The FY 2026 President’s Budget delivers a clear message, Energy Star, as a federal program, is on its way out. Zero dollars are appropriated for the once innovative joint EPA and Department of Energy initiative, and the EPA’s June Budget in Brief confirms what many had quietly predicted, Energy Star is all but certain to … Continue Reading
The Senate has approved three Congressional Review Act resolutions initiated in the House of Representatives that overturn Environmental Protection Agency waivers, which had effectively imposed a de facto ban on the future sale of gasoline powered cars in California and 17 states, as well as Washington, DC. Congressional disapproval of California’s electric vehicle mandates is … Continue Reading
In a striking development with far reaching implications, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has granted the Motion to Hold Case in Abeyance in the consolidated litigation Iowa v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the lead challenge to the SEC’s 2024 climate disclosure rules. The court’s April 24, 2025, order halts further … Continue Reading
In a sweeping act moving into a new regulatory space, “where no [hu]man has gone before,” aimed at addressing indoor mold, the Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 856 during the just concluded 2025 legislative session. This legislation, not yet signed by the governor, sets Maryland on a path to becoming maybe the only state … Continue Reading
After this was posted, on May 20, 2025, House Bill 49 became law without the Governor’s signature. This may be the first instance in modern times that a Maryland governor did not sign an enacted bill introduced at the request of that governor. There is little doubt that House Bill 49, enacted on the final … Continue Reading
Whether one views the MBTA’s strict protections as a moral imperative or a statutory overreach, the law as it stands, at least for now, does not prohibit incidental take.… Continue Reading
On April 8, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued a powerful and consequential Executive Order with the innocuous sounding title, “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach.” The impact of that Executive Order will be far broader than the title belies when it targets “burdensome and ideologically motivated ‘climate change’ or energy policies” .. of several … Continue Reading
Maryland law now requires specified greenhouse gas emissions disclosures and exchange of performance data in a contract of sale for buildings subject to the state’s Building Energy Performance Standards. Failure to comply with the regulation can have significant financial and legal consequences. Maryland has quietly taken a dramatic regulatory leap, promulgating what is one of … Continue Reading
Whether or not the Netherlands based Greenpeace survives in the U.S., the outcome of this legal battle will likely influence future strategies of both advocacy groups and corporations, shaping the landscape of activism in the United States, environmental activism, and more, .. from Tesla to Israel.… Continue Reading
The recent enactment of the Climate Change Superfund Act in New York has set the stage for a significant legal battle over the scope of state authority to impose financial responsibility for purported climate related damages. The outcome of this litigation could have far reaching effects, influencing not only New York but the entire energy … Continue Reading
In this instance, the federal government was not coming for your gas stove, but it certainly was coming for your non-condensing natural gas powered hot water heater.… Continue Reading
When Congress overturns these vehicle emission waivers the impact will be far greater than only motor vehicles sold in the future in California and even in the 11 other states that have coopted these regulations.… Continue Reading
Candidate Trump said at a rally in New Jersey last May that he intended to sign an Executive Order on day one that would halt “horrible” offshore windmill projects. … Continue Reading
The hearing on HB 49 in the House is on February 12 at 1:00 pm and the cross filed SB 256 in the Senate on February 13 at 1:00 pm. In an unprecedented move, the Governor of Maryland has proposed legislation that would make Maryland the first state in the U.S. to ration energy use … Continue Reading
The Maryland BEPS regulations are preempted by federal law because they concern the energy use of appliances covered by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act and are therefore void and unenforceable.… Continue Reading