Green Building Law Update

The Intersection of Real Estate, Science, and Law

Archives: Energy

Subscribe to Energy RSS Feed

2025 Year in Review of Environmental Blog Posts

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environmental, greenwashing, Legal, wind turbine
As 2025 draws to a close, environmental law once again proved to be less about ideology and more about adaptation. The environmental issues that resonated most this year, from political, cultural to economic, reflected in our Top 10 most read blog posts, were those that sat squarely at the intersection of regulation, innovation, and market … Continue Reading

From Boilerplate to Benchmarking: The New Era of Climate Smart Leases

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Codes and Regulations, Energy, GHG, Green Building, greenhouse gas
It would be convenient if this were only a prospective conversation about the leases you are about to sign. It isn’t. Tens of thousands of existing leases (many with long renewal terms) are for premises that are subject to greenhouse gas disclosure and reduction laws already on the books and now being phased into effect. … Continue Reading

Maryland Should Allow Off Grid Electricity Providers, as Should the Whole Country

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Energy, Solar Panel
There is no factual dispute that Maryland consumes about 40% more electricity than it generates. That shortfall is not shrinking; it is growing, and the cost of that power keeps rising. We have previously written that Maryland Needs to Produce More Electricity. That imperative is even more urgent as demand spikes from artificial intelligence, electric … Continue Reading

DOE Order to Keep Maryland Oil Fired Plant Running Sparks Energy Environmental Tension

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas
Last Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a sweeping emergency order under the Federal Power Act, allowing the Wagner Generating Station in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to continue producing electricity, despite having nearly exhausted its annual limit on fuel oil usage under state environmental law. This order, requested by PJM Interconnection, one of the … Continue Reading

All Electric Future Faces Legal Threat After Supreme Court Ruling

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Energy
In a pivotal environmental case with wide reaching implications, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last Friday that a group of fuel producers have Article III standing to challenge the EPA’s approval of a waiver under the Clean Air Act permitting California regulations (.. adopted in 17 states) requiring automakers to manufacture more electric vehicles and … Continue Reading

Gas Stoves Saved: Washington Voters Reject All Electric Building Mandates

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Energy, GHG, State
While many Americans were focused on the presidential election last Tuesday, citizens from Washington State and others interested in energy were paying attention to a successful Washington voter initiative protecting access to natural gas for homes and businesses, including preventing regulatory actions to limit access to gas in favor of all electric buildings. On November … Continue Reading

Lawsuit Against Maryland Seeks to Have First Amendment Apply to Green Power

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Energy, State
A group of energy companies are suing the State of Maryland challenging the recently enacted Senate Bill 1, which restrains truthfully marketing clean energy products including renewable electricity in the State, in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Maryland Declaration of Rights. They assert that the law imposes an unconstitutional “speech … Continue Reading
LexBlog