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Environmental, Energy and Climate Change Law & Regulation Reporter

March 2016

Volume 8, Number 10 March 2016

CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS

California Releases Revised CEQA Updates Regarding Vehicle Miles Traveled Measurements for Evaluating Transportation Impacts271

ExxonMobil under Investigation for Securities Fraud, Concealing Climate Impacts from Investors274

Southern California Well which Leaked Natural Gas Contributing to Release of Major Amounts of Greenhouse Gas Has Been Capped—but Fallout Remains275

UPDATE ON THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Recent Scientific Studies on Climate Change277

PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS

Recent Investigations, Settlements, Penalties, and Sanctions279

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries Issue New Rules for Critical Habitat Designation under the Federal Endangered Species Act281

BLM Issues Proposed Rule on Methane Emissions in Oil and Gas Oper-ations284

2016 is ‘Key Year’ for California’s Groundwork on 2030 Climate Go-

als285

San Francisco Regional Air District and U.C. Berkeley Unveil ‘Consumption-Based’ Emission Inventory of Greenhouse Gases287

RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS

The Clean Power Plan: Up in (Coal-Fired Power Plant) Smoke? U.S. Supreme Court Stays Pl-

an289

West Virginia v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Case No. 15A773 (U.S. Feb. 9, 2016).

Third Circuit Holds that Agency Action Requires Dismissal of Clean Air Act Citizen Suit for Failure to State a Claim291

Group Against Smog and Pollution, Inc. v. Shenango Inc., ___F.3d___, Case No. 15-2041 (3rd Cir. Jan. 6, 2015).

Eighth Circuit Denies Challenge to EPA Clean Air Act Final Rule that Approved Revisions to the Minnesota SIP Addressing Haze293

National Parks Conservation Association v. Gina McCarthy, ___F.3d___, Case Nos. 12-2910, 12-3481 (8th Cir. Jan. 21, 2016).

Fifth Circuit Reverses Remand of Pipeline Contamination Class Action, Holding Defendant Met Class Action Fairness Act’s Jurisdictional Threshold. .295

Robertson v. ExxonMobil, ___F.3d___, Case No. 15-30920 (5th Cir. Dec. 31, 2015).

District Court Finds No Additional ‘Modification’ Requirement for Clean Air Act Violation Resulting from Unpermitted Modifications to Power Pl-

ant296

U.S. v. Ameren Missouri, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 4:11 CV 77 RWS (E.D. Mo. Jan. 21, 2016).