Environmental and Energy Law Update

        A blog from the attorneys of Verrill
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        by Peter M. Vetere on February 26, 2024

        In addition to amending the Wetlands Protection Regulations to add performance standards for the Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage wetland...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on February 8, 2024

        The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ refusal to rehear a pivotal gas appliance regulation decision has thrown a wrench into local efforts to reduce...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on February 2, 2024

        Massachusetts residents and businesses dispose of enough trash yearly to fill up about 31 Fenway Parks. Despite decades of government policies to...

        by Peter M. Vetere on January 16, 2024

        There has been a joke for some time now that whenever MassDEP proposes new regulations, they must have finally developed the performance standard for...

        by Peter F. Durning on January 4, 2024

        An important understanding of any transaction, particularly in Massachusetts, is that the environmental laws generally impose status liability for...

        by Juliet T. Browne on December 11, 2023

        On December 7, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) voted to post to public comment amendments to two Department of Environmental (DEP)...

        by James I. Cohen on December 4, 2023

        On November 3, 2023, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Order adopting amendments to its Small Generator...

        by Peter F. Durning on November 30, 2023

        On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, Massachusetts released an updated version of the State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adoption Plan, the...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on November 22, 2023

        When considering the establishment of an estate or trust to hold title to real property, it is important to segregate potentially contaminated...

        by Peter M. Vetere on November 16, 2023

        On September 1, 2023, MassDEP issued final amendments to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (“MCP”), the regulations governing the cleanup of...

        by James I. Cohen on November 14, 2023

        Last Tuesday, by a margin of 70% to 30%, Maine voters rejected Question 3, the highest profile issue on the Maine ballot this year. Question 3 was...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on October 31, 2023

        On September 26, in time for the most bat-friendly month of the year (Halloween, here we come!), President Biden vetoed a bill that would have...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on October 19, 2023

        As we have been reporting in this blog, regulators are increasing their focus on the latest group of “forever chemicals.” This month, the U.S....

        by Peter M. Vetere on October 12, 2023

        After a summer of historic rainfall and flooding in Massachusetts, stormwater is on our minds. Stormwater is a major source of water pollution in the...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on October 12, 2023

        In The Graduate, Mr. McGuire pulls aside Benjamin Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, and utters “one word” of career advice – “plastics.”...

        October 6, 2023

        For nearly two years, Verrill partner Jim Cohen, who has been practicing energy and utilities law for more than three decades, has been traveling...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on September 7, 2023

        After Held v. Montana was decided, and I read Peter Vetere’s blog post, I’ve been thinking about the Massachusetts Constitution. Would...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on August 31, 2023

        In August, Governor Healey signed the FY 2024 budget legislation extending for five years until January 1, 2029, the Brownfields Tax Credit that was...

        by Peter M. Vetere on August 24, 2023

        Last week, in Held v. State of Montana, the First Judicial District Court of Lewis and Clark County issued a groundbreaking decision in favor of...

        by Peter F. Durning on August 10, 2023

        The American Water Works Association’s “Value of Water” social media campaign, including its No Water No Beer slogan, provides a stark wake-up...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on July 27, 2023

        New rules issued by MassDEP offer Cape Codders a choice for controlling nitrogen pollution. The problem is well-understood. When too much discharged...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on July 20, 2023

        Not everyone would make a connection between the recent Supreme Court affirmative action decision on college admissions and the Massachusetts...

        by Peter F. Durning on June 29, 2023

        As the movie studios begin to roll out their megahits for the summer, the big news last week in environmental law was the blockbuster $12 billion...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on June 8, 2023

        Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is gearing up for a massive regulatory effort aimed at reducing greenhouse gas...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on June 1, 2023

        The Healey Administration has followed a well-traveled path in appointing Bonnie Heiple, a respected environmental and energy attorney from a large...

        by Peter M. Vetere on June 1, 2023

        The United States Supreme Court decided last week in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency that a word does not mean what the dictionary,...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on April 27, 2023

        As Town Meeting season approaches for many towns across Massachusetts, citizens will vote on zoning articles that seek to address the affordable...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on April 20, 2023

        By now, we all are familiar with the furor over the derailment of chemical-laden rail tanker cars in East Palestine, Ohio. Locals understandably...

        by Maye C. Emlein on April 14, 2023

        Public Comment on the Federal Proposed Drinking Water Standards for Six PFAS Compounds On March 29, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

        by James I. Cohen on March 28, 2023

        On March 28, Governor Janet Mills nominated Carolyn “Carrie” Gilbert to serve a six-year term on the Maine Public Utilities Commission. For the...

        About the Blog

        The Environmental and Energy Law Update blog provides an analysis and discussion of the most critical and timely legal issues and announcements in the environmental, natural resource, and energy sectors.

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        Verrill’s Natural Resources and Energy law practice group has a wealth of industry-leading experience in environmental and land-use permitting, public utility regulation, and complex energy infrastructure transactions.

        We established the Environmental and Energy Law Update to keep our clients, policymakers, industry professionals, and non-profit organizations informed of recent developments affecting the energy and natural resources sectors. Our goal is to provide carefully selected content, including analysis and discussion of the most critical and timely legal issues and announcements pertaining to the environment, natural resources, and energy.

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        Firm Highlights

        Blog

        Working 9 to 5? It’s a Way to Make a Livin’, so Make Sure You’re Payin’ for Every Minute: A Maine Employer’s Guide to Stacked Wage & Hour Rules

        Four decades after Dolly Parton gave us both the namesake anthem of the American workday and the film about three fed-up office workers’ dreams of...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Can AI Pass the Doctor Test? FDA Considers Physician-Inspired Evaluation of GenAI Devices and Other Regulatory Measures

        AI is entering healthcare with indomitable will. It promises to increase efficiency, reduce administrative burden (which healthcare providers so...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Attorney Annabel Rodriguez Named Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill attorney Annabel Rodriguez has been recognized as a Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, and will be...
        Blog

        What Employee Benefits Lawyers Do (and How to Make the Best Use of Us)

        What do employee benefits lawyers do all day and how can clients make the best use of them? This post offers an overview of the kinds of things...
        Media Mentions

        Bloomberg Law Quotes Robert Keach on Expanded Access to Small Business Reorganization

        Verrill attorney Bob Keach was recently featured in Bloomberg Law, discussing legislation that would raise debt limits for bankruptcy relief and...
        Blog

        Phil Bartlett to Step Down as Chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission

        On September 15, 2026, Governor Janet Mills announced that Phil Bartlett will step down as Chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC)...
        Published Works

        Jay McCormack and Michael Fee Co-Author AHLA Article on Skin Substitute Enforcement Trends

        Verrill Partners Jay McCormack and Michael Fee co-authored an article for the American Health Law Association's Fraud and Abuse Practice Group...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Health Care & Life Sciences Attorney Elpida Velmahos

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill is pleased to announce that Elpida Velmahos has joined the firm’s Health Care & Life Sciences Group as an...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Litigation & Trial Attorney Emma Pooler

        PORTLAND, Maine – Verrill is pleased to announce that Emma Pooler has joined the firm’s Litigation & Trial Group as an Associate, resident in...
        Published Works

        Four Verrill Attorneys Co-Author Massachusetts Trends and Developments Chapter for Chambers and Partners Child Relocation 2026 Guide

        Verrill attorneys Mary H. Schmidt, Rachel A. Deering, Hannah R. Zukoff, and Mariah G. Tappan co-authored the “Trends and Developments” chapter...
        Blog

        A New Protected Class in Maine: Holders of Final Protection Orders

        In the lead-up to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, employers may be taking a closer look at how their policies and practices respond to...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Verrill Secures SJC Victory for Boston Legacy FC in White Stadium Litigation

        Verrill has secured a significant appellate victory for Boston Legacy FC in the litigation challenging the redevelopment of White Stadium in...