Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 24 FEBRUARY 2010

US Environmental Laws Increasingly Lead to Litigation Concerning the Siting and Construction of New Infrastructure Projects

Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Contributor
Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown is a leading international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major...

View firm profile
Explore more from Mayer Brown

As new infrastructure projects begin to sprout across the United States in response to new government grants, incentives and stimulus plans, those seeking to capitalize on what President Obama calls "the largest new investment into the nations infrastructure since Eisenhower built an interstate highway system in the 1950s" are running into legal roadblocks.

United StatesStrategy
Susan Brice
Susan Brice
Timothy Bishop
Timothy Bishop
Author LinkedIn connections

Originally published February 23, 2010

Keywords: US Environmental laws, siting, construction, new infrastructure projects, government grants, NEPA, DOT, FTA

As new infrastructure projects begin to sprout across the United States in response to new government grants, incentives and stimulus plans, those seeking to capitalize on what President Obama calls "the largest new investment into the nations infrastructure since Eisenhower built an interstate highway system in the 1950s" are running into legal roadblocks. More specifically, they are finding that the complex web of US environmental laws not only makes it difficult to progress swiftly on infrastructure projects, but also enables project opponents to halt, delay or force changes in projects by filing lawsuits alleging noncompliance with environmental laws. Many infrastructure projects, in particular greenfields projects, are often sited in areas containing rare flora and fauna, cultural resources or protected

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

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

The Colorado AI Law You Prepared For Is Gone, And The Rulemaking Comment Window Closes October 26

If your Colorado compliance program is built around impact assessments, it is built for a statute that will never take effect. Senate Bill 24-205, the first comprehensive state AI statute in the country, was scheduled to take effect June 30, 2026. Colorado instead repealed and replaced it with Senate Bill 26-189, signed May 14, 2026, whose principal requirements apply to consequential decisions made on or after January 1, 2027.
United StatesStrategy
Jones Walker LLP
Jones Walker LLP
Article

White House Announces AI Responsibility Accord, Executive Orders, And Super Intelligence Task Force

The Trump Administration has introduced a voluntary regulatory framework for artificial intelligence through the White House Accord on Super Intelligence, signed by six leading tech companies. This new approach emphasizes corporate self-policing with safety audits and board oversight, while simultaneously rebranding government AI terminology and establishing a new interagency coordination force. How will this light-touch regulatory strategy balance innovation with mounting safety concerns as AI capabilities
United StatesStrategy
Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP
Article

The Protect College Sports Act Clears The Senate: What Stakeholders Need To Know

The U.S. Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act by a 77-22 vote, marking the first time Congress has approved comprehensive federal legislation governing college athletics. This sweeping bill establishes a uniform NIL framework, locks in the House v. NCAA revenue-sharing model with caps and retention funds, grants limited antitrust exemptions, and imposes new transfer restrictions, health mandates, and reporting requirements.
United StatesStrategy
Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris LLP
Article

California SB 574 Would Bar Attorneys From Delegating The Practice Of Law To Generative AI

California Senate Bill 574 proposes a groundbreaking statutory framework that would prohibit attorneys from delegating legal practice to generative artificial intelligence, while imposing disclosure requirements and verification standards across litigation, arbitration, and court filings. The legislation raises fundamental questions about how traditional definitions of "the practice of law" apply to AI-augmented legal work, from document review to contract analysis. If signed by Governor Newsom, California
United StatesStrategy
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

Contract Lifecycle Management And Why Legal Teams Need It

Contract lifecycle management has become the most widely adopted legal technology tool in corporate legal departments, addressing fundamental challenges around contract visibility, workflow automation, and risk management. Legal operations expert Jeff Reisner breaks down the CLM landscape, implementation considerations, and why this technology has emerged as the foundational piece most legal teams tackle first when modernizing their operations.
United StatesStrategy
Axiom
Axiom
Article

DOL Announces Enforcement Actions Against Employers In H-1B And PERM Fraud Probe

The Trump Administration has launched an unprecedented enforcement action suspending permanent labor certification processing for eight major employers, linking immigration sponsorship to layoff histories and recruitment practices. This development signals a fundamental shift in how the government evaluates employer access to H-1B and green card programs, with investigations already underway and subpoenas served.
United StatesEmployment and HR
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

Landmark DoorDash Settlement Confirms NYC DCWP’s Aggressive Enforcement Posture

New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection secured a landmark $131.5 million settlement with DoorDash, marking the largest worker settlement in the city's history and the largest involving food delivery workers nationwide. The agreement provides over $115 million in direct compensation to more than 260,000 delivery workers who were underpaid, unpaid, or paid late, while establishing a comprehensive three-year compliance monitoring program.
United StatesEmployment and HR
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

Trump Administration Announces New Enforcement Actions Against Employers In H-1B And PERM Fraud Probes

The Trump Administration has launched an unprecedented investigation into H-1B visa and PERM labor certification programs, with the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General issuing dozens of subpoenas and suspending employers' ability to process applications. Federal agencies are deploying new enforcement tools including whistleblower programs and criminal prosecution threats...
United StatesImmigration
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

EU’s CBAM Downstream Extension And Anti-Circumvention Amendments: The Road To Trilogue

The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is undergoing critical legislative refinement as the Commission, Council, and Parliament have each established distinct positions on extending CBAM to downstream goods and strengthening anti-circumvention measures. With trilogue negotiations now underway and the first political trilogue scheduled for October 2026, significant divergences remain between the institutions on scope, exemptions, and enforcement mechanisms that will shape the final framework
European UnionEnvironment
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown