We would like to present our publication entitled "Venezuelan Legal Context: Oil, Gas and Mining". In it you will find 6 papers prepared by members of LEGA's Energy and Natural Resources practice area. With these papers we wish to contribute to the discussion of key aspects related to energy and natural resources issues in Venezuela ...
The race to achieve net zero emissions has played a significant role in pushing forward the fight against climate change. Key stakeholders are becoming alive to the opportunity presented by a decarbonised economy and those who do not get on board now risk being left behind. What chrnet zero? Simply put, net zero is premised on attaining a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere ...
On March 26, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) published Announcement 2021-7, which notifies taxpayers that certain amounts paid for personal protective equipment (such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes) for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 (“COVID-19 PPE”) may be an eligible expense that can be reimbursed from certain health care account based plans ...
The realisation of large sustainability projects often requires various market players to work together ...
The UK will host the UN’s COP26 climate change conference in November 2021, but what is a COP – and what happened at the previous 25 COPs? 15 April 2021 marks 200 days until COP26 is due to start. Taking place in Glasgow from 1-12 November 2021, COP26 is the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ...
Join Schwabe for an exclusive screening of The West Is Burning, followed by a panel discussion with the creators of the film. Schwabe Natural Resources attorneys Greg Fullem and Janna Davydova are excited to introduce you to the filmmakers of the documentary. After a private screening, there will be an opportunity to connect with the creators of the film, ask questions, and learn about what comes next for the forests that shape the landscape of the West Coast ...
On April 9, 2021, the IRS released Private Letter Ruling (PLR) 202114002 (January 13, 2021), which provides additional context to taxpayers worried about whether their Fintech or Insurtech shares represent Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 1202 ...
On April 8, 2021, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced a proposed rate increase of 1.3 percent for skilled nursing providers in fiscal year 2022. It is estimated this will result in approximately $444 million increase in payments to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) under Medicare Part A for the fiscal year. This increased payment rate does not incorporate the SNF Value-Based Program (VBP) reductions that CMS estimates to be $184 ...
The State Water Resources Control Board (“SWRCB”) approved the much-debated General Waste Discharge Requirements for Winery Process Water (“Winery Order”) on January 20, 2021. Although the official version of the approved Winery Order has not been released, an uncertified copy has been posted on the SWRCB website. Based on that document, most of the elements of the draft Winery Order remain unchanged from the most-recent draft issued for public comment ...
It is only seven months until the eyes of the world fall on Glasgow as it hosts COP26. The conference comes with some terminology which might be unfamiliar. This article is designed to bring you quickly up to speed with the words and phrases you’ll be hearing a lot about in the coming months. The very basics... COP – ‘Conference of the Parties’, the parties being the 197 signatories to the UNFCCC treaty ...
It is only seven months until the eyes of the world fall on Glasgow as it hosts COP 26. The conference comes with some terminology which might be unfamiliar. This article is designed to bring you quickly up to speed with the words and phrases you’ll be hearing a lot about in the coming months. The very basics... COP – ‘Conference of the Parties’, the parties being the 197 signatories to the UNFCCC treaty ...
This presentation will cover the Biden administration’s environmental policy goals and the regulatory changes we can expect from the administration in the environmental sphere. We will discuss potential changes we anticipate in the Clean Water Act WOTUS rule, changes to energy policy, and new regulation of PFAS compounds. We will also discuss the impact of the new administration at EPA and what clients can expect going forward in their dealings with EPA ...
Although there is considerable uncertainty about what the future holds for the CFPB’s Debt Collection Final Rule, it is still currently set to become effective on November 30, 2021. This has caused many in the industry to wonder what should be done while we wait for answers. Join us to learn more about the current status of the Debt Collection Final Rule, and what steps you might consider taking now ...
In its highly anticipated judgment, the majority of the Supreme Court of Canada found the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act constitutional in a split 6-3 decision. The key issue before the court was whether the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (“GGPPA”) was constitutional. The majority decided that it was, because Parliament has jurisdiction to enact this law as a matter of national concern ...
What does 2021 hold for investors in Australian renewables? We ask 100 Australian and overseas investors in the renewable energy sector for their insights. We compare our findings today to those from 2019. This report explores the current trends shaping the Australian renewable energy market, in addition to the main drivers behind deals, opportunity sectors and challenges facing investors ...
This article forms part of our ‘New How: Perspectives’ campaign: ‘The logistics industry is booming, but can our infrastructure keep up?’. Here Choisanne Man, a real estate partner in Shoosmiths’ London office, speaks with David Proctor, Managing Director, Group Investment at Segro, to discuss the state of the logistics sector including the challenges it poses for our towns and cities. 1 ...
COVID-19 has forced us to completely rethink the way we live, work and move around. It has begged the question: what is it that makes a great city? Manchester is one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK. With cranes dominating the skyline, billions continue to be invested into the city centre as it evolves into a city of quarters ...
The government’s recently announced low-carbon industrial sector strategy, supported by over £1 billion in funding to cut emissions from industry and public buildings, if nothing else, shows great ambition but does it also deliver the wherewithal to achieve those objectives? It builds on the proposals in the Energy White Paper which themselves expanded upon the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution announced by Prime Minister in November last year ...
As competition for project siting increases, so do the challenges of development due diligence. This webinar will address significant issues and questions surrounding real estate contracts, title insurance, and environmental assessment and permitting common in solar PV project development. Bradley’s renewable energy attorneys will share advice and experience managing key development challenges and environmental compliance concerns presented by solar PV project development ...
(Antelope Valley Groundwater Cases, JCCP No. 4408 (3/16/21))[1] After twenty-two years, the protracted proceedings in the Antelope Valley groundwater adjudication resulted in a settlement and court-approved "physical solution." A physical solution equitably allocates available water under California's laws governing water rights. The physical solution in Antelope Valley limited pumping to balance the overdrafted aquifer with the available native safe yield ...
In EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01, the Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a critical interpretation of prior guidance that extended certain deadlines for employee benefit plans, participants, and beneficiaries due to COVID-19. We discussed the original guidance in this prior article ...
On March 16, 2021, Decree No. 64 / 2020 of the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, was published in the Official Gazette, approving the Regulation that establishes conditions for the treatment and final disposal of wastes from aquaculture activities (the "Regulation") ...
