Luke Hagedorn is an energy attorney with Polsinelli in Kansas City, MO. Luke is passionate about helping clients provide safe, reliable and clean energy. Through his dedication [...]
Preparing for Electric Vehicles: How Missouri Communities Can Get Ready
It’s been a busy few months here at RELI, with major projects taking up a substantial amount of my time. Hopefully, I’ll be able to provide some details on that work in the next few days, but for the time being I wanted to pass along an article that I wrote for the March edition … Continue reading
New Renewable Energy Legislation in Colorado
The legislature of the State of Colorado has been very active on renewable energy issues over the last few weeks. Three bills have been making steady progress through the House and Senate in Denver, each of which could have a noticeable effect on the renewable industries in the state. I. Coal-Mine Methane as a Renewable … Continue reading
President Obama’s Energy Plan: A Closer Look
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama presented his annual State of the Union address. One of the most interesting topics discussed, at least to my biased ears, was the importance of pursuing an “all-of-the-above” strategy for developing every potential energy resource at the country’s disposal. While I’m always thrilled when renewable energy policy gets a prominent … Continue reading
Biomass Projects Given a Boost from Federal Permitting Rules
I’m proud to announce that Dave Strieker, a partner in Polsinelli Shughart’s Energy Group, and I recently published a paper for the annual meeting of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. The paper, entitled “Greenhouse Gas Permitting Advantages for Biomass Projects,” explores the EPA’s “Tailoring Rule,” which places significant regulatory burdens on certain emission sources of greenhouse … Continue reading
Kansas Wind Update – Kansas Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Zimmerman v. Wabaunsee County
The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday issued a much anticipated ruling on a case involving a number of key issued for wind developers. The case, Zimmerman v. Board of County Commissioners of Wabaunsee County, revolves around a dispute between the Board of County Commissioners of Wabaunsee County, Kansas and a group of landowners in Wabaunsee … Continue reading
Renewable State Updates: Missouri
With the state and federal legislatures out of session, it has been a relatively slow couple of weeks in the world of renewable energy law. Fortunately for you, what may seem like a lack of significant new developments is actually an excellent opportunity for me to highlight a few of the significant stories that I wasn’t able to cover … Continue reading
Colorado Solar Permit Fees Likely to Decrease
As this blog has noted numerous times, it isn’t always easy to get a solar or wind project constructed. In fact, as we’ve discussed before, often one of the most expensive impediments to a project’s development is the local and state permitting process. The Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) puts a number on this expense, … Continue reading
Illinois Counties Choose Dramatically Different Responses to Wind Projects
Illinois has seen a flurry of activity at the county level regarding how to best balance the economic and environmental benefits of wind energy development in the state with the concerns of local landowners. In addressing this issue, Bureau County and Iroquois County have recently decided upon dramatically different approaches, and the resulting economic impacts … Continue reading
Digital-Age Call to Action: Brainstorming the NIMBY issue
Let me start with this up-front. I can’t shake the feeling that the term “NIMBY” comes off as somehow derogatory. That is not what I intend to convey when I use the term. For the uninitiated, NIMBY is short for “not in my backyard” and describes local activists who campaign against renewable projects in their communities. One … Continue reading
Alarming Number of Renewable Energy Projects Stalled Due to Permitting Challenges
Have you ever wondered just how many renewable energy projects across the United States have been stalled due to permitting challenges and local landowner opposition? Well, I’ve recently stumbled upon the wonderful “Project No Project” initiative put together by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which attempts to answer that very question. Per the site: “Project … Continue reading