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Energy & Climate Counsel

Your one-stop resource for timely analysis of legal and policy developments affecting the energy and climate sectors. We focus on the issues that matter most to you, from federal and state policy and judicial decisions to business trends and financing news.

New Laws Powering Maine’s Clean-Energy Future
Blog July 29, 2025
The most recent Maine legislative session produced a slate of new major energy-related legal updates…
Trump Executive Order Targets State Climate Laws—and RGGI?
Blog April 15, 2025
On April 8, the White House issued an Executive Order aimed at “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach.”…
Amendments to Massachusetts' Clean Energy Standard Finalized, Accelerating Progress Towards Decarbonization of the State's Electricity Sector
Blog November 02, 2022
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced that proposed amendments to the state's Clean Energy Standard (CES) were finalized earlier this month without substantive changes from draft language initially proposed by the agencies in April 2022. The amendments are intended to accelerate progress towards decarbonization of the electricity sector and further ensure the state meets its goal of net…
Major Climate Bill Recommits Massachusetts to Climate Goals
Blog January 05, 2021
On January 4th, as the legislative session came to a close, both houses of the Massachusetts legislature passed An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy.  My colleague, Seth Jaffe, posted on the act yesterday, when the details of the bill first came out, focusing on the climate and economic impacts.  There is no doubt that this act will significantly shape Massachusettss path towards a net-zero future…
Massachusetts Implements a Clean Peak Standard
Blog August 14, 2020
On July 23, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) filed final regulations implementing a “Clean Peak Energy Standard,” which formally went into effect on August 7, 2020.  The final regulations are the latest step towards making reality out of an idea enacted through the 2018 Act to Advance Clean Energy and make Massachusetts the first state to adopt such a program…
Massachusetts Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change Releases Far-Reaching Draft Legislation
Blog February 13, 2018
Yesterday, February 12, 2018, the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change released a Proposed Draft of legislation staking out an ambitious and far-reaching set of policies across a wide range of sectors. There is a lot in the proposal and we are still reviewing the details, including the differences among mandates, targets, goals and discretionary authority. For now…
SMART Moves to a New Forum: Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to Consider a SMART Tariff
Blog October 10, 2017
Stakeholders have been following the development of “SMART” as a successor to the SREC program in Massachusetts for more than a year.  (See our previous posts on the development process here, here, and here.)  As it stands, SMART reflects a determined effort by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to craft a program that balances multiple interests and sets a sustainable path for solar development in Massachusetts…
DOER's Solar Incentive Straw Proposal: Optimism, Anxiety, Uncertainty.
Blog September 28, 2016
On September 23, DOER presented a straw proposal for the next phase of Massachusetts solar incentives. DOER's ambitious proposal for a tariff-based program reflects a thoughtful development process and a laudable goal of crafting a program that is more efficient at promoting sustained solar deployment. There is plenty to like. But, DOER has bitten off quite a mouthful by proposing a structure that departs so dramatically from the SREC approach…

ABOUT

Foley Hoag’s Energy & Climate Counsel blog aims to be your one-stop resource for timely analysis of legal and policy developments affecting the energy and climate sectors. We focus on the issues that matter most to our readers, from federal and state policy and judicial decisions to business trends and financing news.

Our authors, comprised of attorneys from the firm’s Energy & Climate practice, have been active in the energy and climate space for decades, counseling clients across the spectrum – from new, innovative technology companies to large utility-scale power projects. Recognizing early on the common concerns of the renewable and traditional energy fields, we established one of the first integrated practices to serve all segments of the energy and clean technology sectors. We believe this tight integration provides us with the insight to analyze the pressing issues, trends and opportunities that those in this industry have come to expect.