Perkins Coie works with forest products companies as they confront and conquer new technologies and market and regulatory demands.
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Publications
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07.31.2023Council on Environmental Quality Proposes Phase Two Revision to Its NEPA Implementing RegulationsUpdatesThe Council on Environmental Quality has proposed further amendments to its National Environmental Policy Act implementing regulations as part of its phased rulemaking initiated in 2021.
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06.08.2023Substantive NEPA Amendments in the Debt Ceiling BillUpdatesThe Fiscal Responsibility Act, colloquially known as the Debt Ceiling Bill, was signed into law by President Joe Biden over the weekend and contains several amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act. These are the most substantive amendments to NEPA since the statute was enacted more than 50 years ago.
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03.07.2023DOJ Announces Shift Toward Corporate Enforcement for Sanctions and Export Control ViolationsUpdatesDeputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco delivered groundbreaking remarks at the American Bar Association National Institute on White Collar on March 2, 2023, heralding a new era of corporate enforcement aimed at addressing U.S. national security priorities.
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03.02.2023The Biden Administration’s National Cybersecurity Strategy: Impact on the Private SectorUpdates
The Biden Administration released its National Cybersecurity Strategy on March 1. The Strategy breaks with past precedent and emphasizes regulatory mandates and imposing liability, in addition to enhancing voluntary information-sharing and development of best practices. The Strategy will particularly affect critical infrastructure and cloud service providers.
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02.02.2023Washington State Implements Major Programs To Reach Climate GoalsUpdatesTwo climate-related regulatory programs impacting business and industry in Washington state took effect on January 1, 2023. First, the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) introduces an economywide emissions cap-and-invest program. Second, the Clean Fuels Program will regulate transportation emissions. Together, these programs are intended to help the state reach ambitious statutory emissions reductions targets, including a goal of achieving a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050.
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01.11.2023The Biden Rule: Redetermining Where Water Ends and Land BeginsUpdatesThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army jointly announced on December 30, 2022, the latest final rule that attempts to define “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. The Rule will take effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register.
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01.10.2023CEQ Issues Guidance on Evaluating Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Effects Under NEPAUpdatesThe Council on Environmental Quality published guidance on how to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions and climate change under the National Environmental Policy Act.
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07.20.2022Just Short of a Rule: Washington State’s Recommendations on PFAS Cleanup LevelsUpdatesThe Washington State Department of Ecology recently released a focus sheet that provides Ecology’s recommended soil and groundwater cleanup levels for a group of chemical compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
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04.22.2022NLRB GC Abruzzo Signals Significant Changes for Employers in Cemex BriefUpdatesThe general counsel for the National Labor Relations Board, Jennifer Abruzzo, on April 11, 2022, filed a brief in a case pending before the NLRB asking the Board to overturn decades-old precedent and make several significant changes to employers’ rights during unionization campaigns.
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03.21.2022Recent Developments in US Sanctions and Export Controls Targeting RussiaUpdatesFollowing Russia’s recognition of breakaway regions in Ukraine and full-scale invasion of the country, authorities in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and across the globe imposed a sweeping array of trade and economic sanctions, export controls, and other financial countermeasures.
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11.05.2021Frequently Asked Questions on OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary StandardUpdatesThe U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its long-awaited emergency temporary standard requiring all employers with a total of 100 or more employees to mandate vaccination and/or weekly COVID-19 testing. OSHA also released a comprehensive FAQ to address questions.
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10.12.2021Council on Environmental Quality Proposes Revisions to 2020 NEPA RegulationsUpdatesThe Council on Environmental Quality has proposed amendments to its 2020 NEPA implementing regulations, adopted during the waning days of the Trump administration.
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2021Forest Resources
ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
American Bar Association -
01.15.2021Army Corps Reissues Clean Water Act Nationwide Permits With Energy, Infrastructure Project ImplicationsUpdatesThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published in the Federal Register changes to its Clean Water Act Nationwide Permits (NWPs).
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11.20.2020Forest Service Releases Narrowly Tailored Update to Its NEPA ProceduresUpdatesThe U.S. Forest Service has released narrowly tailored changes to update its procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act, in the wake of the Council on Environmental Quality’s recent overhaul of the NEPA regulations.
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07.14.2020Supreme Court Revives Clean Water Act General Permit for Pipeline and Utility Line ProjectsUpdatesThe U.S. Supreme Court delivered near-term relief to project developers on June 6, reinstating one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ key nationwide Clean Water Act permits.
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06.09.2020President Orders Federal Agencies to Further Expedite Environmental Project Approvals Using Emergency PowersUpdatesPressing ahead on his efforts to reduce delays in federal approvals necessary for major infrastructure projects, President Donald Trump on June 4 called for more streamlining in another executive order, Accelerating the Nation’s Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Emergency by Expediting Infrastructure Investments and Other Activities.
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06.03.2020EPA Final Rule Narrows State and Tribal Review Under the Clean Water ActUpdatesThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule on June 1, 2020, intended to limit the ability of states and tribes to block or delay projects requiring a water quality certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
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04.27.2020Supreme Court Rules Clean Water Act May Regulate Discharges Through Groundwater to Navigable WatersUpdatesUncertainty has long reigned over the reach of the federal Clean Water Act, which applies to “navigable waters,” defined by statute only as “waters of the United States.”
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04.17.2020Essential Businesses in Several States Now Must Provide Face Masks to EmployeesUpdatesOn April 3, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an updated recommendation that all workers and members of the general public should consider using non-medical face masks or face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 transmission and infection.
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03.30.2020DOJ Formally Ends Use of Supplemental Environmental Projects in SettlementsUpdatesCompanies should be aware that Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPS)—voluntary environmental or public health benefit projects in lieu of payment of civil penalties for violation of federal environmental laws—will no longer be available in discussions to resolve and reduce liability for environmental law violations as of March 12, 2020.
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03.17.2020COVID-19: Putting Your Clients at EASE in Unprecedented TimesUpdatesIn these “business as unusual” times, it is critical to maintain effective messaging with clients and employees.
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03.12.2020COVID-19 Officially Declared a Global Pandemic: The Practical Impact on EmployersUpdatesOn March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic.
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02.28.2020Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Workplace: Practical Considerations and Tips for US EmployersUpdatesEmployers are rightfully concerned about what, if anything, they should be doing to respond to the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), with confirmed cases in dozens of countries, including the United States.
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02.05.2020Bird Is the Word: US Fish & Wildlife Service Proposes Narrow Interpretation of Migratory Bird Treaty ActUpdatesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule on January 30, 2020, that narrowly interprets the protections afforded by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
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01.27.2020New Regulations Redefine the Scope of the Clean Water ActUpdatesThe Clean Water Act applies by its terms to “navigable waters,” which the act defines merely as “waters of the United States.”
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01.13.2020White House Proposes Overhaul of NEPA RegulationsUpdatesTaking the next step in its efforts to streamline the environmental review process for projects under federal jurisdiction, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published proposed regulations on January 10 that would revamp the rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act.
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12.23.2019NLRB Board Scales Back Rules for Fast-Tracking Union Representation ElectionsUpdatesThe National Labor Relations Board announced a number of changes to its representation election rules on December 13, 2019, many of which, to some degree or another, restored elements of the Board’s procedures prior to the 2014 overhaul of these rules.
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07.01.2019Trump Administration Issues Draft Guidance on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Evaluation Under NEPAUpdatesThe Council on Environmental Quality published draft guidance June 26, 2019, on how to assess greenhouse gas emissions under the National Environmental Policy Act, the law that requires environmental impact assessment for projects that receive federal funding or federal approvals.
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2019Forest Resources
ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
American Bar Association
Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review 2018
Forest Resources chapter -
12.14.2018Agencies Release Proposed Rule to Limit Clean Water Act JurisdictionUpdatesThe Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers announced a proposed rule to redefine the term “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act on December 11, 2018.
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11.29.2018Supreme Court Limits Authority to Designate Critical Habitat Under Endangered Species ActUpdatesIn a unanimous decision with immediate repercussions for the administration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Supreme Court held that an area is eligible for designation as critical habitat under ESA only if it is also “habitat” for the species within the meaning of the statute.
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Updated 07.25.2018Major Changes Proposed to Endangered Species Act RegulationsUpdatesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service published three proposed rules last week that would revise the regulations implementing portions of the Endangered Species Act.
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06.21.2018CEQ Invites Comments on Potentially Sweeping Changes to NEPA RegulationsUpdatesThe Council on Environmental Quality yesterday issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking inviting input on potential changes to the CEQ regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act, the federal law that requires environmental impact assessment for projects involving federal funding or other federal approvals.
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2018Forest Resources
ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
American Bar Association
Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review 2017
Forest Resources chapter -
05.02.2018U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Guidance on Endangered Species Act Incidental Take PermitsUpdatesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a guidance memorandum addressing when an incidental take permit may be needed under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act for projects that modify habitat of federally listed species.
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04.19.2018Federal Agencies Sign MOU to Require “One Federal Decision” on Major Infrastructure ProjectsUpdatesOn April 9, 2018, the heads of a dozen federal agencies executed a memorandum of understanding on implementation of Executive Order 13807, which directed federal agencies to expedite environmental review and permitting for major infrastructure projects.
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04.05.2018Federal Spending Bill Changes Wildfire Suppression Funding and Other Forestry InitiativesUpdatesThe $1.3 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, passed March 23, 2018, includes bipartisan measures to fundamentally change how the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies pay for wildfire suppression.
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01.31.2018White House Proposes to Streamline Environmental Reviews for Infrastructure ProjectsUpdatesThe Washington Post last week reported a leaked White House document that revealed a far-reaching set of proposals to streamline the environmental review process for infrastructure projects.
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01.24.2018Supreme Court Sends Challenges to Clean Water Rule to Federal District CourtsUpdatesIn a unanimous decision on January 22, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that challenges to the Obama administration’s 2015 Clean Water Rule must be brought in federal district courts rather than directly in the courts of appeals.
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01.02.2018Department of Interior Reverses MBTA’s Take Definition in a New Solicitor’s OpinionUpdatesThe U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of the Solicitor issued Memorandum M-37050, on December 22, 2017, which adopts the position that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) prohibition on the “taking” or “killing” of migratory birds applies only to deliberate acts intended to take a migratory bird.
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12.08.2017ITC Continues Duties on Imports of Softwood Lumber From CanadaUpdatesSignificant antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVDs) on imports of softwood lumber from Canada will continue following the U.S. International Trade Commission final affirmative injury determination made yesterday.
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11.07.2017Ninth Circuit Paves Way for Regulation of Stormwater Discharges Under RCRAUpdatesThe Ninth Circuit recently ruled that the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act’s (RCRA) anti-duplication provisions under 42 USC § 6905 do not apply in the absence of a stormwater discharge permit issued under the Clean Water Act.
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06.29.2017Agencies Release Proposed Rule to Rescind Obama-Era Clean Water RuleUpdatesThe Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a proposed rule on June 27, 2017, that will rescind the Obama administration’s 2015 Clean Water Rule and recodify the pre-2015 regulations that it replaced.
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05.30.2017Treaty Obligations to Protect Fish Habitat From Degradation UpheldUpdatesIn July 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the state of Washington violated tribal treaty obligations by building and maintaining barrier culverts that block 1,000 linear miles of streams suitable for salmon habitat.
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04.27.2017Court Rules Forest Products Industry Group Has Standing to Challenge Critical Habitat DesignationUpdatesA forest products trade association has standing to challenge the critical habitat designation for the northern spotted owl, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held in Carpenters Industrial Council v. Zinke, No. 15-5304 (April 11, 2017).
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03.02.2017Executive Order Signals Federal Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Will Be NarrowedUpdatesIn the latest chapter of the seemingly never-ending controversy over the Clean Water Act’s reach, on February 28, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to rescind or revise the Obama administration’s 2015 Clean Water Rule.
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12.01.2016OSHA’s New Anti-Retaliation Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting Rule: How Employers Can PrepareUpdatesOn November 28, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas denied a preliminary injunction that sought to block the nationwide implementation of the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s anti-retaliation rule, “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses.”
This Update was republished in Law360 on 12.05.2016, "How Employers Can Prep For New OSHA Injury Reporting Rule." -
11.29.2016U.S. Lumber Producers Target Softwood Lumber Imports from Canada; Bilateral Negotiations ReinvigoratedUpdatesFollowing a recent breakdown of bilateral negotiations, a group of U.S. companies calling itself COALITION (Committee Overseeing Action for Lumber International Trade or Negotiations) filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the ITC.
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08.09.2016EPA Declines to Regulate Forest Road Discharges Under the Clean Water ActUpdatesThe Environmental Protection Agency issued a decision on July 5, 2016, that declined to regulate discharges from forest roads for regulation under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.
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05.31.2016If At First You Do Not Succeed: Fish and Wildlife Service Tries Again With 30-Year Eagle Act PermitUpdatesOn May 6, 2016, the Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposed rule that would substantially change how the Service administers its conservation and management program under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
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03.23.2016U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Updates Native American Tribe PolicyUpdatesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced an updated Native American policy on January 27, 2016, which provides a framework for government-to-government relationships to further the federal government’s trust responsibility to federally recognized tribes to protect, conserve and use tribal resources.
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03.17.2016FWS Proposes Revisions to Development Mitigation PolicyUpdatesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published draft revisions on March 8, 2016 to its 1981 Mitigation Policy for mitigating the impacts of development projects to natural resources.
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02.17.2016Worker Endangerment Initiative May Increase Criminal Prosecutions of Worker and Health Safety ViolationsUpdates
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a Memorandum to all U.S. Attorneys and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Labor on December 17, 2015 to bolster the federal government’s arsenal to hold employers criminally liable for worker safety and health violations.
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02.16.2016New Critical Habitat Regulations Published Under the Endangered Species ActUpdatesOn February 11, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service jointly published final regulations and a final policy addressing critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.
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11.14.2014Clearing Up the Murky Waters Surrounding Whether (and When) Aboriginal Community and Other Tribal Leaders Can Create FCPA LiabilityArticlesThis article examines the circumstances under which traditional authorities, such as aboriginal “band” (otherwise referred to as “tribal” or “traditional authority”) leaders, may qualify as “foreign officials” under the FCPA.
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05.22.2013Insurance Coverage for Businesses Affected by the Oklahoma TornadoUpdatesMany businesses in Oklahoma have been impacted by the devastating tornado that hit that state on May 20, 2013. Early estimates indicate the tornado caused upwards of $2 billion in damage. Numerous national and local businesses and other entities, ranging from retailers to schools and hospitals, reported significant damage and an interruption in their business operations due to the tornado.
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02.05.2013The Madrid System Is Expanding: Is Your Trademark Portfolio Covered?UpdatesAs more countries join the Madrid Protocol System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid System), trademark owners should be sure to take full advantage of this trademark registration option. There are now 89 members of the Madrid System. Significantly lower application and maintenance costs, as well as streamlined portfolio management options, are just a few of the reasons why the Madrid System is advantageous for trademark owners.
Presentations
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02.04.2021
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09.17.20202019/2020 Forest Resources Year in Review and Midyear UpdateSpeaking EngagementsABA Forest Resources Section / Virtual
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03.15.2018Clean Water Act UpdateSpeaking Engagements
NPDES Permitting; Pesticides
Pacific Northwest Timberlands Management / Portland, OR -
03.15.2018Endangered Species Act Update: Update on Recent Rulings, Listings, Designations, Case LawSpeaking EngagementsPacific Northwest Timberlands Management Conference / Portland, OR
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03.21.2016Water Rights and Drought in Timberlands ManagementSpeaking EngagementsPacific Northwest Timberlands Management / Portland, OR
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02.05.2015What Have They Done For (To) Us Lately? An Overview of 2014 State and Federal Court Decisions With Potential to Impact the Forest Products IndustrySpeaking Engagements14th Annual Foresters Forum / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
