Drama: Fluctuating Status of the WOTUS Rule

The Waters of the United States Rule (“WOTUS Rule”) implemented under the Obama administration in 2015 has gone through much back and forth since the beginning. Numerous states and industry groups sued to stop implementation of the WOTUS Rule in 2015. The Sixth Circuit consolidated various challenges and issued a nationwide stay of the WOTUS ...Read More

Rollback of Federal Laws on Methane Leak Inspections and Repairs

On September 11th the U.S. EPA released a proposal that relaxes requirements for how energy companies monitor and repair methane leaks. This proposal is among the many proposed rollbacks of Obama-era regulations.

The draft proposal has not yet been published in the Federal Register. Under the proposal, companies would perform a leak inspection at least once ...Read More

Brown Proposes Changes to Timber Harvesting Rules

The Governor’s office proposed broad changes to logging rules in California to allow landowners to cut larger trees and build temporary roads without obtaining a permit. This proposal is a way to encourage the thinning of forests to alleviate wild fire threats. The timber industry is supportive of the changes, while most environmental groups are ...Read More

Dow Agrosciences Seeks to Toss Out Ninth Circuit Enviro Lawsuit Targeting Pesticide Use

On Monday, Dow Agrosciences acted in its capacity as an intervenor in National Family Farm Coalition v. US EPA to dismiss a lawsuit filed by environmental groups alleging the US EPA improperly improved Dow’s weed killer, Enlist Duo. Dow argued the case couldn’t be pursued on grounds ranging from procedural (the groups’ petition for review ...Read More