New York Climate Superfund Law Struck Down As Federally Preempted

Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to immediately halt all environmental permits for data center projects, expanding a statewide regulatory freeze that now encompasses power, water, and environmental approvals. This directive establishes strict operational mandates requiring data centers to fully fund infrastructure costs, report all resource consumption...

Governor Abbott has ordered Texas environmental regulators to halt all data center permit issuance until grid operators complete a comprehensive audit in mid-December 2026. The sweeping directive affects not only grid-connected facilities but also fully islanded data centers relying on behind-the-meter generation, creating uncertainty for developers and their contractual obligations.

California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) establishes a November 10, 2026 deadline for Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions reporting, affecting U.S.-formed entities with over $1 billion in revenue that meet California's "doing business" test—regardless of physical presence in the state. The law carries penalties up to $500,000 per reporting year for non-compliance, with mandatory program fees and future Scope 3 reporting requirements on the horizon.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to halt all data center permits until comprehensive audits assess the projects' impacts on electric infrastructure, residential ratepayers, and water resources. The directive requires data centers to fully fund necessary electric infrastructure and comply with enhanced reporting requirements, while the governor signals potential legislative action to codify new protections and phase out certain tax incentives.

On September 21, 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to halt issuance of permits to data centers until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) completes an audit of impacts on the Texas electric grid and water resources.

California has enacted seven unprecedented bills targeting data center development, imposing sweeping new requirements for energy reporting, water consumption assessments, labor standards, and electricity rate structures. These laws fundamentally reshape the regulatory landscape for data centers, requiring detailed disclosures at multiple project stages while prohibiting categorical CEQA exemptions and establishing new interconnection rules that shift infrastructure costs directly to developers.

This quarterly newsletter examines critical developments in chemical regulatory law, covering litigation outcomes that reshape EPA's authority under TSCA, landmark Supreme Court decisions on pesticide labeling preemption, and emerging state and international frameworks governing PFAS and other chemicals of concern. The edition analyzes how recent Fifth Circuit rulings on methylene chloride regulations may fundamentally alter EPA's approach to risk evaluations and management rules across its entire existing

California voters will decide on Proposition 45 this November, a sweeping initiative that would fundamentally reshape environmental review for housing, infrastructure, and other essential projects across the state. The Building an Affordable California Act promises faster approvals and limited judicial challenges, but faces organized opposition from labor unions and environmental groups. Will this measure succeed in streamlining development, or does it go too far in curtailing environmental protections?

On September 30, Edgewell Personal Care Brands LLC was hit with a lawsuit in California superior court concerning its Carefree brand of menstrual liners.

Beginning October 10, 2026, the European Union will restrict certain concentrations of PFHxA and related substances in clothing and footwear, marking a significant expansion of PFAS regulations affecting the apparel and textile industry. Companies face a complex patchwork of requirements as France, Denmark, and multiple U.S. states implement their own PFAS restrictions with varying scopes, thresholds, and compliance approaches. Navigating these divergent regulations requires careful supply chain evaluation

This monthly newsletter examines critical developments in product liability and mass tort litigation, including FDA guidance on PFAS in medical devices, state-level AI regulation in legal practice...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed significant amendments to modernize interval fund operations and extend multiple share class eligibility to non-traded closed-end funds and business development companies. These changes would eliminate longstanding regulatory barriers by allowing interval funds to defer initial repurchase offers for up to two years, introducing monthly repurchase options, and replacing rigid liquidity requirements with principles-based approaches, while also removing

The SEC has proposed rescinding Rule 14a-8, which would eliminate federal oversight of shareholder proposals and shift governance entirely to state corporate law. Companies face a period of regulatory uncertainty as states develop their own frameworks, requiring immediate review of advance notice bylaws and close monitoring of legislative developments in their state of incorporation.

The global CLO equity fund market is experiencing a cautious reopening after a period of tight arbitrage and challenging economics. With U.S. CLO issuance approaching $230 billion in the first half of 2026 and major platforms successfully raising billion-dollar funds, captive and third-party CLO equity fund structures are evolving rapidly as managers deploy sophisticated structuring technologies to provide stable execution capacity and attract institutional capital seeking diversified credit exposure with s

On 29 July 2025, the Supreme Court handed down judgment in the combined appeals in Shvidler v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (‘Shvidler') and Dalston Projects Ltd and others v Secretary of State for Transport (‘Dalston Projects').

CME has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the CFTC's approval of Kalshi's bitcoin perpetual contract, raising fundamental questions about whether perpetual contracts should be regulated as futures or swaps. The case centers on allegations that the CFTC violated the Administrative Procedure Act by reversing established policy without adequate explanation, potentially reshaping the regulatory landscape for digital asset derivatives. The outcome will have significant implications for market participants, as

The CFTC has released its 2026 regulatory priorities agenda under new Chairman Michael Selig, outlining significant proposed changes to commodity pool operator exemptions, large trader reporting requirements, and foreign exchange product classifications. Asset managers participating in commodities and derivatives markets will need to understand how these regulatory modifications may affect their registration obligations, reporting burdens, and treatment of various financial instruments.

Private equity investment in concierge medicine, aesthetic dermatology and medispas has surged due to cash-pay economics, recurring revenue models and fragmented markets ripe for consolidation. However, navigating state-by-state corporate practice of medicine prohibitions, licensure requirements and evolving GLP-1 regulations requires sophisticated legal structuring to protect valuations and enable successful exits.

Preferred equity is transforming structured finance by enabling sponsors to attract third-party capital below rated debt without diluting residual positions or triggering additional rating requirements. This analysis examines how CFOs, CLOs, NAV facilities, and other securitization vehicles are deploying bespoke preferred structures to widen investor pools while preserving manager incentives. What contractual mechanics, legal considerations, and market dynamics are driving this shift from niche accommodatio

Germany's advance lump-sum taxation regime imposes annual deemed investment income on German tax-resident investors in qualifying investment funds, regardless of distributions.