stuart Kaplow on August 4, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental

Residential condominium boards are increasingly restricting or outright prohibiting the use of such EV charging equipment within older garages… Continue Reading

With ‘new’ proposed Maryland BEPS regulations what does a Building Owner do now?

By Stuart Kaplow on July 28, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

After this post, on September 6, 2024, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced the 2023 Building Energy Performance Standards proposed regulation has been withdrawn and new 2024 BEPS action has been proposed. The full text of the proposed regulatory action appears in the Maryland Register and you can read it there. Or faster and easier you … Continue Reading

Reduce Methane Emissions with Kitchen Garbage Disposals

By Stuart Kaplow on July 21, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, greenhouse gas

By embracing in sink garbage disposals and complementing them with waste reduction and composting efforts, we can all play a part in slowing climate change and creating a more sustainable future.… Continue Reading

Court Dismisses Baltimore’s Climate Claims: Implications for Future Litigation

By Stuart Kaplow on July 14, 2024 Posted in City, Climate Change

This case is pathbreaking because it is the first time a state court has dismissed one of these several similar climate claim suits brought by states and local governments across the country. … Continue Reading

Maryland Governor Executive Order Mandates Climate Action

By Stuart Kaplow on June 23, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

The executive order mandates comprehensive economy wide actions in both the public and private sectors, to place Maryland ahead of all other states in mitigating climate change… Continue Reading

Legal Action Seeks Mandatory Pollution Warnings for Gas Stoves

By Stuart Kaplow on June 16, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG

Absent some new government intervention with warning labels on cooking oil, a government action that would be rationally related to a legitimate government interest would be proper increased ventilation in buildings… Continue Reading

White House Unveils Commitment to Carbon Offsets

By Stuart Kaplow on June 2, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Voluntary carbon offsets are indispensable tools for organizations striving to achieve net zero emissions, particularly those unable to generate enough onsite renewable energy. … Continue Reading

Constitutional Rights vs. Climate Change: Inside the Juliana Case Dismissal

By Stuart Kaplow on May 12, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, greenhouse gas

The Ninth Circuit’s decision that environmental climate change is not justiciable is already having repercussions… Continue Reading

SEC Climate Disclosure Rule Stay and Venue Now in the 8th Circuit

By Stuart Kaplow on March 24, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Compellingly 25 states have now filed petitions for judicial review attacking the SEC Final Rule. … Continue Reading

EV Charger Data Apocalypse

By Stuart Kaplow on March 17, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, GHG, greenhouse gas

I don’t think this is some secret coterie of tech companies and governments seeking to weaponize EV chargers, but it is malfeasance at a huge scale and the transgression will certainly do more harm than good . … Continue Reading

SEC Final Rule on Climate Change and GHG Disclosure

By Stuart Kaplow on March 10, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Adopted long awaited rules to enhance and standardize climate related disclosures, including for the first time requiring greenhouse gas emission disclosures… Continue Reading

New York is Coming for Your Cheeseburger with Greenwashing Case

By Stuart Kaplow on March 3, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, Green Washing, greenhouse gas, greenwashing, State

net zero by 2040… Continue Reading

Hawaii Considers $25 Climate Tax

By Stuart Kaplow on February 25, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, State

A $25 tax to create a “special fund to prevent climate crises and more effectively respond to climate crises when they occur.”… Continue Reading

Climate Scientist Michael Mann Awarded More than $1 Million in Defamation Case

By Stuart Kaplow on February 11, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Legal Developments

Graph from the court pleadings

This case was about defamation and the jury was correct that Simberg and Steyn said offensive things about Mann. … Continue Reading

France is an Example of How Not to do Residential Greenhouse Gas Reduction

By Stuart Kaplow on February 4, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

A Green Challenge: France's Struggle with High Emission Rental Properties… Continue Reading

National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building

By Stuart Kaplow on January 28, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

Provide feedback on the draft national definition for a Zero Emissions Building.… Continue Reading

Federal Appeals Court Delivers Coup De Grace in Berkeley Attempt to Ban Natural Gas

By Stuart Kaplow on January 7, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, greenhouse gas, Legal Developments

Attempts by state and local governments to ban natural gas in buildings cannot stand as preempted by federal law… Continue Reading

Measuring and Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions will be “the” Environmental Issue of 2024

By Stuart Kaplow on December 31, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

Decarbonization of the world’s economies is the biggest business opportunity in history, waiting to be unlocked… Continue Reading

Net Zero, Carbon Offsets and more Now Require Disclosures

By Stuart Kaplow on October 29, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenwashing

This new law is being heralded as anti greenwashing … Continue Reading

Advantages of Adopting the Model State Indoor Air Quality Act: Prioritizing Human Health Amid Energy Concerns

By Stuart Kaplow on October 22, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, GHG, Green Building, greenhouse gas

The quality of the air we breathe is fundamental to our well being if not life itself. With Americans spending nearly 90% of their lives indoors, the importance of healthy indoor air quality (IAQ) cannot be overstated. In response to the growing concerns about IAQ, a Model State Indoor Air Quality Act has just been … Continue Reading