June 2, 2025
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of June 2, 2025
Federal Lands: DOI Proposes Eliminating BLM Rule ⚡
On May 14, 2025, the Department of the Interior (DOI) proposed the rescission of a 2024 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule. The 2024 rule aimed to reduce acreage rents and capacity fees for solar and wind energy authorizations, attempting to encourage clean energy development on public lands. The DOI, in its proposal, claimed that the BLM rule was burdensome, especially towards non-renewable energy development. If the rule was rescinded, rate reductions for renewable energy on federal lands would be eliminated.
LNG Exports: DOE Concludes Review of 2024 LNG Export Study
On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy released comments in response to the Energy, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of U.S. LNG Exports (Study) published in December of 2024. This multi-volume study on U.S. LNG exports aimed to offer an updated perspective on potential impacts of LNG exports across several areas: the domestic economy; U.S. households and consumers; communities located near natural gas production or export sites; both domestic and global energy security; and the environment and climate. In its response, the DOE concluded that LNG exports align with the public interest and will now proceed with final decisions on pending applications.
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CENTER PROGRAMS & RESOURCES
Center Director Ross Pifer will present “An Overview of State Grain Dealer Statutes in the United States” as part of the National Agricultural Law Center’s webinar series.
- June 18 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. More Information and Registration Here
Center Staff Attorney Brook Duer will present “Pennsylvania Right to Farm Laws” as part of Penn State Extension’s Conservation Cornerstone series.
- June 24 @ 8:30 am – 9:30 am. More Information and Registration Here
Understanding Pennsylvania’s Clean & Green Program: County-Level Administration
The Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), will present the next webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series.
- June 27 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. More Information and Registration Here
Follow us on Twitter @AgShaleLaw to see the latest with our #ShaleLaw HotLinks
Connect with us on Facebook.
Penn State Farmland Energy Legal Podcast: Listen to the latest episode here.
Oil & Gas Law & Policy Resources:
Alexander, House Passes Major Cuts to IRA Clean Energy Tax Credit Provisions (May 22, 2025)
Viguet, The Feed: Vol.3 Issue 10 (May 22, 2025)
Wentz, Attribution Science and EPA’s Reconsideration of the GHG Endangerment Finding (May 22, 2025)
Tigre and Rocha, A Landmark Climate Ruling from Europe: The EFTA Court Declares Scope 3 Emissions Must be Assessed Before Oil Project Approvals (May 23, 2025)
Sartain, Operator Excused from Texas Relinquishment Act Claims (May 26, 2025)
FEDERAL ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PRESS RELEASES
Energy Secretary Issues Emergency Order to Secure Grid Reliability Ahead of Summer Months (May 23, 2025)
President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Usher in a Nuclear Renaissance, Restore Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025)
Energy Department Designates Coal Used in Steelmaking as a Critical Material, Strengthening U.S. Energy and Manufacturing Security (May 23, 2025)
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESS RELEASES
EPA Order Protects Guam Water Resources (May 27, 2025)
EPA Lifts 2016 Emergency Order on Drinking Water in Flint, Michigan (May 19, 2025)
FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Federal Register May 23 – 30, 2025)
Environmental Protection Agency
90 FR 22033 Proposed Rule: “Air Plan Approval; Vermont Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period” (May 23, 2025)
90 FR 22166 Proposed Rule: “Air Plan Approval; Texas and Oklahoma; Texas Regional Haze Plans for the First and Second Implementation Periods and Five-Year Progress Report; Oklahoma Regional Haze Plan for the First Implementation Period” (May 23, 2025)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
90 FR 22083 Notice: “American Efficient, LLC, Modern Energy Group LLC, MIH LLC, Midcontinent Energy LLC, Wylan Energy, LLC, Affirmed Energy LLC; Updated Notice of Designation of Commission Staff as Non-Decisional” (May 23, 2025)
90 FR 22085 Notice: “Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Bog Compressor Project” (May 23, 2025)
Energy Department
90 FR 22199 Final Rule: “Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings; Stay; Correction” (May 27, 2025)
90 FR 22080 Notice: “NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Application To Amend Export Term Through December 31, 2050, for Existing Non-Free Trade Agreement Authorization (May 23, 2025)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Land Management Bureau
90 FR 22511 Notice: “Alaska Native Claims Selection” (May 28, 2025)
90 FR 22511 Notice: “Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Greenlink North Transmission Project in White Pine, Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and Lyon Counties, Nevada” (May 28, 2025)
Natural Resources Revenue Office
90 FR 22111 Notice: “Agency Information Collection Activities: Indian Oil and Gas Valuation” (May 28, 2025)
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office
90 FR 22513 Notice: “Agency Information Collection Activities; General Requirements for Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Operations on Federal Lands” (May 28, 2025)
STATE ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE
PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Pa. Bulletin Vol. 55, No. 20 – May 17, 2025)
Written by:
Benjamin Aronovitch, Research Assistant
Christina Fraser, Research Assistant
Caden Dean-Sauter, Research Assistant
Jackie Schweichler, Staff Attorney
