How to Blow Up a Solar Farm: Local Opposition to Renewable Energy Projects
Local opposition to siting of wind and solar energy projects stands to threaten the renewable energy transition in New York State. The state government has sought to quell this opposition by statutorily requiring developers to provide community benefits as a condition of their permits. One way these benefits are secured is through host community agreements (HCAs), with the developer typically agreeing to make payments to the municipality from project revenue in exchange for the municipality promising not to oppose the project during the state permitting process.
Save the Colorado v. Semonite
A district court held that the Army Corps of Engineers violated the CWA and NEPA by issuing a dredge-and-fill permit to a municipal water utility to allow a dam expansion project in Denver. Environmental groups argued the Corps violated the CWA by excluding alternatives as impracticable based on an ...