Environmental and Energy Law Update

        A blog from the attorneys of Verrill
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        by James I. Cohen on March 2, 2023

        The Maine Public Utilities Commission is currently considering whether to commence a formal emergency rulemaking process to amend Chapter 324 of its...

        January 24, 2023

        Verrill partner Jim Cohen will be presenting at the Maine State Bar Association’s Winter Bar Conference 2023, on Friday, January 27, in Portland....

        by James I. Cohen on December 6, 2022

        Last month, the Maine Public Utilities Commission initiated a proceeding to identify the priorities to be addressed in an electric grid plan that...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on September 30, 2022

        Earlier this year, Verrill Partner Mat Todaro was selected by American Bar Association leadership to serve on the 2022 Fall Conference Planning...

        by Juliet T. Browne on June 29, 2022

        Verrill attorneys Juliet T. Browne, James I. Cohen, Gordon R. Smith, and Mathew J. Todaro were recently recognized for energy and environmental law...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on June 15, 2022

        The National Safety Council (NSC) of Northern New England recently held its 51st Annual New Hampshire Safety & Health Conference in Nashua. The...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 21, 2022

        The Maine Superior Court has dismissed all claims against five intertidal landowners represented by Verrill in Masucci v. Judy’s Moody, LLC. The...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 19, 2022

        The U.S. Department of Justice announced that ESI Energy LLC (ESI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nextera Energy Resources LLC, pleaded guilty to...

        by Hans C. Eysenbach on April 14, 2022

        On or before May 2, 2022, the Maine Public Utilities Commission has requested bids for proposed transmission and generation resources that would...

        March 10, 2022

        Verrill associate Kelsey McCutcheon has been selected to join the Environmental Law Institute’s (ELI) Emerging Leaders Initiative. The...

        by James I. Cohen on February 3, 2022

        On January 26, 2022, Maine Governor Janet Mills swore in Bill Harwood as Public Advocate for the State of Maine. Bill was unanimously confirmed by...

        December 22, 2021

        On December 15, 2021, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced the nomination of former Verrill attorney Bill Harwood as Public Advocate for the State of...

        by Hans C. Eysenbach on December 20, 2021

        On December 1, 2021, the Maine PUC released a Report on the first phase of its investigation into necessary design and operational changes to the...

        December 6, 2021

        Verrill Attorney Mathew J. Todaro, along with two others, will be presenting at the Maine Rural Water Association’s 41st Annual Conference and...

        by Gordon R. Smith on December 3, 2021

        A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”) final rule that presumptively reinstates liability for incidental take under the Migratory Bird Treaty...

        October 26, 2021

        Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced its PFAS Strategic Roadmap. PFAS are a class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl...

        October 26, 2021

        On October 26, Verrill telecommunications attorney Geoffrey Why will be moderating the virtual event, “The Future is Now: 5G Wireless Networks,”...

        by Juliet T. Browne on September 29, 2021

        Maine’s new solar decommissioning law takes effect October 18 and applies to projects that have not commenced construction by October 1, 2021. The...

        September 27, 2021

        We are proud to announce that longtime Verrill Attorney William Harwood has joined the Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO), after 42 years with...

        August 11, 2021

        In September, William Harwood will be retiring from Verrill Dana in order to join the Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) as senior advisor...

        July 15, 2021

        On July 1, 2021, LD 936, An Act To Amend State Laws Relating to Net Energy Billing and the Procurement of Distributed Generation became law after...

        July 15, 2021

        After two years as host of “Eggs & Issues,” the monthly business breakfast of the Portland Community Chamber of Commerce, Jim Cohen concluded...

        July 15, 2021

        On April 22, the Maine State Senate unanimously confirmed the nomination of Jim Cohen to the board of the Northern New England Passenger Rail...

        May 26, 2021

        On May 24, Governor Janet Mills nominated attorney Patrick Scully, who was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Bernstein Shur, to serve a...

        by Hans C. Eysenbach on May 26, 2021

        Last week, the Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) and Office of Policy Innovation and the Future jointly presented to the Legislature’s Energy,...

        by Gordon R. Smith on May 14, 2021

          A group of beachgoers and seaweed harvesters have filed a new lawsuit against several Maine coastal property owners, attempting to overturn...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on May 12, 2021

        Enacted as part of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, Proposition 65 (“Prop 65”) requires businesses with ten or more...

        by James I. Cohen on April 22, 2021

        On April 14, 2020, the Nature Conservancy and The Great Plans Institute announced the final report of the Maine Utility Regulatory Reform and...

        by Scott D. Anderson on April 1, 2021

        The energy and environmental landscape is constantly evolving. On Thursday, April 22, 2021, Halfmoon Education Inc. presents a full-day, virtual...

        March 31, 2021

        On March 10, Verrill partner Jim Cohen moderated a virtual “Eggs & Issues” business forum with US Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). The March...

        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

        Media Mentions

        Verrill Recognized by WMTW for Partnership Supporting Hunger Relief in Maine

        Verrill was recently featured in coverage by WMTW News 8 for its role in a collaborative effort to combat food insecurity across southern...
        Press Releases

        33 Verrill Attorneys, Across Four Offices, Recognized in the 2026 Chambers USA Guide

        BOSTON, Massachusetts, PORTLAND, Maine, WESTPORT, Connecticut, and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Verrill has been recognized as a Leading Firm in 14...
        Blog

        Will the Knicks Beat the Spurs? (Are Prediction Market Event Contracts Gambling?)

        For those of you who like to keep score, currently 18 states are engaged in litigation over prediction markets, such as Kalshi and Polymarket,...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        DOJ Announces Faster Review and Enhanced Enforcement for Benefits-Fraud FCA Matters

        On May 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division issued a new memorandum, “Accelerating Review and Enhancing Enforcement in...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        DOJ Announces Minnesota Health Care Fraud Takedown; Signals Intensified Medicaid Enforcement Nationwide

        On May 21, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a first-of-its kind Minnesota Health Care Fraud Takedown charging 15 defendants, including...
        Media Mentions

        Lauren Galvin Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly on Arbitration and Anti-SLAPP Protections

        Verrill Partner Lauren Galvin was recently featured in a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article highlighting a notable Superior Court decision...
        Blog

        Section 530A Accounts: What Employers Should Consider Before Offering Contributions to “Trump” Accounts

        Section 530A accounts, commonly referred to as Trump accounts, have attracted attention since the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in...
        Blog

        Navigating PBM Reform: Regulatory Changes, Market Shifts, and Practical Guidance for ERISA Fiduciaries

        Pharmacy Benefit Manager (“PBM”) arrangements have long relied on rebates with limited transparency into true drug costs. Recent regulatory and...
        Blog

        DOL’s Proposed Regulation on Selecting Alternative Investments: Broad Implications for 401(k) and 403(b) Plan Fiduciaries

        On March 30, 2026, the Department of Labor issued a proposed regulation purporting to implement an executive order to expand access to “alternative...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Private Clients & Fiduciary Services Attorney Gracie Castle

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill is pleased to welcome Gracie Castle to the firm’s Private Clients & Fiduciary Services Group as an Associate,...
        Published Works

        Francesco De Vito Authors Article in the Journal of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys

        Verrill Partner Frank De Vito authored an article featured in the Spring 2026 issue of The Abstract, the journal of the American College of Mortgage...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Recent FinCEN Advisory Highlights Rising Health Care Fraud Risk for Financial Institutions

        As the federal government intensifies its “whole of government” approach to combat fraud, waste, and abuse, particularly in Federal Health Care...