Avian Influenza: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Publishes Order Requiring Bulk Milk Testing
On November 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) Secretary Russell Redding issued a general quarantine order—effective immediately and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on November 23, 2024 (54 Pa.B. 7570)—requiring bulk testing of milk from Pennsylvania farms for
BOEM Announces Comment Period on California Offshore Wind Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the immediate future of the U.S. offshore wind industry after the re-election of Donald Trump, industry participants including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) are cautiously moving forward with development activities.
Downey Brand Victory: EIR Upheld for Sand and Gravel Mine; Lead Agency Allowed to Recover Administrative Record Costs
In Yolo Land and Water Defense v. the County of Yolo (2024 105 Cal.App.5th 710, the Third District Court of Appeal upheld the County’s EIR for a sand and gravel mine, known as the Teichert Shifler Mining and Reclamation Project. Downey Brand attorneys Andrew Skanchy and Sam Bacal-Graves successfully represented the County in this litigation,
EPA’s Third Annual PFAS Progress Report
On November 14, 2024, EPA issued its third annual progress report on its PFAS Roadmap reporting on the agency’s three years of progress against its overarching goals of restrict, remediate, and research PFAS. The accomplishments highlighted by EPA include:
- Protecting drinking water: EPA reported its accomplishments in protecting drinking water include the establishment of drinking water
Maryland’s Clean Heat Standard: A Misguided Energy Policy?
The Maryland Government is Coming for Your Fossil Fuel Appliances, Again
European Commission to propose revision of corporate sustainability legislation
In a significant development for EU corporate sustainability legislation, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced plans to merge three cornerstone sustainability frameworks – the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Taxonomy Regulation – through so-called omnibus legislation.
While the Commission maintains this consolidation aims
Sixth District Affirms Judgment Upholding Application of CEQA Guidelines Class 32 Infill Development Exemption To Project On Parcel Substantially Surrounded By Urban Uses In Small-Population City
In an important opinion filed October 21, and later ordered published on November 18, 2024 (at the request of the California State Association of Counties and the Rural County Representatives of California), the Sixth District Court of Appeal interpreted key terms in the CEQA Guidelines Class 32 categorical exemption, which applies to “in-fill development” projects
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—November 21, 2024
Avian Influenza: USDA Confirms first HPAI in Swine
On October 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that the agency had confirmed the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI/H5NI) in swine in the United States, located in an Oregon non-commercial backyard farming operation. According
Offshore Wind in the Second Trump Administration
The offshore wind space in the U.S. is set for a period of uncertainty following the re-election of Donald J. Trump on November 5th. While there is still a lack of clarity around his future plans and potential outcomes, Trump’s rhetoric on the campaign trail and, importantly, actions undertaken during his previous administration, suggest that
COP-29: Progress in the Operationalization of the International Carbon Credit Market
On November 11, 2024, one of the first substantive outcomes of the 29th Session of the UN Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) was approved. The President of COP19 introduced a draft decision of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the