Environmental and Energy Law Update

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        November 11, 2015

        When the Salt River Project utility in Arizona decided to impose new charges for its customers with rooftop solar installations in February, it...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on November 5, 2015

        Count Maine “in” as one of the 18 states filing a motion to intervene to defend the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA” or...

        October 16, 2015

        On October 5, in the case of Natural Resources Defense Council v. U.S. EPA, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit invalidated the...

        October 16, 2015

        In an opinion issued this August, the Law Court upheld a Maine Public Utilities Commission order approving a new rate plan for Bangor Gas Company,...

        by Juliet T. Browne on September 29, 2015

        The Maine DEP is proposing changes to the rules affecting permitting of Site Law projects. The changes primarily involve requirements related to...

        by Gordon R. Smith on August 28, 2015

        The rule enacted by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers intended to clarify the scope of jurisdictional waters of the United States (often...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on August 20, 2015

        Two new rules recently adopted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (“Maine DEP” or “the Department”) added formaldehyde and...

        by Gordon R. Smith on August 13, 2015

        The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday struck down a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulation allowing issuance...

        by Gordon R. Smith on June 24, 2015

        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it is looking into the creation of an incidental take permitting program under the Migratory...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on June 11, 2015

        The buzz word coming out of this week’s Group of Seven Summit (G7; formerly the G8, now sans Russia) in Germany was “decarbonisation.” (Yes,...

        by Gordon R. Smith on May 29, 2015

        Upon recommendation from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Governor Paul LePage signed a bill into law today listing three bat...

        by Gordon R. Smith on May 27, 2015

        The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today released a new rule attempting to clarify the scope of jurisdictional "waters of the United...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on May 13, 2015

        In 1980, as part of the implementation of statutes governing hazardous waste, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) required that...

        by Gordon R. Smith on May 6, 2015

        A report released this week finds that wind power plays a significant role in reducing carbon and other harmful emissions in the state of Maine by...

        May 4, 2015

        Governor LePage announced today that he has nominated Bruce Williamson to the Maine Public Utilities Commission. If confirmed, Dr. Williamson will be...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 24, 2015

        Energy infrastructure is all the rage these days. Earlier this week the White House released its inaugural Quadrennial Energy Review, which...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 15, 2015

        The American Wind Energy Association released its annual market report for 2014 today. As expected, most of the report's findings are quite positive,...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 6, 2015

        In a lapse of fact checking and logic, the normally rigorous New Yorker magazine published a lengthy essay by noted novelist and bird watcher...

        by Gordon R. Smith on April 2, 2015

        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will publish a final rule in today's Federal Register designating the northern long eared bat as...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 24, 2015

        To the delight of Frisbee golfers across southern Maine, the Maine Supreme Court has affirmed the Saco Planning Board’s approval of a Frisbee golf...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 24, 2015

        The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is in the process of reviewing a lease request submitted by AW Hawaii Wind, LLC for two proposed 408 MW...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 20, 2015

        The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. granted summary judgment on Wednesday to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a suit challenging the...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on March 18, 2015

        In a recent decision by a California Appeals court, the appellant, (Our Children’s Earth Foundation; (Appellant)), challenged the State Air...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 12, 2015

        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reportedly planning to issue a notice of intent to create an incidental take permitting regime under the...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 12, 2015

        The U.S. Department of Energy released an in-depth analysis today entitled Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States. The report...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on March 10, 2015

        On Thursday of last week, the first-ever hearing dedicated to the Arctic region as a whole was held in the U.S. Senate. The hearing signaled the...

        by Gordon R. Smith on March 5, 2015

        Providence, Rhode Island-based Deepwater Wind announced this week that it has secured $290 million in financing needed to construct its five-turbine,...

        by Gordon R. Smith on February 23, 2015

        In an order issued Friday in Protect Our Lakes v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, No. 1:13-cv-402 (D. Me. Feb. 20, 2015), U.S. District Court Judge Jon...

        February 4, 2015

        Here’s a post for all you Environmental, Health, and Safety professionals following this blog. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on February 3, 2015

        Two energy companies recently secured leases for offshore wind projects in the Massachusetts Wind Energy Area located 12 nautical miles south of...

        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

        Alerts and Newsletters

        Maine’s New Employer Surveillance Law, 26 M.R.S. § 620-A

        Effective July 14, 2026 Maine employers that electronically monitor employees must comply with a new disclosure law effective July 14, 2026. Under...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Recognized by U.S. News as One of the Best Law Firms to Work for in 2026

        BOSTON, Mass., BANGOR and PORTLAND, Maine, GREENWICH and WESTPORT, Conn., – Verrill has been featured on U.S. News’ 2026 Best Companies to Work...
        Blog

        SECURE 2.0 Roth Catch-Up Rules and the 403(b) 15-Year Catch-Up: What Tax-Exempt Employers Need to Know

        Tax-exempt employers whose 403(b) plans offer catch-up contributions for participants age 50 and above should be well on their way to compliance with...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Quoted in Law360 on SIMAD Summer Camp Bankruptcy Sale

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach was recently quoted in a Law360 article examining the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings involving SIMAD Holdings and...
        Media Mentions

        Chris Tsouros Featured in Law360’s Coverage of Sports Real Estate Deals

        Verrill Partner Chris Tsouros was recently recognized in a Law360 article highlighting law firms involved in significant sports real estate projects...
        Blog

        What Maine’s New Employer Surveillance Law Means for Maine Employers

        Maine employers who monitor their workforce, whether through productivity software, GPS, call recording, or cameras, have a new compliance obligation...
        Blog

        Run Don’t Walk: The Implication of “While Supplies Last” Prize Promotions

        This month a big-chain grocery store has been offering daily mystery boxes during specific timed drops on a first-come, first-served basis, to users...
        Blog

        Maine’s Noncompete Statute is Reshaped for Health Care Workers: What You Need to Know

        Employers of individuals who are licensed under state law to perform, or provide, health care services in the State of Maine should be prepared for...
        Media Mentions

        Steven Davis Featured in the Environmental Business Journal

        Steven Davis, President of Verrill Strategic Consulting, was recently interviewed and featured in the Environmental Business Journal, Volume 39...
        Blog

        What is a Bonus for Purposes of ERISA?

        An ongoing dispute about a Department of Labor advisory opinion published last September raises a basic but unanswered question under the ERISA: What...
        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...