The U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) recently announced that it will distribute up to $10.7 billion in loans and grants for rural electric utilities to implement renewable energy projects. This money could drive renewable energy investment throughout Nebraska. The New Empowering Rural America program (“New ERA”) makes up the majority […]
Publications
U.S. Supreme Court: Home Equity Is Constitutionally Protected Property Right
Tyler v. Hennepin Cnty., Minnesota, 598 U.S. __ (2023) The U.S. Constitution protects private property rights. The Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause forbids states and the federal government from taking private property for public use without just compensation. Homeowner Geraldine Tyler owed $15,000 in unpaid real estate taxes on her residence. […]
BIDEN VETOES SOLAR-IMPORT TARIFFS BILL
Congress failed to override President Biden’s veto of legislation that would have resumed tariffs on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia. In only the third veto of his presidency, President Joe Biden recently blocked legislation that would have resumed import tariffs for solar panels produced in Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and […]
CMS Releases Final Rule Ending COVID-19 Vaccinations and More
On May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) expired after nearly three and a half years. As anticipated, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule to effectuate necessary changes to a series of regulatory requirements introduced in response to the PHE. The most […]
U.S. SUPREME COURT LIMITS FEDERAL AUTHORITY OVER WETLANDS
In Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Court held that wetlands may only qualify as “waters of the United States” if they have a continuous surface connection to a traditionally navigable water body. The Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., is the primary federal statute regulating water […]