Climate Change
RW&G's Climate Change Practice Group brings an interdisciplinary
approach to the multi-faceted issues related to climate change confronting
cities, counties, and private parties. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's
decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, 127 S. Ct.
1438, in April 2007, and the decision of the California Attorney General
to prosecute a CEQA suit against the County of San Bernardino, many cities,
joint power authorities and other public and private entities have been
left to confront the global warming issue as a brand new topic. The RWG
Climate Change Group brings together specialists from several departments
and practice groups, including Public Law, Real Estate, Environmental,
and Natural Resource Law, to afford the best possible coordinated approach
to specific issues in this rapidly changing field.
Environmental Review and Climate Change
Requirements:
Senate Bill 97 and the San Bernardino lawsuit filed by Attorney General
Brown highlight the necessity of considering the effect of climate change
in environmental documents. RWG combines its existing in-depth CEQA and
NEPA review practitioners with real estate and environmental specialists
to advise clients on these new requirements for discussion of global warming
issues in EIRs and negative declarations. RWG's attorneys can assist developers
in approaching the new CEQA global warming standards and how best to frame
responses to those standards.
Municipalities and Climate Change:
Cities and counties across California are beginning to consider climate
change as they update general plans and zoning ordinances. RWG's Public
Law experts work with cities and other local agencies and districts to
respond to demands for new green building ordinances, purchasing policies,
and transportation fleet requirements to respond to global warming issues.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards:
Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, imposes new obligations
on local governments to control greenhouse gas emissions. RWG's environmental
groups and Public Law and Real Estate Departments assist clients in approaching
the hard questions of calculating greenhouse gas emissions in connection
with particular projects and comparing those emissions against State or
regional benchmarks. RWG continues to monitor the latest projections of
required greenhouse gas reductions pursuant to A.B. 32 and the new initiatives
announced by the California Air Resources Board.
Related Practice Areas:
At RW&G we draw upon legal experience in multiple practice areas to build
the best team for each of our clients. To learn more about related practice
areas, please select from the links below:
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