December 9, 2025 Update: Following the D.C. Circuit’s September ruling, parties opted not to seek panel rehearing or en banc review. The deadline to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for certiorari expired on December 8, 2025, without any petitions for
Renewable + Law
The Climate Policy, Renewable Energy, & Sustainability Blog
The Renewable + Law blog, published by Stoel Rives LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory issues in the renewable energy sector. It covers topics such as solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project development, interconnection processes, regional energy market reforms, land use and permitting challenges, and federal and state regulatory decisions impacting renewable energy projects. The blog also addresses legislative updates, court rulings on energy capacity definitions, and local ordinances affecting renewable infrastructure. It serves as a resource for understanding the intersection of energy law, policy, and project implementation within the evolving renewable energy landscape.
Latest from Renewable + Law - Page 2
Klickitat County, Washington Proposes New Ordinance Severely Restricting Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Development
Klickitat County, Washington has proposed a new land use ordinance that, if passed, would impose sweeping restrictions on nearly all solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) development in the county. The ordinance, currently under review by the Planning Commission…
New Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission Rules Create New Local Permitting Pathways for Mid-Sized Solar Development in Eastern Oregon
By Ariel Stavitsky, Emily Schimelpfenig, and Sudha Basu[1]
For nearly a decade, tension has grown in Oregon between the desire for agricultural and wildlife conservation and the desire for renewable energy development. In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed House…
CPUC Opens Rulemaking to Modernize Rule 21 Interconnection Procedures
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission) has launched a new rulemaking to update Electric Tariff Rule 21 (Rule 21). This proceeding was initiated through an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) adopted at the August 14, 2025 CPUC voting meeting,…
The California Supreme Court Addresses Standard of Review Applicable to California Public Utility Commission Decisions
By Elisa Rivas & Seth Hilton
Background
On August 7, 2025, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Center for Biological Diversity, Inc. v. Public Utilities Commission (Cal., Aug. 7, 2025, No. S283614), 2025 WL 2253765 (Center for Biological Diversity). The case centers around the Net Energy…
U.S. Department of Interior Directs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Audit Eagle Permitting Program, Signals Potential for Increased Enforcement for Wind Energy Projects
On August 4, 2025, U.S. Department of Interior Deputy Chief of Staff-Policy Gregory Wischer issued a memorandum directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take multiple actions related to the Service’s eagle permitting program under the Bald and Golden…
New Department of Interior Review May Heighten Scrutiny and Lengthen Permitting Timelines for Some Wind and Solar Projects
On July 15, 2025, the Department of Interior (DOI) issued a memorandum titled, “Departmental Review Procedures for Decisions, Actions, Consultations, and other Undertakings Related to Wind and Solar Energy Facilities” (the Memo). The Memo directs federal agencies within…
Oregon EFSC Proposes Rule Changes to Energy Facility Site Certificate Amendment Process
This post was co-authored by Stoel Rives summer associate Jayden M. Dirk.
Last month, the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) proposed changes to its rules on site certificate amendments in OAR 345 Division 27. These rules govern the process by…
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service Propose to Rescind the Regulatory Definition of “Harm” Under Endangered Species Act
On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) (collectively the “Services”) published a notice in the Federal Register of a proposed rulemaking that would rescind the regulatory definition of “harm”…
PJM Files Reliability Resource Initiative at FERC Requesting Expansion of Transition Cycle #2 for Reliability Resources
Overview
On December 13, 2024, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”), filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) a modification to Part VII of its Open Access Transmission Tariff (“Tariff”), adding provisions to enable a one-time reliability-based expansion of the eligibility…