Community Impacts
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of August 19, 2024
National Energy Policy: DOE To Purchase 3.5 Million Barrels of Crude Oil for Strategic Petroleum Reserve ⚡
On August 6, 2024, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response announced two new solicitations for the purchase of up to 3.5 million barrels of U.S.-produced crude oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The first Request for Proposal (RFP) opened on August 6, 2024, and aims to secure monthly deliveries of up to 1.5 million barrels of oil to the Bayou Choctaw site in Iberville Parish, Louisiana; this RFP closed on August 13, […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of August 5, 2024
National Energy Policy: Circuit Court Upholds EPA Regulation of Biogas Producers ⚡
On July 19, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld EPA regulations on biogas producers after challenges from the Coalition for Renewable Energy. Coal. for Renewable Nat. Gas v. EPA, No. 23-1248, 2024 BL 246802 (D.C. Cir. July 19, 2024). The Coalition challenged the EPA’s recent regulation of renewable biomass, claiming the EPA’s regulations were arbitrary and lacked proper authority, claiming that 42 USC 7545: Regulation of fuels does not allow for regulation of biogas producers. The Court found in the EPA’s […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of June 24, 2024
GHG Emissions: Department of Energy Publishes Guidance for Zero Emissions Buildings ⚡
On June 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a document titled “National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building.” The guidance document provides a standardized definition by identifying the minimum criteria for a building to be considered zero-emissions as the following: “(1) energy efficient, (2) free of on-site emissions from energy use, and (3) powered solely from clean energy.” In its announcement, DOE states that this standardized definition “will help advance next-generation clean energy solutions, drive innovation, and tackle the climate crisis, while supporting […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of November 20, 2023
Community Impacts: US Supreme Court Denies Motion to Stay Upcoming Coastal Erosion Case Against BP ⚡
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, the United State Supreme Court denied an application for stay brought before the Court by BP America Production, Hilcorp Energy, and Shell Oil. BP America Production Company, et al., Applicants v. Parish of Cameron, Louisiana, et al. (No. 23A364.) The underlying lawsuit was filed by the Parish of Cameron back in 2013, seeking damages for the alleged destruction of Louisiana’s coastlines and waters by the activities of the defendant oil and gas companies. More specifically, Plaintiffs seek […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of October 23, 2023
Infrastructure: DOE Announces Phase 1 Award Winners in Buildings UP Program ⚡
On October 11, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced $22 million in awards through its Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP). The Building Up program awards groups developing building upgrades focusing on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction, among other goals. These most recent awards were distributed under Building Up Phase 1 which identified groups, governments, and businesses developing “building energy upgrades.” Phase 1 winners were designated to either Equity-Centered Innovation or Open Innovation groups and will move on […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of August 21, 2023
LNG Exports: Environmental Groups Petition Federal Appeals Court Over DOE Order Approving the Alaska LNG Project ⚡
On August 11, 2023, the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking to reverse the Biden administration’s approval of Alaska LNG Project. The Department of Energy (DOE) approved the project in an order on April 13, 2023, and denied petitioners previous request for a rehearing. The environmental groups argue that the project, pursued by the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corp., would contribute to excessive […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of March 20, 2023
Methane Emissions: DOE Offers $47 Million to Fund Methane Emissions Reduction Technologies ⚡
On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $47 million in funding that will be made available for 22 new projects focused on methane emissions reduction. These projects will develop technologies to detect, quantify, and reduce methane emissions in regions of the United States that are oil and natural gas producing. The technologies being developed are categorized into five areas, which involve the mitigation of emissions from oil and gas machinery, monitoring and measuring of emissions from oil and gas facilities, investigation of methane […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of March 13, 2023
Pipelines: US Fish and Wildlife Service Finds Mountain Valley Pipeline Unlikely to Threaten Existence of Five Regional Species ⚡
On Monday, March 1, 2023, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a revised impact assessment for the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline, a 304-mile natural gas pipeline that will span from the Wetzel County region of West Virginia to the Pittsylvania County region of Virginia. In their assessment, the FWS’s conducts jeopardy analyses for five particular species of plant and animals that inhabit the region across which the pipeline will be constructed. The overall “rangewide status” of the species […]
Shale Law Weekly Review—Week of January 23, 2023
Community Impacts: DOE Provides Application Guidance for Community-Oriented Clean Energy Program ⚡
On January 18, 2023, The U.S. Department of Energy (2023) provided additional guidance for its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. The EECBG program will allow state, local, and Tribal governments to apply for $430 million in grant funding to support energy efficiency projects and “to reduce fossil fuel emissions.” The funding may be used for community projects such as creating community solar, bike lanes, or installing renewable projects. The DOE is also seeking input on its Home Energy Rebates Programs, which will provide $9 […]
Shale Law Weekly Review – July 7, 2020
Pipelines: Michigan Court Allows Partial Restart of Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline After Temporary Restraining Order Issued
On July 1, 2020, the Michigan Circuit Court for Ingham County amended a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that had halted operations of both East and West lines of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline. (Nessel v. Enbridge Energy, LP, No. 19-474-CE). A TRO was issued on June 25, 2020, after damage to the East line was found. However, the Amended TRO allows the West line of the pipeline to restart operations and allows for an “in-line investigation” of the West line. The Amended TRO states that the East […]
