Everyone benefits from the hard work of others to clean up our air and water, restrict toxic chemicals, save wilderness, and protect the climate. It's a gift that we should all try to pass on to others. legal-planet.org/2025/12/23/e...

In support of its extraordinary rollback campaign, the Trump Administration relies again and again on the same six arguments. Each one relies on understating regulatory benefits and overstating costs. legal-planet.org/2025/12/22/g...

I stumbled on Trump's presidential message about the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which ends with the "Hail Mary" prayer. More Christian nationalism. www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-st...

Who's afraid of NEPA? Guest contributors Dinah Bear and Niel Lawrence argue that the National Environmental Policy Act process provides unique and wide-reaching benefits. legal-planet.org/2025/12/17/w...

In this post, two NEPA experts point out what the law's opponent have been missing: The law can actually lead to improved decisions. legal-planet.org/2025/12/17/w...

Trump's assaults on state AI and climate policies involve different domains, but with a shared goal of consolidating power in his hands. legal-planet.org/2025/12/16/f...

The OMB’s push for “rollback exceptionalism” isn’t about freedom; it’s about fast-tracking the removal of protections that people rely on. Read more in the new @theregreview.bsky.social commentary by Member Scholar @dfarber1950.bsky.social www.theregreview.org/2025/12/08/f...

A district court overturns the moratorium on offshore wind, deciding two key legal issues along the way. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/15/t...

A recent decision overturned Trump's ban on offshore wind. It rejected Trump's claim that the normal rules of judicial rule don't apply when an agency acts pursuant to a presidential directive. That's going to be a key legal issue in the next few years. legal-planet.org/2025/12/15/t...

I kind of like the idea of making it into a homeless shelter instead.

There couldn’t be a more important time for the work we do, writes @dfarber1950.bsky.social. Twice a year we let you know how to support Legal Planet and the two law centers that publish it: @cleeberkeley.bsky.social and @uclalawemmett.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/11/y...

Besides a donation to the law centers and legal clinics behind Legal Planet, you can support us with a follow and by subscribing to our free daily email newsletter. legal-planet.org/subscriptions/

Berkeley' Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law and UCLA's Emmett Center are committed to making progress even in the present dark times. Give a holiday present to the planet with a contribution. legal-planet.org/2025/12/11/y...

CLEE and the UCLA Emmett Institute released new report today on how California (and other states) can "Drive Demand" for clean trucks. There's also a Jan. 13 webinar with Energy Commissioner Nancy Skinner keynote. @ethanelkind.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/09/h...

If you want to understand the full sweep of Trump's use of presidential power and the resulting legal issues, this chat between me and my colleague Sharon jacob would be a good place to start. We couldn't cover everythin in a single hour but we did our best! youtu.be/khS5D1J9w14

The Trump Administration argues that rollbacks get special legal treatment that allows them to shortcut normal procedures. That's plainly incorrect. www.theregreview.org/2025/12/08/f...

UN climate negotiations have been treading water. That won't change until China or the U (or both) decide to push hard for progress. Progress will have to take place through other channels like bilateral agreements, regional cooperation, or subnational coalitions. legal-planet.org/2025/12/08/t...

"Journalist"??

Vanity Fair to part ways with journalist Olivia Nuzzi

The CAFE rollback proposal even rolls back standards that the first Trump Administration set. legal-planet.org/2025/12/05/t...

The regulatory process is supposed to foster open dialogue and deliberation on scientific issues. But that's being going badly awry. Tomorrow's webinar on Science and Democracy probes the issues and looks for answers. legal-planet.org/2025/12/04/s...

If you're worried about the state of democracy, this would be a good day for a contribution to the Edley Center for Law & Democracy. Your support will help the center focus on threats to institutions — the electoral system, the bureaucracy, Congress, and the courts. give.berkeley.edu/fund/FN6469000

The hectic pace of the first few months seems to have turned into a slow walk, if not a crawl. Is Trump running out of ideas? @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/01/i...

Trump began with a flood of executive orders, which have slowed down to a trickle. SAD! legal-planet.org/2025/12/01/i...

Definitely not a great year for the environment, but there are still things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Here are ten of them. legal-planet.org/2025/11/26/t...

An advisory committee suggests upgrading FEMA, but Noem still hopes to gut it. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/11/20/y...

Even for the Trump Administration, this seems really weird. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/11/24/t...

Episode 100 in "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight," in which Trump grants a pollution waiver after his own EPA had found a waiver to be pointless. Someone apparently forgot to tell the Big Guy. legal-planet.org/2025/11/24/t...

Kristi Noem seems poised to recommend gutting FEMA, despite the views of a special commission. She's wrong. Here's why the federal government needs to play an active role in disaster management. legal-planet.org/2025/11/20/y...

Many of Trump's actions are vulnerable to attacks based on conservative legal theories. Many liberals feel queasy about using legal doctrines they disagree with. They shouldn't. legal-planet.org/2025/11/17/t...

A new Trump Administration rule restricts which organizations qualify as engaging in public service. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/11/10/a...

When it comes to California's authority to limit vehicle emissions, the issues are complex, but the state has some strong legal arguments on its side. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/11/13/s...

The Supreme Court will be considering legal arguments about the validity of Trump's tariffs. However the Court ultimately rules, therre will be ways for environmentalists to exploit the ruling, now or later. Here's how. legal-planet.org/2025/11/04/p...

We're one year from the federal off-year elections.So much is at stake. Here's what things look like as of today. A lot could change, but the bottom line is that Dems have their work cut out for them. Tomorrow's state races will provide an additional clue. legal-planet.org/2025/11/03/t...

Here are the Ghosts of Climate Past, Present, and Future, reminding us of what we've lost, where we are, and what we risk, And more Halloween costumes for the climate-aware: Cruella de Coal, the Endangered Mermaid, and Buzz Windmill. . legal-planet.org/2025/10/30/h...

The new McCarthyism: Trump has laid the groundwork for accusations and charges against progressive organizations that are purportedly involved in a conspiracy to support antifa. lnkd.in/g4ZXFStQ

The Edley Center sponsored this important event on AI, racial justice, and democracy. Is AI part of the problem or part of the cure? Or both? www.law.berkeley.edu/research/edl...

Trump is aiming to do the same thing to federal environmental law that he's done to the East Wing of the White House. He's going to have a much tougher time attacking environmentally friendly states like California. legal-planet.org/2025/10/23/t...

Whoops, someone forgot to put it on the White House calendar. October 17-31 has now been proclaimed to be “National Energy Dominance Month.” Classic. @dfarber1950.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/10/20/g...

Another bit of good news -- clean energy stocks are significantly outperforming the S&P500, and outperforming oil stocks by even more

It begins to be clear that, among other things, Kavanaugh is not a careful lawyer.

MIT's staunch rejection of the Compact helped set the tone for other schools. It makes you realize what was lost in the law firm setting when Paul Weiss conspicuously caved to Trump.

USC joins the list of schools rejecting Trump's compact. So far, no one has said "yes."

The 7th Circuit has written a clear, crisp opinion explaining why Trump's use of troops in Chicago is probably illegal. One thing that the opinion makes clear is that DOJ has lost a lot of credibility in terms of factual assertions. media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/Opin...

MIT, Brown, and now Penn have rejected Trump's nefarious - and unconstitutional - "Compact". www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...

The work of these universities' environmental law centers shows that it's still possible to make a difference, even in dark times. legal-planet.org/2025/10/16/l...

JD Vance: Overt racism and anti-Semitism is just boys being boys. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Another university rejects Trump's "Compact," which a compact only in the sense that a blackmail payment is contractual. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Why does Trump flaunt his willingness to act at the fringes of legality? Could that work to his advantage? The answer is yes, but the downside is that this strategy makes him more vulnerable in court. ssrn.com/abstract=540...

Last Friday's layoff notices to a thousand people at CDC were just the latest outgrowth of Trump;s inexplicable campaign against medical science and public health led by RFK Jr. legal-planet.org/2025/10/13/t...