Blog

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.

How MassDEP’s Proposed Noise Policy Update Could Affect Renewable Energy Developers
Blog March 04, 2026
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is poised to revise its Noise Policy for the first time since the Policy’s adoption in 1990…
2024 Clean Energy Act Promotes Energy Storage Deployment Across Massachusetts
Blog January 15, 2025
Our latest blog post in our Massachusetts Clean Energy act series gives an overview of the primary energy storage procurement-related provisions…
Massachusetts Launches Cumulative Impact Analysis Regulations for Air Quality Permits Near Environmental Justice Populations
Blog April 05, 2024
Massachusetts has become the first state to require analysis of cumulative impacts for certain air quality permits in or near communities with environmental justice populations. On March 29, 2024, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection released highly anticipated amendments to its air pollution regulations as required by the environmental justice provisions of the 2021 Climate Roadmap Act…
MA Environmental Justice Strategy Presents New Policies to Combat Statewide Environmental Injustice
Blog February 22, 2024
On February 15, 2024, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) released Massachusetts’ inaugural Environmental Justice Strategy (“EJ Strategy”), a comprehensive set of initiatives and programs which aims to combat environmental inequities and reverse the effects of environmental injustice in historically marginalized communities across the state…
New Report Details Massachusetts Whole-of-Government Approach to Climate Crisis
Blog October 26, 2023
Yesterday, Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer issued a report detailing how “to implement the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis.” The report identifies trends, barriers, and gaps in Massachusetts climate policy, establishes guiding principles for whole-of-government climate action, and offers recommendations to strengthen the “climate-related practices and policies of executive department agencies.”…
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…
The Massachusetts Climate Bill is Very Much “Not Dead”
Blog March 23, 2021
In January, when Governor Baker vetoed the Legislature's effort to go big on climate, my colleague Zach Gerson made clear that the bill was not even “mostly dead.”  I am pleased to say that Zach's diagnosis was correct.  The climate bill is very much alive. Last week, the Legislature passed a new version of the bill, which adopted most of the Governor's technical suggestions and almost none of his substantive changes…

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.