Praise for Powering the Future: A Lawyer's Guide to Clean Energy

"Energy use touches just about every aspect of our lives and livelihoods, while energy development and delivery reach into almost every corner of the law. Whether it is state, federal or local; whether it is economic regulation, land use, trade policy or environmental protection; our laws define and reflect broader policy ambitions. Increasingly, governments at all levels are striving to accelerate the adoption of clean, carbon-free energy options. Through several recent pieces of legislation, the U.S. Congress has been leading the charge. In that context, it is critically important to step back and look comprehensively at the current energy-related legal and policy landscape. In his usual clear and concise way, Steve Ferrey offers a solid foundation enabling practitioners, stakeholders and students to navigate effectively in this new and accelerating world of energy development."
-Steve Weissman, Lecturer at the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, Founder and former Director of the Energy Program at Berkeley Law

"Steve Ferrey provides a concise 'roadmap' scrutinizing what remains, what is new, what is court-vetted or still to be tested, and what now is legally superseded or preempted for energy, land-use, climate, and environmental law. In sixteen stand-alone chapters, this book analyzes how new laws integrate with existing laws, what states have what particular incentives and clean resources, and how federal, state, and local laws conflict. For any state or federal law that suffers from a gap or deficiency, he provides strategic 'workarounds' to help attorneys and energy professionals transcend each barrier confronted. This book will remain a legal and policy users' manual regardless of political changes."
-Mindy Lubber, CEO & President of CERES, Former Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA

Table of Contents:

Part A: Unique, Inventive, Irreplaceable; Changing the World

1. Electricity: Why it Now Becomes the Most Important Invention in History
2. How Climate Change Simultaneously Changes the Electric Power, Environment and Law

Part B: Strategically Navigating Legal Issues for Power

3. "Location, Location, Location": Where the New Power Resources will be Relocating and Land-Use Legal Challenges
4. State & Federal Legal 'Levers' to Regulate Electricity, Climate, Environment – The 'Major Questions' Doctrine
5. Supreme Court's Legal Foundation for New Electric Power
6. "Taxman:" Legal Strategies using New Tax Laws
7. Supreme Court's New Mandate: Environmental and Energy Costs
8. Renewable Portfolio Standards: Leveraging Law & Subsidies Provided in 60% of the States
9. Net Metering: Leveraging Law and Subsidies Provided in 80% of the States
10. Cities & States Legally 'Zone-Out' Electric Infrastructure and Environment – Alternative Legal 'Work-Arounds'
11. The 'Critical Path' State Legal Barriers Blocking New Renewable Power Infrastructure and Climate Restoration

Part C: Legal Issues Requiring a New Energy Business Model

12. Moore's Law: Electric Technology and Changing Law
13. Legal/Regulatory Changes Mandate a New Business Model

Part D: Below the Radar Screen – What is Coming that One Doesn't See

14. Future Legal Demand Posed by Crypto Electric Power; Environmental Weight
15. Future Legal "Trip-Wires" in the Green New Deal
16. Legal and Policy Reverberations from the New Molecule Changing Electric Power
17. Toughening the Grid and Law