Back

Director's Picks

7 cases that reshaped environmental law in 2022

Summary

Over the last year, the Supreme Court has rapidly restrained government agencies from addressing climate change, health crises, and other critical challenges. The Biden administration's regulators, who are anticipated to load the Federal Register with new regulations on water pollution and car emissions, may learn from 2022 court cases, notably West Virginia v. EPA, which curtailed the federal government's capacity to address a major greenhouse gas source. Environmental attorneys should avoid using precedent that conservative jurists may overturn. Local governments are battling to preserve hundreds of liability cases against Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC, and other oil giants in state courts, which may be more amenable to climate concerns than federal courts, but oil and gas industries want the Supreme Court to take the cases. In a blockbuster case that might restrict the Clean Water Act, the Supreme Court is set to rule in the coming months. Sackett v. EPA gives the justices another chance to weaken pollution regulations, but environmental groups may prevail in federal court by focusing on statutory text.

discover more

November 16, 2023

Vice President Harris, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advancing women's economic empowerment globally, launched the Women in the Sustainable Economy

November 14, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism

Houston City Council allocated $5 million to relocate people from cancer clusters identified by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

November 14, 2023

Environmental justice communities need real change—not a rebrand of the same discriminatory plans that slow the clock on fighting the climate crisis and reinforce the status quo.

November 14, 2023
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Community organizations that serve and are led by people of color are banding together to secure billions of federal dollars earmarked for environmental and climate causes.

November 11, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

Ohio and Pennsylvania are leading the way in the completion of a more robust national charging network, but the scale of the work ahead remains significant

November 10, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

November 10, 2023
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, a church in Tucson, Arizona, exemplifies the potential of microgrids for enhancing energy resiliency, especially in the face of climate challenges.

November 10, 2023
Economic Justice
Economic Justice

Grist reported on a study from Stanford University revealing the effectiveness of controlled burns in reducing the risk of high-intensity wildfires.

November 8, 2023

The article delves into a paper by James Hansen, often referred to as the godfather of climate science, and his colleagues.

November 8, 2023
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

On November 8, 2023, Texas voters approved Proposition 7, allocating $10 billion in low-interest loans for new gas power plants, a move criticized as favoring the fossil fuel.

November 7, 2023
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The article highlights the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), officially known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), over the past two years.

November 7, 2023
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The article explores the challenges faced by developing countries, particularly South Africa, in transitioning from coal to clean energy with the support of the Global North.

November 6, 2023
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

On November 6, 2023, the Houston Chronicle reported that the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, tasked with acquiring lots to prevent gentrification in Houston's Third Ward.

November 6, 2023
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

The article highlights the Justice40 Initiative, a crucial component of the Biden Administration's environmental justice efforts.

November 6, 2023
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Public Citizen, led by Tyson Slocum, raised objections against Energy Transfer's application to export 851 Bcf/year of LNG from its proposed Lake Charles Terminal in Louisiana.