Insights

Any (Major) Questions? Environmental Law at the Supreme Court

Yes, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in West Virginia v. EPA was a big deal. But how big a deal was it really? And what does it mean for EPA’s climate policies and regulatory authority?

Plastics in the Courtroom: The Evolution of Plastics Litigation

Student Blog Series

This post introduces the State Impact Center and Guarini's new Plastics Litigation Tracker, which tracks state and federal cases addressing plastics, and discusses four major trends evident in plastics litigation thus far.

Don’t Settle for Less – New Federal Tools for EJ Advocacy

Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates have new tools and opportunities for engagement at the federal level because of many federal actions on EJ during the first half of 2022. This post highlights four developments and what they might mean for advocates.

Plugging in to Opportunities for a Resilient Grid

As extreme heat and other dangerous weather continues with the start of summer, state and public engagement on FERC and electricity market issues is key to building a clean, reliable, affordable grid.

A New Look for a Busy Year

If you are interested in attorney general work on climate, environmental protection, clean energy, and environmental justice, the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center’s website is a resource you should know about.

Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Heat, Nor...Gas-Powered Fleet

The U.S. Postal Service uses hundreds of thousands of aging vehicles to deliver mail. To keep the fleet functional, it recently decided to replace up to 165,000 of those vehicles with new ones.

It Is Time to Talk About the Biden Administration’s Record in Court

May-June 2022 • The Biden administration has, like the Trump administration that preceded it, faced pushback in court for its environmental policies.

Food for Thought: A Case for Urban Agriculture

For cities, agriculture, and specifically urban agriculture, can play a surprisingly important role in combating the ill effects of climate change, while adding many benefits to a community.

Partners in the Fight for Environmental Justice: Ways That State Attorneys General Can Support Community Efforts

EJ communities have been fighting for decades to preserve their right to a healthy environment; state attorneys general can play an important role in addressing barriers to that work.

What We're Watching: FERC Edition

There has been a lot happening at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Here are some highlights from across FERC’s gas, consumer protection, and electricity market work.

Putting the Public Back into Public Convenience and Necessity in Natural Gas Pipeline Certificates

Spring 2022 • It was a hot summer for FERC on several fronts, including a continuing trend of closer scrutiny of the interstate natural gas pipelines under its jurisdiction.

The "Goldilocks" Approach to Transmission Cost Allocation

Cleaning up the electricity grid means building more electricity transmission for clean energy sources. But large-scale transmission projects can be held up over the contentious issue of “cost allocation” – or “who pays for what?"