Energy and Utilities Law Commons^™

Yellowstone National Park's Record Of Decision On Bison Management, Lila Bennett

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Bison herds once roamed the American Plains by the millions and were a staple in the lives of Native Americans. By the late 1800’s, bison were nearly extinct due to the westward expansion of European settlers and over hunting. Now, there is a population of merely 30,000 wild bison in North America. Although bison no longer face threats of immediate extinction, wild herds face stark realities of disease, habitat loss, and genetic degradation.

Schutter V. State Board Of Land Commissioners, Gillian P. Ellison

Public Land & Resources Law Review

In Schutter v. State Board of Land Commissioners, the Montana Supreme Court addressed the State’s fiduciary obligation in the context of water rights appurtenant to school trust lands. Central to the Court’s holding was the State’s fiduciary duty in managing lands held in trust for the benefit of the State. By upholding the State’s claim to partial ownership of a water right originating on private land, the Schutter Court underscored the tension between private property rights and the State's trust fiduciary duties.

Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force V. Montana, Sarah J. Leopard

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force v. Montana evaluates the efficacy of the proposed 2024 gray wolf floating season in preventing harm to grizzly bears, a protected species in Montana. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the implementation of a “serious questions” test for preliminary injunctions that is specific to Endangered Species Act cases. The Court agreed with the district court’s grant of a preliminary injunction that limited the 2024 floating season temporally, but modified the injunction in two respects, thereby narrowing its application. The Court’s holding signifies the continuation of a preliminary injunction standard that values protections for …

Corner Post V. Board Of Governors Of Federal Reserve System, Alexis Karbowicz

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Corner Post v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System resolved a circuit split on when claims against the federal government “accrue” under 28 U.S.C.A. § 2401(a). The Supreme Court clarified whether plaintiffs must file challenges within six years of a regulation’s enactment or may wait until they are directly affected by an agency action, even if that occurs years later. Examining the case’s factual and procedural background provides insight into the relevant regulatory context. The Court’s analysis offers a detailed interpretation of statutory language and establishes principles of claim accrual, alongside the policy considerations of regulatory finality and …

The Biopiracy Of Traditional Knowledge In United States Patent Law, Hannah Green

Public Land & Resources Law Review

The United States intellectual property (“IP”) system is deeply intertwined with our country’s history and constitution. t is foundational in favoring young American inventors. George Washington signed the first patent act in 1790 in hopes of promoting the innovation and progress of science and useful arts. Yet, our patent system was also built around the Western tradition of individualism and competition, which failed to recognize the communal nature and traditional knowledge of tribal communities. This disparity allows the biopiracy of traditional knowledge to be lawful. This comment will explore the harmful toll that United States patent law has taken on …

The Blm's Public Lands Rule And "Periodic Adjustments In Use To Conform To Changing Needs And Conditions" Under The Federal Land Policy And Management Act, Jamie Pleune

Pace Environmental Law Review

On May 9, 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finalized new regulations, cumulatively referred to as the “Public Lands Rule.” According to the preamble for the rule, the purpose of the regulations is “to advance the BLM’s multiple use and sustained yield mission by prioritizing the health and resilience of ecosystems across public lands.” When making land management decisions, the definition of multiple use requires the BLM to take into account “the long-term needs of future generations.” Those resource needs include “recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, and natural scenic, scientific and historical values.” Despite this directive, …

Community Benefits And Alternative Energy Infrastructure Siting, Edward W. De Barbieri

Pace Environmental Law Review

This essay studies the increasing use of community benefits frameworks in the siting of alternative energy infrastructure. It begins with a discussion of the community benefits agreement movement, the types of agreements that fall under the community benefits agreement frame, as well as the use of community benefits agreements at local law, and in different geographic contexts. Next, it introduces the increasing use of community benefits legal tools in the context of wind energy infrastructure siting. The second part of this essay presents an example of an agreement to share community benefits particularly in the context of federal subsidies through …

Expanding The Toolbox Of Sustainable Business Law: The Transnational Impacts Of The Eu Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (Csddd), Anne-Marie Weber

Pace Environmental Law Review

The contemporary global economy relies extensively on interconnected value chains that often span different continents, presenting challenges when operations result in human rights violations or environmental damage. This has prompted the emergence of non-binding due diligence guidelines and binding laws in several countries, reflecting the necessity of fostering accountability in transnational business activities. The European Union’s adoption of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) on May 24th, 2024, represents a novel significant milestone in this trajectory. As a new instrument of binding transnational business law, the CSDDD aims to promote sustainable business practices, with implications extending beyond EU borders. …

A Transformative Era Of Action: How The Public Land And Private Sectors Are Realigning To Solve The Energy Transition And Climate Change, Roger Martella, Jillian Lavery, Michael O'Hora

Pace Environmental Law Review

Over the last 50 years, environmental laws have transformed the areas we inhabit—and Planet Earth—for the better. Since the daybreak of the environmental law movement in 1970, our air and water are clearer, the lands we navigate are cleaner, and the food and products we consume are safer. Unfortunately, this same legal framework has not met the same success when tackling two of the biggest challenges of ours and future generations: the energy transition and climate change. Since the Supreme Court empowered the Environmental Protection Agency to act on climate change over fifteen years ago, conventional environmental laws and policies …

How Detrimental Is Transunion V. Ramirez, Really? Understanding The Impact On Environmental Law, Lauren Young

Washington Law Review

In 2021, the United States Supreme Court issued a controversial opinion with the potential to constrict the standing doctrine. TransUnion v. Ramirez appeared to alter standing’s “concrete harm” requirement, which would significantly restrict plaintiffs’ ability to invoke the jurisdiction of federal district courts. Building off its 2016 case, Spokeo v. Robins, the Court declared that intangible harms are only concrete when “plaintiffs have identified a close historical or common-law analog[] for their asserted injury.” The “common-law analog[]” required a “close relationship to harms traditionally recognized as providing a basis for lawsuits in American courts.” The Court mandated this requirement …

Repurposed Energy, Alexandra B. Klass, Hannah Wiseman

Articles

Wildfires, weather extremes, and other conditions induced partially by climate change add urgency to the project of accelerating the clean energy transition from fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy infrastructure. Yet the hurdles to accomplishing such a massive industrial-scale transition are daunting. Indeed, large renewable energy generation projects regularly face denials or project-killing delays across the United States. This Article proposes a national policy to channel the bulk of new clean energy projects to targeted categories of both rural lands and urban, post-industrial lands that we define collectively as “repurposed energy” sites. Such lands will consist of marginal farmland, abandoned coal …

The Off-Grid Revolution And The "Promise" Of Energy Equality Under The Paris Climate Change Agreement, Ilias Bantekas

Northwestern Journal of Human Rights

A key thesis of this article is that since renewable energy is quintessentially a public good both in constitutional and macroeconomic terms, its availability without restrictions to all people is a true manifestation of economic self-determination, ultimately entailing what this author calls “energy equality.” Although this equality is dictated by the nature of renewable energy as a public good, it risks being eroded by the rush to implement the Paris Agreement. This is certainly one of the shortcomings of the Paris Agreement. With nation states eager to meet their targets and energy concessionaires given unprecedented financial and other incentives, we …

Addressing Energy Insecurity Upstream: Electric Utility Ratemaking And Rate Design As Levers For Change, Emma Shumway, Diana HernáNdez, QëNdresa Krasniqi, Vivek Shastry, Abigail Austin, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

Millions of Americans are impacted by energy insecurity each year, in part due to unaffordable and inequitable electricity rates. The electric ratemaking process presents opportunities to confront issues of affordability and equity or to instead entrench traditional approaches. State legislatures, public utility commissions (PUCs), and advocates all play vital roles in making the former a reality. Historically, ratemaking has been criticized as an insular and highly technical process that caters to utilities rather than customers. But states like California and New York are making strides by broadening PUC legal authority to include explicit consideration of equity issues, adjusting incentives and …

Promoting The Sustainability Of Biofuels In America: Looking To Brazil, Julia Johnson

Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Federal Nuclear Policy And The 1987 Maine Nuclear Referendum: Viable Initiative Or Legal Cul-De-Sac?, David P. Crocker

Maine Law Review

On November 3, 1987, Maine voters once again rejected a proposal which would have forced closure of the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant, the state's only nuclear utility. The vote was the most recent in a series of attempts to close the plant, utilizing the vehicle of popular referendum. This latest initiative was in large part a consequence of intense public outcry against the possible location of a permanent nuclear waste repository in the state. It is therefore uniquely and personally linked to current passions concerning the future of nuclear electrical generation in the nation. The previous referenda to close …

Crypto & The Climate: Will Local & National Environmental Regulation Save Or Stifle The Cryptocurrency Boom?

Fordham Environmental Law Review

As cryptocurrencies continue to gain traction among mainstream investors and consumers, regulators and lobbyists are increasingly taking note of the potential environmental impacts of the industry. At its core, the process of mining new currency for virtual wallets is energy intensive, which can place strains on electrical grids and accelerate the impacts of climate change. However, these effects are felt very differently depending on what source of electricity the mining operation utilizes and the methodology behind the specific currency. These variable factors are on the minds of legislators and regulators as public pressure to better understand and regulate the industry …

A Shifting Focus: How Algal Turf Scrubbers (Ats) In Natural Waterways Can Prevent Toxic Blooms And Could Save The Algae Energy Industry

Fordham Environmental Law Review

Biofuels have generated global interest among oil companies and governments. In particular, algal biofuels are slated to be more promising than traditional biofuel feedstocks, like corn and sugarcane, which are simultaneously cultivated as food products. However, the drawbacks of harvesting algae on a large industrial scale has led to intense criticism. Most critics focus on issues of sustainability, scalability of production, and the legal and ethical concerns of genetically modified crops. New research in cyanobacteria, however, illustrates algae’s potential to produce clean electricity in addition to oil, ethanol, and gasoline. Moreover, using Algal Turf Scrubbers (“ATS”) in natural waterways offers …

Why We Need A Constitutional Right To Healthy Environment In Canada

Fordham Environmental Law Review

The increasing demand for constitutional recognition of the right to a healthy environment (‘RTHE’) has been a matter of public concern and debate in many countries, including Canada.2 This paper asks, will a constitutional RTHE within the Canadian Constitution add any value when statutes already exist to protect the environment (and thereby health)? The present environmental statutes work towards protecting the environment, and by protecting the environment, public health can be protected.3 Together, both of them form a ‘healthy environment’, ie., an environment that fosters a healthy life.4 This paper will argue that there is additional value in recognizing a …

Enforcing Legacy Environmental Liabilities For Offshore Oil And Gas Infrastructure, Martin Lockman, Romany M. Webb

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

For more than a century, American fossil fuel companies have extended their operations offshore to exploit the vast oil and gas reserves that lie under the seafloor. Since 1953, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has operated a complex system of offshore leasing that allows private oil and gas companies to operate in federal waters. DOI’s leasing regime requires companies to plug wells, remove offshore platforms, and generally return their operation sites to a safe and stable condition when their leases end. This process, known as “decommissioning,” can cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars for each offshore platform. …

Tinjauan Yuridis Pemberian Wilayah Izin Usaha Pertambangan Khusus Kepada Badan Usaha Milik Organisasi Kemasyaraktan Keagamaan Tanpa Mekanisme Lelang, Fajar Hidayansyah Ilham, Marchellina Shagyna Anggraeni

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Natural resources is one of the essential aspects of life and human existence. Indonesia is known as a country with abundant natural resources. Therefore, their management must be conducted transparently to prevent corruption and ensure that natural resources are managed in the most efficient and beneficial way fore the community. If natural resources controlled by the state are not managed based on principles reflecting justice, there is a potential that the benefits will only be enjoyed by a small group of people. The mechanism of granting Special Mining Business Permits (WIUPK) through auction is one way to embody the principles …

Pengungkapan Model Mediasi Kepada Pihak Bersengketa Oleh Mediator Sebagai Pelaksanaan Prinsip Informed Consent (Kajian Mediasi Sektor Perbankan), Tri Harnowo, Fahmi Shahab

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

The mediation techniques commonly used by mediators are facilitative, evaluative, or hybrid models. The choice of mediation model generally depends on the complexity of the dispute, the nature of the relationship, and the expectations for further cooperation. This research examines the application and disclosure of mediation models in the banking sector. The methodology used is normative, analyzing regulations related to the application and disclosure of mediation models in the banking sector. Data collection was obtained from primary legal materials in the form of legislation, secondary legal materials such as professional codes of ethics, books, articles, and scientific journals, and tertiary …

Ratio Legis Penambahan Modal Negara Kepada Lembaga Pembiayaan Ekspor Indonesia, Syarif Hidayat

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Since its establishment under Law Number 2 of 2009 concerning The Indonesian Export Financing Institution (LPEI), the Indonesian Export Financing Institution has gained additional capital participation nine times between 2010 and 2021 by the passage of government regulations. The rules for extra capital in the legislation on its establishment only take the form of regulations in the event that the capital of the Indonesian Export Financing Institution is decreased by a particular amount, but the additional capital that has been carried out thus far is not meant to replace the capital deficiency. As a result, this research was undertaken to …

Urgensi Memahami Arbitrase Bagi Pemangku Kepentingan Dunia Bisnis Di Indonesia, Bambang Hariyanto, Saptarini Saptarini

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract The resolution of business disputes through arbitration forums is increasingly favored by the majority of business actors in Indonesia. One indication of this is the growing number of business actors, both from the private sector and state-owned enterprises, who include arbitration agreements as dispute clauses in their contracts. Arbitration has even attracted the interest of MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) as a forum to resolve their business disputes. This phenomenon ultimately highlighted the urgency for stakeholders in the business world to understand arbitration. Using normative juridical methods, this article contained a series of analyses of primary materials, including …

Rewriting Nepa: Statutory Continuity And Disruption In A Polarized Era, Daniel A. Farber

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

For decades the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was a paradigm of statutory stability. In 2023 that changed overnight with a major rewrite of NEPA as part of the debt ceiling bill. The text of the statute was hurriedly negotiated between President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy, and then passed with virtually no debate.

This article is the first to analyze the amendments. Due to the frenzied enactment process, NEPA is now loaded with overlapping and partially conflicting language, provisions that seem nonsensical if taken literally, and perplexing gaps. The article teases apart these problems, concluding that the …

Solving The Stranded Asset Problem Of Retiring Coal Plants: An Evaluation Of Regulatory Approaches, Matthew Appel

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Meeting the Biden administration's goal of cutting greenhouse gases by at least 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 will necessarily require transitioning the U.S. energy system away from carbon-intensive fossil fuels like coal. However, coal plants that are retiring early in states with regulated electricity markets usually still have undepreciated book value that has not yet been recovered from ratepayers. If not handled correctly, these "stranded assets" could have financial consequences for utility companies and cause them to actively oppose the energy transition. This Note aims to evaluate possible solutions to this problem. Through the prism of ratemaking legal …

Financing Pathways For The Energy Transition: A Regional Approach, Ana M. Camelo Vega

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

The success of the global energy transition critically requires a shift from a solely national focus to a regional perspective. Regional cooperation is not just a beneficial opportunity; it is an imperative for the future of sustainable energy. Clean energy solutions are inherently regional, necessitating interconnected systems and collaborative frameworks. This regional focus is essential for addressing the complex challenges of the energy transition, requiring comprehensive engineering, institutional, and financial solutions.

This comprehensive report highlights the crucial financing pathways needed to achieve a successful clean energy transition, focusing on four key regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and …

A Tres C Approach: Three Steps To Oil And Gas Lease Termination, Lucia Kezele

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Navigating The Skies: Addressing The Regulatory Shortcomings Of Corsia And The Carbon Market While Proposing A Revised Framework For Accountability And Enforcement, Karim Yehia

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Lying By Emission: Why Agencies Should Be Required To Disclose The Upstream And Downstream Environmental Impacts Of Their Projects, Reese Charles

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Preventing Poor Pore Policy: A Call For Interstate Cooperation, Madison Taylor

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.