Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 05 AUGUST 2026

Washington Update: Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure — August 2026

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Contributor
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Mintz is a litigation powerhouse and business accelerator serving leaders in life sciences, private...

View firm profile
Explore more from Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Washington's August recess brought major federal policy shifts across energy, trade, and national security. The Department of Energy announced substantial investments in domestic oil and gas production while selecting 278 projects for its AI-focused Genesis Mission. Meanwhile, new Section 301 tariffs target forced-labor imports, and Congress intensifies efforts to protect ratepayers from surging data center electricity costs.

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
John Lushetsky
John Lushetsky
R. Neal Martin
R. Neal Martin
Myria S. Garcia
Myria S. Garcia
Author LinkedIn connections

As Washington prepared for Congress’s August recess, July brought consequential developments across federal energy, trade, infrastructure, and national security policy. The Department of Energy announced major new investments in domestic oil and natural gas production and selected the first 278 projects under the AI-focused Genesis Mission. The US Trade Representative imposed new Section 301 tariffs aimed at encouraging stronger international enforcement against forced-labor imports, while Congress and FERC intensified their focus on protecting ratepayers from the costs associated with rapidly expanding data center demand. The House also advanced the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, including provisions affecting advanced nuclear energy and critical minerals supply chains.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

See more popular content from

Article

SBA Extends Deadline For Comments On Historic Overhaul Of Size Standards

The Small Business Administration has extended the comment period for two proposed rules that could dramatically reshape federal government contracting by significantly expanding the pool of entities eligible for small business set-aside procurements. With some size standard thresholds proposed to increase as much as tenfold, these changes would fundamentally alter the makeup of the small business contractor base.
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP
Article

Tennessee 2026 Midterm Election Results: Blackburn Wins Governor’s Race Amid Congressional And Legislative Upsets

Tennessee's 2026 midterm elections brought unexpected shifts to the state's political landscape, with Marsha Blackburn winning the governorship by the narrowest margin in over a century and Democrats flipping six House seats despite Republican supermajority retention. The results set the stage for significant leadership changes and new policy priorities when the 115th General Assembly convenes in January 2027.
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Article

D.C. Circuit Rules Pentagon Can Exclude Anthropic From Supply Chain

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has ruled that the Department of War can exclude Anthropic from its supply chain under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act, finding that the AI company's ability to manipulate its Claude model creates a supply chain risk. This decision contrasts with an earlier California district court ruling that blocked a similar designation under a different statute, creating a complex legal landscape for AI providers and government contractors.
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Article

State AG News: Consumer Fraud And Deceptive Practices (October 1-7, 2026)

State attorneys general across the nation are taking decisive legal action on multiple fronts, from challenging federal fuel economy rollbacks to pursuing pharmaceutical companies over misleading drug claims. This week's enforcement activities reveal coordinated multistate efforts alongside individual state actions targeting consumer protection, national security concerns, and social media platform accountability.
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP
Article

BIOSECURE Act Update: Court Enjoins WuXi AppTec’s 1260H Designation, but Strategic and Compliance Clocks Keep Running

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has preliminarily enjoined the Department of War from enforcing WuXi AppTec's Section 1260H designation, finding the agency misread its evidence on state and military affiliation. However, this ruling does not close alternative pathways to biotechnology company of concern (BCC) designation under the BIOSECURE Act, and earlier supply-chain restrictions continue to drive near-term compliance decisions with a critical June 30, 2027 deadline for sub-tier supp
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig
Article

FMCSA MOTUS Implementation – Common Motor Carrier Concerns

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched MOTUS in May 2026, replacing legacy registration platforms and fundamentally changing how motor carriers, freight brokers, and surface freight forwarders handle operating authority applications and license maintenance. While designed to combat fraud and streamline registration activities, the transition has created significant user experience challenges that threaten operating authority status and customer relationships for transportation service prov
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Article

USCIS Final Rule Ends 540-Day Automatic EAD Extension For Key Categories

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule on October 14, 2026 that permanently ends the automatic extension of up to 540 days for many Employment Authorization Document (EAD) renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025. Affected workers, including adjustment of status applicants and H-4 spouses, may need to stop working if their current EAD expires before USCIS approves the renewal.
United StatesImmigration
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Article

Massachusetts’ 2026 Ballot Questions: What Clients Need To Know

Massachusetts voters will decide nine statewide ballot questions in November 2026 that could fundamentally reshape the state's legal, regulatory, and fiscal landscape. These measures address government transparency, election reforms, housing development, marijuana regulation, firearms laws, and state revenue limits, with implications extending far beyond Election Day to implementation, regulation, and ongoing policy debates.
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Article

Pharmaceutical Policy In Motion Continued: The Trump Administration’s Second Wave Of Drug Pricing Deals

The Trump administration's most-favored-nation pricing initiative has expanded to include nine additional mid-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers, bringing the total coverage to 89% of the brand drug market. These new agreements focus on Medicaid pricing discounts aligned with international rates, while manufacturers commit billions to U.S. manufacturing and research in exchange for exemptions from future pricing mandates and potential tariffs.
United StatesFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Article

California’s AI-in-the-Workplace Legislative Blitz: California Legislature Passes Four New Bills That May Affect Employers

The California Legislature’s 2025–2026 session ended with workplace-related artificial intelligence or automated technology in its crosshairs. If Governor Newsom signs this suite of bills, California employers may face a number of new obligations relating to AI-driven surveillance tools, automated decision systems, and other emerging workplace technologies.
United StatesTechnology
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Article

Washington Update: Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure — November 2026

October 2026 brought pivotal shifts in federal energy policy as stakeholders mobilized around the Senate's Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act while the Trump administration's actions on renewable projects tested bipartisan consensus. The Department of Energy designated helium as a critical material amid supply disruptions and committed over $14 billion in nuclear financing, while House Democrats escalated investigations into politically-motivated grant terminations that could reshape oversight a
United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.