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On August 29, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.  The new WOTUS rule makes major changes to clarify which wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA).  The new WOTUS rule is a direct response to the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision, which

What is “ESG”?

“ESG” is perhaps the most divisive acronym of this year’s legislative session. But what does it mean?
“Environmental, Social, Governance” is a framework used to evaluate investments and business decision’s impacts on the environment and society. ESG criteria considers things like a company’s carbon footprint and employee wellbeing. ESG practices are being

On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 9-0 decision ending a nearly 16-year battle over the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) applicability to certain wetlands. In a five-justice majority opinion, the Court found that the CWA applies only to wetlands that are “as a practical matter indistinguishable” from “relatively permanent, standing or continuously

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed three bills addressing carbon capture, utilization and storage (“CCUS”) and carbon dioxide removal (“CDR”).  Collectively, these bills create a pathway for new regulation of CCUS and CDR projects, enabling them to become part of a solution for the State to meet aggressive carbon reduction / neutrality goals in 2030