California’s last nuclear power plant will remain open—for now
There's only one nuclear power plant left in California: the Diablo Canyon plant, which sits near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County and provides almost 10% of California's energy. The California Coastal Commission will allow the plant to remain open for five more years—but only because the plant's owner, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), ...
From Steinway to sawdust : The fight to save Alaska’s last mill
For decades, specialized wood from Alaska's Tongass National Forest has shaped the sound of Steinway pianos and Martin guitars and strengthened everything from NASA wind tunnels to helicopter blades. Much of that wood comes from one family-owned mill: Viking Lumber on Prince of Wales Island. Now, a broken promise from Washington bureaucrats threate ...
The Washington Post : Even Trump’s EPA can’t get it quite right on this silly wetlands law
When the Supreme Court ruled in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency in 2023, which I argued on behalf of Michael and Chantell Sackett, it finally brought clarity and common sense to a part of environmental law that had long baffled courts, agencies and landowners. The Clean Water Act, the court held, regulates "waters of the United States," ...
The Washington Post : A century-old law could cost these fishermen their livelihoods
For more than four decades, Bob Conrad has made his living fishing the waters of the North Atlantic. He's a Vermonter who knows the rhythms of the ocean as well as most people know their morning commute: the best tides for squid, the subtle signs that butterfish are nearby. Frank Green, a New Yorker with nearly 50 years experience at sea, studies s ...
New York fracking spends a decade in regulatory limbo
In December 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation further expanding the State's fracking ban to prohibit carbon dioxide extraction methods. This is just the latest in a series of regulatory "whack-a-mole" moves designed to prevent resource extraction altogether and keep clean natural gas "in the ground," as opponents openly admit. ...
A Phony Fish Story Reveals the Need for Endangered Species Act Reform to Unleash American Energy
A remarkable story emerged as The New York Times rewrote an infamous 1970s trope when it revealed that scientists had invented an 'endangered species' -- a tiny fish called the snail darter -- to stop a southeastern energy project. "Saving" the snail darter became a model for how to leverage laws designed to protect the environment to kill energy a ...
Why rescinding the Roadless Rule empowers environmental innovation
Editor's note: On February 25, 2026, Representative Harriet Hageman introduced legislation to nullify the 2001 Clinton Roadless Rule. Hageman's press release cited PLF attorney Frank Garrison, who said passing the bill would be "a major win for sound forest management, local communities, and the productive use of our public lands." ...
Small bird, big battle : Florida landowner fights unconstitutional permitting
At a time when municipalities across the country are facing a major housing crunch, arbitrary government rules shouldn't put up huge financial roadblocks for homeowners. Landowner Michael Colosi, whose property sits in a residential neighborhood among dozens of other homes, is challenging a local permitting scheme he says is unconstitutional. "U ...
National Review : The First Amendment Applies to the Doctor’s Office, Too
The First Amendment protects more than our right to criticize our leaders. It also protects our livelihoods, and sometimes even our very lives. A case scheduled to be heard next week before the Supreme Court may decide whether the government can shut off that lifeline. The Court should side with freedom. Free speech saved Jun Abell's life. At 18 ...