Charles Evans Hughes remains an intriguing figure in the history of the United States Supreme Court, not least because his legal and political career was marked by significant transitions and accomplishments. As detailed in various historical records, he is one of only five justices in the court’s history to leave the Supreme Court to pursue…
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has decided to centralize over 20 sexual assault lawsuits against Lyft in the Northern District of California. This consolidation aims to enhance efficiency and practicality by bringing together cases currently dispersed across various district courts into a single federal court in San Francisco. This move mirrors previous actions…
In a strategic move amid ongoing federal shifts away from diversity-focused policies, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has given its approval to the $9.6 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications by Verizon. This merger, poised for completion by January 20, marks a significant expansion for Verizon, which will gain access to an additional 3.3 million…
In a strategic move to bolster its governmental practice, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP has welcomed the former top attorney of D.C. Water into its ranks. This new addition is poised to enhance the firm’s ability to navigate the intricate regulatory landscape impacting water and wastewater management. The legal community has been observing a growing…
As part of a strategic expansion of its government practice group, Taft has appointed a significant figure from the public sector, the former leader in charge of legal services at DC Water. The appointment, as detailed in Law360, highlights Taft’s commitment to bolstering its capabilities in navigating complex regulatory landscapes. The new appointee brings a…
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP has announced a strategic addition to its Washington, D.C. office with the hiring of Matthew Battle, the former chief legal officer of DC Water. This move is seen as an effort to bolster the firm’s capabilities in the capital as regulatory and environmental demands grow for their clients. Battle brings…
In a strategic move to secure regulatory approval for its $9.6 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, Verizon has agreed to offer affordable broadband services in California. The telecom giant plans to introduce a $20-per-month fiber-to-the-home service, providing consumers with symmetrical speeds of 300Mbps. Additionally, a fixed wireless service option offering download speeds of 100Mbps and…
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine recently published a report labeling Russian drone strikes against civilians in Ukraine’s Kherson Province as crimes against humanity and war crimes. The commission asserts that these attacks have led to approximately 150 civilian fatalities since July 2024, citing a sustained campaign targeting local populations and critical infrastructure….
In a significant legal development, two federal judges have initiated legal proceedings against Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power (LADWP), seeking redress for the devastation caused by the Palisades wildfire earlier this year. Senior District Judge Dean D. Pregerson and former Magistrate Judge Vijay C. Gandhi, both of the U.S. District Court for the…
In a recent strategic move, Holland & Hart has welcomed Lucas Foletta as a partner in their environmental and energy practices based in Reno, Nevada. This appointment was announced on Thursday, April 4, 2025, highlighting the firm’s commitment to bolstering its capabilities in the power solutions sector. Foletta brings with him a wealth of experience…
The United States Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the city and county of San Francisco in a legal battle against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At the heart of the dispute was whether the EPA could penalize San Francisco when water quality levels fell below the agency’s standards, despite the city operating under…
The city of Joliet, Illinois, is set to transition its drinking water source to Lake Michigan by 2030. This initiative comes as the aquifer currently supplying water to the city is expected to run dry by the end of the decade, a consequence of climate change and declining groundwater levels. By sourcing water from Lake…
Federal antitrust regulators have been active in the tech and labor markets, yet they have not focused on one of America’s most enduring monopolies: public utilities that control access to the electric grid. Notably, public utilities often use their market dominance to raise prices and block new, more efficient competitors from entering the market. This…
New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice Lee A. Solomon is set to retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age on August 17. In a recent interview, Justice Solomon reflected on his time in the judiciary and how his extensive legal experience, including roles as a Camden County assignment judge, a former assemblyman, a state and…
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has firmly dismissed AT&T’s request to terminate its landline phone service obligations. Instead, the state agency is urging AT&T to upgrade its copper network to fiber, as detailed in the official ruling on Thursday. AT&T sought relief from its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligation, which mandates the company…
Saul Ewing LLP has announced the addition of Carville Collins to its Baltimore office as an energy and public utilities partner. Collins brings extensive experience in advising businesses on regulatory matters, including seeking approvals from the Public Service Commission of Maryland for rate and tariff revisions, mergers and acquisitions, and renewable energy facility certifications. He…
Ohio’s ex-chief utilities regulator, Samuel Randazzo, now finds himself faced with multiple counts of professional misconduct and the subsequent scrutiny of the state’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Specifically, his actions affiliated with FirstEnergy Corp. have been called into question as potential violations of attorney ethics rules. Randazzo, a 74-year-old former chairman of the Ohio Public…
In response to the Appellate Court’s recent judgment related to water pricing in the state, the importance of this decision has been stressed by legal counselor, Alexandria Drake. Highlighting the need for companies to establish reasonable rates, the court’s verdict has significant implications, especially for water supply firms such as the Spokane city company. The…
Frost Brown Todd, a well-known law firm, recently announced the expansion of its environmental practice group in Lexington, Kentucky. The firm welcomed Kathryn Eckert as a partner within the group, a move expected to significantly strengthen its energy industry team. Eckert comes with a wealth of experience and expertise in energy and public utilities law….
In a noteworthy ruling of Gantner v. PG&E Corporation et al. dated November 20, 2023, the Supreme Court of California unanimously concluded that a class-action lawsuit against the utility giant Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) was inadmissible due to an existing legislative framework. The lawsuit in question, brought about by multiple plaintiffs, related to Public…
In an important move concerning public facility corporation compliance monitoring, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs put forth new regulations. These proposals are in response to the Texas House Bill 2071 (the “Bill”), which became effective on June 18, 2023 and brought changes to Chapter 303 of the Texas Local Government Code (the…
In a recent vote, the residents of Maine declined a proposal that might have dramatically reshaped their state’s public utilities landscape. This proposal centered on the ownership transformation of Maine’s major investor-owned electric utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant Power. The plan suggested was to form a nonprofit entity directed to acquire these utilities’ assets….
In an interesting turn of events, the Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed an initial trial court’s judgment, which held that Monterey County’s permitting of a desalination plant was unjustified. This conclusion came in response to a writ set aside by the court against the investor-owned public utility/water supplier California-American Water Company (“Cal-Am”), as documented…
On October 12, 2023, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) introduced novel actions to alter the Resource Adequacy (RA) framework for the state’s power system. This came to pass through an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR), which also brings with it the task of updating the RA demands of Load-Serving Entities (LSE) within California. Details on…
In a bid to enhance its renewable energy portfolio, Rhode Island Energy has recently issued an Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to 1.2 GW of offshore wind. This is the first such RFP that Rhode Island has issued since the CT-RI-MA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on joint procurements of clean energy was adopted. The…