Presidential Exemption for Certain Stationary Sources of Air Pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened an electronic mailbox to allow regulated sources to request a Presidential Exemption under section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) from nine National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) that EPA is reconsidering (see table below) across the energy, manufacturing, and chemical sectors.

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President Trump’s Executive Order Seeks to Initiate Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production

On March 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order (the Order) directing the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other agencies involved in the financing and permitting process for domestic mining production to develop plans and take specific steps to enhance domestic mineral production in the United States (the U.S.).

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New York, New England ISOs File Tariff Amendments at FERC to Allow Them to Collect Import Duties on Canadian Electricity — But Only If the Feds Say So

On February 28, 2025, the New York Independent System Operator, Inc. (“NYISO”) and ISO New England (“ISONE”) separately submitted requests to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) for expedited action on amendments to their FERC-approved tariffs that would allow them to recover the costs of any duties, tariffs, or taxes imposed on them by a federal agency on the import of electricity from Canada into their respective service territories.

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The Future of Environmental Review of Federal Permitting Remains Unsteady as White House Seeks to Rescind NEPA Regulations

On February 19, 2025, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) submitted a proposed Interim Final Rule rescinding its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The Rule will become effective 45 days after its publication in the Federal Register, marking the end of nearly 50 years of CEQ regulations serving as the foundation for federal environmental reviews.  This Interim Rule comes right at the deadline set by President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14154—Unleashing American Energy—which rescinded CEQ’s authority to issue NEPA regulations and revoked President Carter’s EO 11991, which had originally directed CEQ to promulgate implementing regulations.

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FERC Orders Action on Co-Location Issues Related to Data Centers Running AI

Earlier today, at the February 20, 2025 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Open Meeting, FERC Commissioners voted unanimously to launch a review of issues associated with the co-location of large loads at generating facilities at PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM). The review will look at whether the PJM tariff needs to establish rules to provide clarity on co-location while ensuring grid reliability and fair costs to consumers.

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States Challenge New York’s Climate Superfund Act

The Climate Superfund Act (Act), signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on December 26, 2024, faces a substantial lawsuit filed by a coalition of states and industry participants. As described in our previous post here, the Act authorizes the state government to unilaterally levy billions of dollars in fines on fossil fuel companies over the next two decades for alleged contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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President Trump’s Executive Order Seeks to Reduce Federal Regulation

President Trump’s January 31, 2025, Executive Order (EO) titled “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” is a part of the new Administration’s broader policy to reduce federal regulation.  The EO finds that federal regulations impose significant costs and complexities on American citizens and businesses that hinder economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness – and it is the Administration’s policy to alleviate these burdens.  This marks a policy change from the approach of the prior administration and is a broader effort than the regulatory reforms of the first Trump Administration.

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States, Advanced Reactor Developer Challenge NRC’s Authority to License Advanced Reactors

The outcome of a lawsuit filed at the end of 2024 challenging the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (“NRC’s or the Agency’s”) authority under a 1956 rule to license certain nuclear facilities could have important implications for advanced reactor licensing processes and the supply of electricity in the U.S. in the years ahead.

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<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/b/boxerman-samuel-b">Samuel B. Boxerman</a>

Samuel B. Boxerman

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/b/brown-keturah-a">Keturah A. Brown</a>

Keturah A. Brown

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/d/dickson-gerbas-grace">Grace Dickson Gerbas</a>

Grace Dickson Gerbas

Dallas
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/h/healey-terence-t">Terence T. Healey</a>

Terence T. Healey

Boston
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/i/irvin-kenneth-w">Kenneth W. Irvin</a>

Kenneth W. Irvin

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/p/polito-christopher-j">Christopher J. Polito</a>

Christopher J. Polito

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/k/khan-casey">Casey Khan</a>

Casey Khan

Houston
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/l/lisak-michael-l">Michael L. Lisak</a>

Michael L. Lisak

Chicago

<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/b/bolen-brittany-a">Brittany A. Bolen</a>

Brittany A. Bolen

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/h/hildebrandt-brooklyn">Brooklyn Hildebrandt</a>

Brooklyn Hildebrandt

Los Angeles
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/n/noelliste-nicole-e">Nicole E. Noëlliste</a>

Nicole E. Noëlliste

Washington, D.C.
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/p/posen-hannah">Hannah Posen</a>

Hannah Posen

Chicago
<a target=‘_blank’ href="https://www.sidley.com/en/people/r/raffetto-jack-c">Jack Raffetto</a>

Jack Raffetto

Washington, D.C.

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