Environmental and Energy Law Update

        A blog from the attorneys of Verrill
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        March 12, 2026

        In United States v. EES Coke Battery LLC, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan found three parent corporations...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on January 12, 2026

        Four Massachusetts[1] waste handlers recently learned that when it rains, it pours, when they agreed to pay the Environmental Protection Agency...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on December 1, 2025

        Wetlands permitting disputes resolved in the last year provide stark reminders and cautionary tales about Conservation Commission authority.  The...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on October 16, 2025

        Since my December 2 blog post on the Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity and Protecting Rate Payers, the Department of Energy...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on August 27, 2025

        On August 20, 2025, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, among several other state attorneys general, testified in opposition to the...

        by Hans C. Eysenbach on August 5, 2025

        Maine just launched a new cabinet-level energy policy office. Last month, Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1270 into law, creating the new Maine...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on June 4, 2025

        On February 18, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14215 “Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies,” Section 7 of which provides that:...

        by Juliet T. Browne on April 21, 2025

        The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry issued final rules on Permitting Solar Energy Developments on High Value-Agricultural...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on April 1, 2025

        On the first day of his Presidency, among 26 other Executive Orders that day, Donald Trump issued his Unleashing American Energy Executive Order...

        by Maye C. Emlein on February 19, 2025

        On January 14, 2025, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) issued a new Maine Construction General Permit (“MCGP”). The...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on January 28, 2025

        Despite having over 130 years of collective environmental law experience, Verrill’s environmental group is very cautious in making predictions...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on January 15, 2025

        The state’s highest court has affirmed the Legislature’s power to force towns to adopt denser, transit-friendly zoning. In 2021, the...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on December 26, 2024

        Beginning in May of 2026,[1] owners of brands selling packaged products and importers of foreign-produced packaged products sold in Maine will be...

        December 16, 2024

        On December 5, 2024, Governor Janet Mills announced her intent to nominate former state senator and representative Heather Sanborn to serve as the...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on December 2, 2024

        On November 20, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed the Massachusetts Leads Act, engrossing House Bill 5100 (the “MA Leads Act”), which, among...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on November 18, 2024

        The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) often uses civil penalties to punish environmental violators. The EPA can either pursue...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on August 19, 2024

        While the SCOTUS’s Loper Bright Enterprises et al. (Loper) decision reversing Chevron was a win for those seeking to rein in the administrative...

        by Jonathan M. Dunitz on July 9, 2024

        The Maine PUC has recently opened two related dockets that will significantly impact the renewable energy industry. The first, Docket No. 2024-00137,...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on June 27, 2024

        As our understanding of the environment and anthropogenic impact grows, protection efforts increasingly spawn regulation. Media coverage of perceived...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on June 13, 2024

        In a groundbreaking move, effective July 1, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will tighten the permitting requirement for...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on May 9, 2024

        Town Meetings across Massachusetts are voting on zoning bylaws that would encourage multi-family housing. According to Section 3A of the Zoning Act,...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on May 3, 2024

        In my October 2023 blog post about “The Plastics Problem in Massachusetts,” I noted that environmental and some mainstream groups have been...

        by Mathew J. Todaro on April 12, 2024

        On April 10, 2024, after receiving nearly 122,000 comments on the proposed rule, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)...

        by Peter M. Vetere on April 4, 2024

        Chapter 91 of the Massachusetts General Laws, otherwise known as the Public Waterfront Act, is the primary law protecting the public’s rights to...

        by Peter F. Durning on March 29, 2024

        When working with my colleagues on real estate and corporate business transactions, I feel like I can be a nay-sayer, bringing up the considerations...

        by Gail Magenau Hire on March 21, 2024

        Last month, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) extended the comment period for amendments it proposed in December...

        by Thomas A. Mackie on March 14, 2024

        Last April, we reported that the Attorney General was set to enforce municipal compliance with denser, transit-friendly zoning requirements. Now that...

        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...

        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...