To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Environmental & Energy Law online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:
Consider writing about:
An antitrust lawsuit filed by Michigan’s attorney general against major fossil fuel companies and an industry trade group; key points from AG Dana Nessel’s claims; whether Michigan’s action marks an unusual strategy, or whether it’s part of a trend in lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry; primary challenges the Michigan suit or other antitrust lawsuits of this type are likely to face.
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A $100 million fine levied against Detroit-based energy company DTE and its subsidiaries; basis for a monetary penalty of this magnitude; what to know about the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review program; what the DTE case illustrates regarding compliance obligations and potential liability risks under the Clean Air Act; related enforcement trends involving permitting processes and the Clean Air Act.
Related information:
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/dte-energy-to-pay-100-million-clean-air-act-violation
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That latest developments of note involving pesticides. Among the possible topics to choose from (or to tie together in one article): a proposed multibillion-dollar settlement by Bayer over the weed killer Roundup; a recent Executive Order on glyphosate production, the rationale for the order, and what it means for glyphosate manufacturers; whether the Defense Production Act provides a legally sound basis for the Executive Order, or whether it provides an opening for lawsuits; political blowback over the Executive Order, and what it could mean for the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement or the wider MAGA coalition and its support of the Trump administration; other federal or state actions regarding pesticide safety, including campaigns to shield pesticide manufacturers from liability; whether there are any meaningful efforts being made to reformulate pesticides, in the face of potential liability risks involving glyphosate. Also, how are pesticides classified and regulated, whether in the United States or in other countries, and how has regulators’ approach to pesticides evolved in recent years?
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The Trump administration’s plan to repeal as of this week an Obama-era action known as the “endangerment finding;” how that 2009 finding shaped environmental policy over the years; key regulations that would be weakened or neutered under the current Environmental Protection Agency’s action; how dramatic a change this rollback represents; potential grounds for legal challenges in response to the rollback.
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How ESG-related pressures on the business community are evolving (in the jurisdiction of your choice, or globally); where pressures are either easing or accelerating; factors driving changes in rulemaking or in implemented policies; any noteworthy throughlines among the changes by regulators or other authorities; how businesses can best assess their ESG practices and potentially reduce their exposure to risk.
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A Feb. 6 ruling in an industry challenge to Oregon’s extended producer responsibility program; basis for the challenge to the state law; what the court’s action means for parties to this case, and, more broadly speaking, for the larger business community’s environmental obligations; next steps in the Oregon dispute, and what interested parties should be watching for; how EPR programs in other states are faring, and whether they are facing similar legal challenges.
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Noteworthy developments (either globally, or in a specific jurisdiction of your choice) involving fusion energy. Among the possible points to explore: how decision makers in various sectors currently view fusion energy’s potential and its role in helping to meet surging energy demands; who is making the most significant strides regarding the ultimate realization of fusion energy’s capabilities; key challenges that exist for fusion energy at this juncture; investment trends fueling fusion energy work; any significant actions by government agencies regarding nuclear fusion; potential conflicts of interest involving President Trump’s business interests.
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Completed or proposed mergers and acquisitions of note in the energy sector; key issues driving M&A activity in that industry; what to know about the current regulatory and enforcement landscape (in the country or region of your choice) for these types of mergers or acquisitions, either in and of itself, or in comparison to previous years or administrations; additional guidance on due diligence, risk management, and interactions with regulators in connection with M&A plans.
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The latest developments involving the Trump administration’s attempts to thwart wind energy projects; court rulings or other actions of note; what the latest developments mean for the current status and future completion of contested wind projects; present-day challenges for the wind industry as a whole, whether due to Trump administration energy policies, tariffs, international trade, or other factors that may be affecting investments, construction plans, contracts, or other elements crucial to launching or maintaining fundamental operations.
Related information:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/12/orsted-rhode-island-wind-project-trump
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5678635/trump-offshore-wind-national-security-climate-change
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What U.S. involvement in Venezuela could mean for energy production in that country, for U.S.-based oil companies, and for the energy sector overall; environmental regulations or policies that would apply to activities inside Venezuela; key challenges that currently exist, or are likely to arise, for any oil companies (or other decisionmakers) who may be eyeing Venezuela’s energy reserves; what energy companies may realistically be able to do to reduce operational or legal risk stemming from a Venezuelan venture.
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Your choice of three or more noteworthy developments or trends in the energy or environmental arena from the past year. Take your pick of lawsuits, rulings, regulatory actions, legislation, or other developments, either nationally or in the region of your choice, with added information, as you see fit, regarding compliance obligations, liability risks, best practices, or other potential implications in the near or longer term, whether for a specific industry or more generally speaking.
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Mercedes-Benz’ agreement to pay almost $150 million to settle allegations involving local and national emissions standards; what to know about the company’s alleged wrongdoing; what to know about the prevalence of this type of activity within the automotive industry; what the Mercedes-Benz case may illustrate regarding enforcement actions by, and priorities of, state attorneys general and potential state-level liability risks that companies may face over their environmental records.
Related information:
https://oag.dc.gov/release/attorney-general-schwalb-announces-nearly-150
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A proposed rule intended to revise the definition of “waters of the United States;” what to know about WOTUS and its history; intent of the latest Trump administration action on this front; key changes that the revised WOTUS definition could usher in; potential impacts on the environment, private industry, landowners, and others; likelihood of legal challenges to the proposed rule.
Related information:
https://www.epa.gov/wotus/updated-definition-waters-united-states
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A Massachusetts federal judge’s December ruling regarding an Executive Order that froze new permits for wind energy projects; basis for the judge’s finding that the Executive Order was unlawful; what the ruling means for stalled or potential wind energy projects; overview of the state of wind energy in the United States right now; how the wind energy industry is coping with policy changes being rolled out, or attempted, by the second Trump administration.
Related information:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/12/11/wind-energy-permit-freeze-unlawful-judge-rules
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Settlement agreements that Monsanto recently announced with Illinois and West Virginia over PCB production and alleged contamination; other noteworthy claims that Monsanto is facing over alleged PCB contamination and related health claims; what to know about the history of PCBs in the United States; how litigation over PCBs has evolved over the years.
Related information:
https://www.bayer.com/en/litigation-statement/settlement-west-virginia-and-illinois
https://www.compassvermont.com/p/vermont-supreme-court-ruling-opens
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A $12.5 million penalty that Lowe’s Home Centers is poised to pay as a result of the company’s alleged failure to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules on lead paint exposure; company practices that led to regulators’ investigation and the subsequently proposed settlement; what this case may illustrate regarding third-party risk, oversight obligations, and compliance risks; what else to know about the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule and any other noteworthy enforcement actions or other recent developments involving that rule.
Related information:
https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/lowes-home-centers-llc-rrp-2025-settlement-summary
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A $1.1 million settlement that JBS USA Food Co. recently reached with the state of New York over the parent company’s “net zero” marketing claims; what to know about the settlement terms; what monitoring by a state attorney general can entail; related trends (on the state or national level) involving companies’ alleged greenwashing behavior and associated liability risks.
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A lawsuit filed last month over fossil fuel companies’ practices and their impact on climate change and homeowners’ insurance rates; key claims in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; what to make of the racketeering claim in particular; potential challenges ahead for this litigation; whether similar lawsuits have been launched over the fossil fuel industry’s impacts on insurance costs (and if so, how those lawsuits have performed).
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This year’s United Nations climate conference; key agenda items for COP30; how the conference has evolved since its beginnings; noteworthy successes, lapses, or challenges involving the climate conference over the years; what industry decisionmakers and others should be watching for from this year’s conference.
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New sanctions imposed on Russian oil producers by the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom; scope and duration of the latest sanctions; how they compare to prior sanctions stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; what the latest sanctions mean for Russia’s energy companies, global trade, international energy supplies, and overall commerce; any noteworthy exemptions from the sanctions.
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California’s pursuit of plastic bag manufacturers over the companies’ recycling claims; specifics regarding the state’s allegations against various manufacturers; outcomes of the state’s actions; what else to know about applicable California laws in these cases, and how those laws compare to laws in other parts of the United States regarding recycling, marketing, advertising, and/or consumer protection; related legal trends affecting plastic bag manufacturers.
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A lawsuit that seeks to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for damage caused by a hurricane that hit Puerto Rico in 2017; how unusual the racketeering claims in this case are vis a vis environmental damage and the energy industry; prospects for the litigation being pursued further; whether other fossil fuel companies could face credible racketeering claims over their actions’ alleged impact on climate change.
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Cases coming before the U.S. Supreme Court this term that involve environmental or energy-related matters; the cases’ key issues and potential implications; what to watch for; and perhaps a related review of the high court’s evolving stance toward environmental or energy-centric cases.
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Trends involving greenwashing; how companies sometimes overstep in their zeal to represent themselves and their practices as being environmentally friendly; any recurring trends involving greenwashing allegations, the types of advertising or marketing claims that create the most legal, regulatory, or reputational risk, and related settlements, verdicts, or rulings; what businesses can do to prevent, or minimize, liability risks involving greenwashing allegations made against them.
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Recent developments involving Trump administration actions regarding supply chains and access to critical minerals. How does the second Trump administration’s actions on this front compare to those of the first Trump administration or the Biden administration? Which strategies or other actions stand out to you as among the more significant? What are the key challenges involved in securing and developing potential sources of critical minerals? What are some of the more noteworthy regulatory actions or litigation to come up in response to critical mineral exploration?
Related information:
https://www.eenews.net/articles/inside-trumps-foray-into-mineral-ownership
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A petition filed last month with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights as part of a challenge to the United States’ long-standing reliance on fossil fuels; basis for the allegations that U.S. energy policy violates the petitioners’ human rights; what to know about the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, its role, and authority; potential value in taking a case to the IACHR; how this action compares to other climate change cases (in the United States or globally) that have invoked human rights.
Related information:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/25/young-activists-fossil-fuel-petition-us-government
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A proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to change course regarding the presence of PFAS in drinking water; rationale for the EPA’s claim that some aspects of Biden-era rulemaking on drinking water standards were unlawful; how big a change the EPA rollback would represent; steps needed to reverse the regulatory standards; health concerns raised over PFAS in drinking water; what to know about the Safe Water Drinking Act; what industries should be watching for regarding government movement on drinking water standards; potential for litigation over a federal rollback; regional or local regulatory trends involving PFAS in drinking water.
Related information:
https://www.newsweek.com/epa-drinking-water-pfas-standards-10839033
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An Interior Department proposal to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule; the rule’s original purpose and impacts on the usage of public lands; basis for the proposed rollback of the rule; territory that the Public Lands Rule covers; the rollback proposal’s potential implications for the energy industry, environmental protections, regulatory oversight, wildlife conservation, and neighboring communities.
Related information:
https://www.blm.gov/about/laws-and-regulations/conservation-and-landscape-health-rule
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Extended producer responsibility programs; what they consist of and how widespread they are (either globally or in the jurisdiction of your choice); materials and industries to which these programs typically apply; common obligations and potential liability risks under these programs; what else businesses should know about cooperating with extended producer responsibility programs’ requirements; any fast-approaching dates by which these programs will take effect; any noteworthy litigation or enforcement actions involving extended producer responsibility programs.
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A proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program; what to know about the program’s history and what it has meant for industries, communities, and regulators; rationale for the proposed termination of the reporting program; path to the proposal’s implementation; whether industry would still need to make comparable emissions reports to state-level regulators, even if the federal program is dropped.
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