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CEQA Case Report: 2021 Year in Review

Public agencies prevailed in 71% of CEQA cases analyzed. By James L. Arnone, Daniel P. Brunton, Nikki Buffa, Marc T. Campopiano, Peter J. Gutierrez, John C. Heintz, Lauren E. Paull, Aron Potash, Lucas I. Quass, Natalie C. Rogers, Jennifer K. Roy, and Winston P. Stromberg Latham & Watkins is pleased to present its fifth annual … Continue Reading

California Coastal Commission Concurs With BOEM’s Consistency Determination for Morro Bay WEA

The action marks the clearance of another significant hurdle toward BOEM’s offshore wind lease sales in federal waters offshore California, anticipated to occur this fall. By Nikki Buffa, Jennifer K. Roy, Janice M. Schneider, Brian McCall, and Julie Miles In the first half of 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has moved swiftly … Continue Reading

Interior Proposes First Renewable Energy Lease Sale in Federal Waters Offshore California

The proposal would auction off almost 375,000 acres of the Outer Continental Shelf offshore California for wind energy development. By Nikki Buffa, Janice M. Schneider, Nathaniel Glynn, and Brian McCall On May 31, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for a pair of renewable energy lease sales … Continue Reading

California Air Resources Board Releases Draft Scoping Plan Update (Part 4)

CARB addresses California’s increasingly severe climate impacts. By Joshua T. Bledsoe and Kevin Homrighausen On May 10, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update (Draft Scoping Plan) for public review and comment. Assembly Bill 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, requires CARB to develop and … Continue Reading

California Air Resources Board Releases Draft Scoping Plan Update (Part 2)

CARB opts to stay the course on Cap-and-Trade Program. By Joshua T. Bledsoe, Michael Dreibelbis, and Alicia Robinson  On May 10, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update for public review and comment. Assembly Bill (AB) 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), required … Continue Reading

California Air Resources Board Releases Draft Scoping Plan Update (Part 1)

The Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update takes an all-of-the-above approach to decarbonize California. By Joshua T. Bledsoe and Brian McCall On May 10, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update for public review and comment. Originally, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 required CARB to develop … Continue Reading

California and Key Stakeholders Join Warehouse Regulation Lawsuit

The State and eNGOs seek to defend an emissions rule that trucking and airline trade groups are challenging in federal court. By Joshua T. Bledsoe and Jennifer Garlock On October 13, 2021, the State of California, on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General and the California Air Resources Board (CARB, and together, the … Continue Reading

Air Regulators Tackle Trucking at Southern California Warehouses

A local air district approved a rule requiring warehouses to adopt clean technologies or pay a mitigation fee. By Joshua T. Bledsoe and Jennifer Garlock At a contentious board hearing on May 7, 2021, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) approved a first-in-the-nation rule to regulate trucking emissions from warehouses by a 9-4 … Continue Reading

TCI Program Established to Reduce Carbon Emissions From Transportation

The program will include a multi-jurisdictional cap-and-invest program and aims to address environmental justice and equity concerns. By Jean-Philippe Brisson, Joshua T. Bledsoe, Benjamin Einhouse, and Brian McCall On December 21, 2020, the Governors of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, as well as the Mayor of the District of Columbia, announced that their respective jurisdictions … Continue Reading

CEQA Case Report: 2020 Year in Review

Public agencies prevailed in 68% of CEQA cases analyzed. By James L. Arnone, Daniel P. Brunton, Nikki Buffa, Marc T. Campopiano, and Winston P. Stromberg Latham & Watkins is pleased to present its fourth annual CEQA Case Report. Throughout 2020 Latham lawyers reviewed each of the 34 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) appellate cases, whether … Continue Reading

4 Things to Know About CARB’s Clean Miles Standard

The novel regulation aims to reduce GHG emissions from ride-sharing vehicles in California. By Joshua T. Bledsoe and Jen Garlock The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is developing the Clean Miles Standard, a regulation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ride-sharing vehicles and encourage broader adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), pursuant to Senate Bill … Continue Reading

California to Require 100% Zero-Emission Passenger Vehicle Sales by 2035

The Governor has issued an Executive Order with sweeping implications for the oil and gas industry and others. By Jean-Philippe Brisson, Joshua T. Bledsoe, Nikki Buffa, and Brian F. McCall On September 23, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-79-20, which will have sweeping implications for the oil and gas industry, automakers, low-carbon … Continue Reading

CARB Attempts to Contain LCFS Credit Prices

In recent LCFS amendments, CARB introduced a new price cap on all LCFS credit transfers and authorized limited future credit borrowing. By Joshua T. Bledsoe, Brian F. McCall, and Kevin A. Homrighausen On November 21, 2019, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed Resolution 19-27, approving several amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) … Continue Reading

Air District Targets Southern California Logistics Industry

A local air district is developing a rule that would require both existing and proposed warehouses to reduce trucking emissions or pay a mitigation fee. By Joshua T. Bledsoe The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD or District) is developing a so-called Indirect Source Rule (ISR) that would require Southern California warehouses to reduce … Continue Reading

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development

2018 Year in Review: Public agencies prevailed in 65% of CEQA cases analyzed. By James L. Arnone, Marc T. Campopiano, Christopher W. Garrett, and Lucinda Starrett Over the course of 2018, Latham & Watkins lawyers reviewed all 57 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) cases, both published and unpublished, that came before California appellate courts. These … Continue Reading

CARB Amending SF6 Regulation: Stricter Requirements for California Electrical Equipment

California proposes phasing out the use of SF6 in GIE and further reducing allowable GHG emissions from such equipment. By Aron Potash and Kimberly D. Farbota California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff recently published a discussion draft (Draft Amendments) of potential changes to the current Regulation for Reducing Sulfur Hexafluoride Emissions from Gas Insulated Switchgear … Continue Reading

California Court of Appeal Agrees Two Activities Constitute One CEQA Project

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development[I] By Christopher W. Garrett, Daniel Brunton, James Erselius, and Derek Galey In a published decision issued June 12, 2018, County of Ventura v. City of Moorpark, Case No. B282466, the California Court of Appeal rejected part of the County of Ventura and the City of Fillmore’s … Continue Reading

GIS Owners in California Must Comply With SF6 Regulation

Gas-insulated switchgear owners face easy-to-miss, CARB-enforced emissions requirements. By JP Brisson, Aron Potash, R. Andrew Westgate, Kimberly D. Farbota, and Christopher C. Antonacci Since 2011, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has regulated sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) emissions from gas-insulated switchgears (GIS). CARB’s SF6 Regulation applies to all entities that own GIS, including many entities that … Continue Reading

California Supreme Court Clarifies Standard of Review for EIRs and Requirements for Air Quality Impact Analyses

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development[I] By Marc T. Campopiano, Christopher W. Garrett, Nathaniel L. Glynn, and Natalie C. Rogers In a published opinion issued December 24, 2018, Sierra Club v. County of Fresno, Case No. S219783, the California Supreme Court determined that an environmental impact report (EIR) prepared and certified by … Continue Reading

California Appeals Court: Which Conflicting Limitations Period Applies to CEQA Claim

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development[i] By Christopher H. Norton, Lucas I. Quass and Megan K. Ampe In a published opinion issued on October 23, 2018, Save Lafayette Trees v. City of Lafayette, Case No. A154168, the California Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s decision to grant a demurrer without leave … Continue Reading

Cutting-Edge Environmental Advice Profiled by the Financial Times

The Newhall Ranch project in Los Angeles County was highlighted for its proactive and innovative strategy to reduce carbon emissions. A strategy to gain approvals for the development of the Newhall Ranch community in Los Angeles County — built around the project’s net-zero impact on climate change — was recently featured in a report by … Continue Reading

California Court of Appeal Dismisses Time-Barred Challenge to Development Phase

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development[i] By Christopher W. Garrett, Daniel P. Brunton, James A. Erselius, and Christopher Adam Martinez In an unpublished opinion issued October 22, 2018, Tennis Club Preservation Society v. City of Palm Springs, Case No. E068896, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s decision dismissing the … Continue Reading

California Court of Appeal Upholds Noise Analysis in Negative Declaration

CEQA Case Report: Understanding the Judicial Landscape for Development[i] By Christopher W. Garrett, Megan K. Ampe, James A. Erselius In a published opinion issued May 1, 2018, Jensen v. City of Santa Rosa, Case. No. SCV255347, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s judgment upholding the City of Santa Rosa’s (City’s) negative declaration … Continue Reading
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