Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Archives: GHG

Maryland’s War on Fossil Fuel Appliances: Criminalizing Plumbers?

In the name of combating climate change, the Maryland government is driving policies to create an artificial energy scarcity that will require billions of dollars in new expense.… Continue Reading

Gas Stoves Saved: Washington Voters Reject All Electric Building Mandates

By Stuart Kaplow on November 10, 2024 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

Legal Showdown in DC: Lawsuit Challenges Gas Appliance Ban as Preempted

By Stuart Kaplow on October 27, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, GHG, greenhouse gas, Local Government

As more local governments pursue net zero and decarbonization laws, they will find themselves navigating this intricate landscape of federal preemption, consumer demand, and economic impact, with significant implications for the future of American energy use and climate policy… Continue Reading

Eyeglasses versus Emissions: Are We Losing Sight of the Bigger Picture?

By Stuart Kaplow on September 22, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas

After all, the goal of climate change mitigation should not blind those who already face a vision crisis, it should illuminate a way forward that supports both the environment and human progress.… Continue Reading

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

By Stuart Kaplow on September 8, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

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

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

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

Settlement Portends Broad Failure in Attempts to Ban Natural Gas

By Stuart Kaplow on March 31, 2024 Posted in Federal, GHG, State

The immediate and long term failure of state and local governments' attempts to ban natural gas in homes and businesses.… 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

Defense Contractor Prohibition on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Disclosures

By Stuart Kaplow on February 18, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Defense contractors are not permitted to “disclose a greenhouse gas inventory or any other report on greenhouse gas emissions.”… 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

BEPS on Hold in Maryland

By Stuart Kaplow on January 30, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Energy, GHG

AELR put a “hold” on the proposed regulations to create the Maryland Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS)… 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

Does evian Water Greenwash?

By Stuart Kaplow on January 21, 2024 Posted in GHG, Green Washing, greenwashing, Legal Developments, Sustainability

Photographs from Court Pleadings

A good primer on greenwashing, but more than a little scary when you consider this may portend plaintiffs’ lawyer television advertisements recruiting mass litigation greenwashing clients. … Continue Reading