Sustainability Law Blog
Covers issues important to businesses looking to create a sustainable future for their organizations, their communities and the environment. Topics range from climate change and renewable energy issues to commentary on green building requirements, tax credits for sustainable forestry practices, and regulatory and public policy issues regarding the environment and sustainable business practices.
Author: Lawyers in the sustainability practice of the Portland, Ore., firm Tonkon Torp contribute to the blog.
Blawg Related Categories: Environmental Law • Government Law • States • Oregon • Law Firm • Business Law
Recent Posts from Sustainability Law Blog
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New Wetlands Mitigation Rule—A Boost for the Mitigation Banking Sector
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently issued revised regulations to the Clean Water Act . The new regulations govern compensatory mitigation for the fill of wetlands, streams, and…
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Minerals Management Services Moves Forward On Offshore Leasing For Renewable Energy Projects
In November 2007, the federal Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced an interim policy to lease offshore areas on the Outer Continental Shelf for information-gathering on the potential for wind, wave and tidal renewable energy development.…
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Wild Energy Tax Credits Save Taxpayers Money
GE Energy Financial Services recently released a study showing that the tax revenues lost due to the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind energy are more than made up by increased tax revenues from…
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Delay Is the Only Certainty on Federal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations
Despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling over a year ago in Massachusetts v. EPA that the EPA had the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, confusion still reigns within the…
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Regional Emissions Trading Programs On The Move, Part Two
Yesterday we discussed the upcoming auction of carbon dioxide emissions allowances at RGGI. Today we focus on developments at RGGI's western cousin, the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). The WCI is a consortium of seven western…
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Regional Emissions Trading Programs on the Move
Two regional climate initiatives that are common topics on this blog, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in the northeast U.S., and the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) in the west, continue to move forward with…
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WCI's Cap-and-Trade Plan
In the absence of comprehensive national legislation on climate change, cooperative regional agreements among individual states have emerged as the propelling force behind greenhouse gas reduction in North America. This week, the Canadian province of…
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Oregon Public Utilities Commission Reopens The Door To Solar Energy Projects In Oregon
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) received wide praise yesterday from renewable energy businesses and organizations for its decision in response to a petition filed by PacifiCorp regarding development of solar energy in Oregon. PacifiCorp…
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PGE Rolls Out First of 15 Plug-In Hybrid Charging Stations
Monday at SW First and Salmon was a glimpse of our transportation future. PGE rolled out the first of fifteen plug-in hybrid charging stations. Toyota brought one of its fleet of five plug-in hybrid Prius…
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Second Oregon Home Achieves Platinum LEED Certification
Earning the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is no easy task. Because it’s the most stringent standard to which a building or developmental project can strive, until…