Insights

  • Reports An illustration of a just transition: construction workers overlook a green valley with a winding road; solar panels are being installed in the foreground; in the distance, transmission towers and lines connect wind turbines on one side of the image to a skyline on the other side; a train riding along a viaduct connects the foreground and background.

    A Role for State Attorneys General in a Just Transition

    Updated September 21, 2023
    This report considers how state attorneys general (AGs) can help ensure that the shift to renewable energy supports communities and leads to good climate jobs. The report provides insight into the role of AGs, highlights recent AG enforcement of workers’ rights and environmental protection, and offers additional ideas for what state attorneys general can do in relation to a just transition.


    Launched December 1, 2022
    Bethany Davis Noll / Terri Gerstein / Tiernaur Anderson
  • Trackers A transmission tower in front of an orange sky; a flock of birds flies past; a snippet of text from FERC's Building for the Future NOPR; the State Impact Center logo.

    Tracking Transmission Reform

    Updated September 19, 2023

    Transmission planning needs to change to support a clean, affordable, and equitable grid. Hear from state AGs on why transmission reform is a critical aspect of climate response, get background on how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is approaching its overhaul to the process, and stay up to date on how AGs are getting involved.


    Launched October 29, 2021
    State Impact Center
  • Trackers A soft pink, blue, and navy illustration of a lightbulb overlaid on an illustration of wind turbines sprawled out across a hilly landscape

    AG Actions Database

    Updated August 27, 2023
    This database tracks actions of regional and national significance taken by state AGs to advance clean energy, climate and environmental laws and policies since 2017. The database is updated on a monthly basis.


    Launched January 19, 2017
    State Impact Center
  • Trackers Illustrations of plastic water bottles, recycling arrows, smokestacks, gavels, justice scales, and plastic bags in various greens, blues, and yellows, displayed in a pattern across a white background.

    Plastics Litigation Tracker

    Updated August 3, 2023

    The Plastics Litigation Tracker tracks cases addressing plastics across federal and state courts, including resolved and pending cases. The tracker will be updated as cases are resolved and new cases are filed.


    Launched July 15, 2022
    State Impact Center / The Guarini Center on Energy, Environment, and Land Use Law
  • Trackers An illustration of a court house with four columns; the spaces between the three columns show, from left to right, water, land, and sky.

    2021 and Beyond: Environment & Energy Cases Involving the Biden Administration

    Updated August 1, 2023
    This tracker col­lects court deci­sions on chal­lenges to fed­er­al actions relat­ed to ener­gy and the envi­ron­ment dur­ing the Biden admin­is­tra­tion. It will be updat­ed as new cases are brought and new deci­sions are released.


    Launched April 7, 2022
    State Impact Center
  • Projects Two aerial shots; one of an intersection in a city, the other of a winding interstate system.

    Expanding AG EJ Practice — A Resource

    Updated July 26, 2023

    This resource gives an overview of environmental justice and provides guidance for AG offices looking to set up or expand their work in the EJ practice area. It highlights influential moments in EJ history, provides a look into state mapping tools, identifies current federal and state EJ policies, and tracks EJ updates in the media.


    Launched January 10, 2022
    State Impact Center / WE ACT for Environmental Justice
  • Trackers A pie chart with two sections: a larger, teal green section labeled 73.6%, and a smaller dark pink section labeled 26.4%

    Tracking Pro-Environmental Federal Litigation by AGs

    Updated April 6, 2023

    This resource tracks pro-envi­ron­men­tal lit­i­ga­tion brought by AGs dur­ing the Biden and Trump admin­is­tra­tions, breaking down the wins & losses during each administration. The tracker will be updated as pending cases are resolved and new cases are brought.


    Launched October 19, 2022
    State Impact Center
  • Trackers Wind turbines, and a gavel.

    FERC Judicial Review Tracker

    Updated September 1, 2022

    This tracker collects court decisions reviewing orders of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and includes the underlying orders in each case, information about the commissioner composition, and the outcome of judicial review. The tracker also includes brief analysis of the data.


    Launched February 14, 2022
    State Impact Center
  • Projects A wind turbine made out of a bar chart and a circle chart; a fire with a pressure gauge; a cloud made out of binary code (0s and 1s); a line chart in the background. The logos of the State Impact Center, Woodwell Center, and the Massachusetts AGs Office.

    Seeing the Dangers Ahead: Climate Risk Series


    A recap of our three-part vir­tu­al event series that pro­vid­ed essen­tial infor­ma­tion and tools to help reg­u­la­tors and advo­cates under­stand the lat­est avail­able pub­lic and pri­vate data about phys­i­cal, finan­cial, and tran­si­tion cli­mate risks.


    February-March 2022
    State Impact Center
  • Projects A close-up view of a silver water faucet with clear water streaming out of it.

    PFAS Federal Legislation in the 117th Congress


    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are bioaccumulative and environmentally persistent, have been widely used in commercial applications since the 1950s, and have been linked to a series of human health harms. The widespread public exposure to dangerous levels of chemicals in drinking water and other potential pathways has triggered significant concern in Congress.

    May 27, 2021
    State Impact Center
  • Projects A forest, with an overlaid semi-transparent image of a checkmark

    State of Play Reference Guide


    State attorneys general brought or were otherwise involved in many legal challenges to regulations, policies and decisions made during the Trump administration by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Energy Department and other executive branch agencies. Use the tabs at left to explore the status of these lawsuits and other issues, sorted by agency or department.

    April 30, 2021
    State Impact Center
  • Issue Briefs An illustration of the US capitol building.

    Congress: Opportunities for Attorneys General in Environmental, Energy, and Climate Policy


    With environmental, clean energy, and climate legislation gaining traction in Congress, there are many opportunities and avenues for state attorneys general to advance their priorities.

    March 1, 2021
    Hampden T. Macbeth