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Tag Archives: Kaplow

Zero Waste in an Era of Net Zero Everything

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in ESG, LEED
Despite that the Zero Waste movement peaked in about 1998, in the modern context of Net Zero from Net Zero Energy to Net Zero Carbon, we are today with surprising frequency asked about a business being able to claim it is Zero Waste. In a widely accepted definition, Zero Waste is, The conservation of all … Continue Reading

The ESG Benefit of Paying Employees to Work at the Polls

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in ESG, Solar Panel, Sustainability
The “S” in ESG is among the most impactful sustainability factors despite being among the least measured. There are a myriad of Social factors in sustainability, but what they have in common is they are about “social relationships.” A company’s relationship with its employees is key, but so is its relationship with the community and … Continue Reading

The UK Sets the Scene for Mandatory ESG Laws in the Western World

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, ESG
As we in the U.S. await action by the federal government on mandatory ESG laws, the United Kingdom has become the first European Union country to enact mandatory ESG disclosure laws. These new reporting requirements are of import beyond the shores of Great Britain in that they portend what government mandates are to come across … Continue Reading

ESG is an Opportunity for Commercial Landlords

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, ESG, Green Building, Green Globes, LEED
At first blush the California Climate Corporate Accountability Act requires only a small number of the nation’s biggest corporations generating more than $1 Billion in annual revenue to report their greenhouse gas emissions, but a thoughtful consideration makes clear that if enacted SB 260 will require carbon reporting by thousands if not tens of thousands … Continue Reading

FTC Regulates What You can Say about Your Solar Panels

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in ESG, Solar Panel, Sustainability, wind turbine
A business that generates renewable energy, say, with solar panels, but sells the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for that renewable energy may not then claim it “uses” renewable energy. The Federal Trade Commissions has prescribed that such would be deceptive. That guidance from the FTC is not new, but as both onsite and offsite renewable … Continue Reading

ESG Often Led by Renewable Energy

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Energy, ESG, Solar Panel
Businesses often ask about including green power in ESG efforts. We suggest rephrasing the query such that it is about using renewable energy to reduce the environmental harms associated with fossil fuel energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the supply of renewable energy and foster a just transition to an ESG driven economy. Businesses do … Continue Reading

ESG Accelerates Greenwashing

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in ESG, Green Washing, Sustainability
A growing number of American businesses and consumers are looking to invest in and purchase ESG friendly companies and their products and services. Companies have responded with ESG disclosures touting the environmental and social benefits of what they’re selling. Sidestepping for a moment those companies that set out to intentionally deceive other about their ESG bonafides, … Continue Reading

Updated Phase l Environmental Site Assessment is Published But ..

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Environmental, ESG
EPA final action on ASTM International’s E1527-21 “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is currently in limbo. On March 14, 2022, after this blog post, EPA took direct final action to amend the Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries to reference ASTM International’s E1527-21. The rule was to have … Continue Reading

Supreme Court to Hear Climate Change Regulation Case

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, ESG, GHG, Paris Accord
If there was any question that the judiciary was a coequal and political branch of government, last Friday after President Biden was wheels up to attend the COP26 Glasgow climate conference, the Supreme Court agreed to review the Environmental Protections Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. This litigation over the EPA’s scope of authority … Continue Reading

Brand Reputation is Number One Reason Businesses Engage in ESG

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Environmental, ESG, Sustainability
ESG has become such a large component of my law practice that I am now collaborating with a fabulous group attorneys in ESG Legal Solutions, LLC, a new non-law consulting firm. Nancy Hudes and I are now publishing a new blog at www.ESGLegalSolutions.com (.. yes, this blog will continue). This post originally appeared in that blog. … Continue Reading

Bury Your Head in the Sand and ESG will Go Away

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in ESG
ESG has become such a large component of my law practice that I am now collaborating with a fabulous group attorneys in ESG Legal Solutions, LLC, a new non-law consulting firm. Nancy Hudes and I will be publishing a new blog beginning later this month at www.ESGLegalSolutions.com. And if we can assist you or a … Continue Reading

Phase l Environmental Site Assessment Standard Being Revised

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, ESG
EPA final action on ASTM International’s E1527-21 “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is currently in limbo. On March 14, 2022, after this blog post, EPA took direct final action to amend the Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries to reference ASTM International’s E1527-21. The rule was to have … Continue Reading

DuPont Resolves PFAS Claims with Delaware

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Environmental, Federal
The State of Delaware and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, The Chemours Company, DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and Corteva, Inc. (all “DuPont” related companies), businesses having operated in the State for more than 200 years, announced a sweeping settlement agreement last week. Under the settlement agreement, the DuPont agreed to pay $50 … Continue Reading

Fireworks Cause Air Pollution But

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental
In a literally explosive example of the right balance between environmental protection and people’s desire to celebrate is no environmental regulation, despite that fireworks degrade air quality with particulate matter, in the United States society has decided that the pyrotechnic festivities must go, especially after many were cancelled in the pandemic last year. Fireworks have … Continue Reading

EPA and Army Announce Intent to Revise “Water of the United States” Rule

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Environmental, Federal
Last week the Environmental Protect Agency and Department of the Army announced the agencies’ intent to initiate new rulemaking that restores the Obama era waters of the United States rule that was in place pre-2015, and before the current Trump era rule. This proposed rule will impact large swaths of America not only those directing … Continue Reading

Revoking the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Incidental Take Rule, Once Again

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, Federal
Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposed rule to restore criminal penalties for accidental killing of migratory birds, revoking the January 7, 2021, final regulation that limited the enforcement of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. “The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a bedrock environmental law that is critical to protecting … Continue Reading

A Call for Comprehensive and Clearer ESG Disclosures

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Environmental, ESG, Green Washing, LEED, Sustainability
Last Wednesday, with a Dutch court finding Royal Dutch Shell partially responsible for climate change and ordering it to reduce emissions and two environmental activists being voted to Exxon Mobil board at the annual meeting, made clear how dramatically the landscape is shifting for all businesses in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) space, as … Continue Reading

Maryland to Commit to World Economic Forum’s One Trillion Trees Initiative Tree Planting

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental
The Maryland legislature has enacted and the Governor is expected to sign legislation that will take effect on June 1, 2021 establishing aggressive state tree planting goals and a host of other initiatives rooted in trees, all in an effort to respond to climate change. While other significant climate change legislation failed to pass in … Continue Reading

Two Creeks, a Marsh and Two Lakes Sue a Florida Real Estate Developer

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental
Two creeks, a marsh and two lakes are plaintiffs in a first of its kind complaint filed last month against a real estate developer and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Wilde Cypress Branch, Boggy Branch, Crosby Island Marsh, Lake Hart and Lake Mary Jane, tributaries of the Kissimmee River are seeking declaratory and injunctive … Continue Reading
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