As detailed through previous Holland & Knight alerts and blogs detailing the Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Consent Decree that postponed completion of the Vessel Incident Discharge (VID) final rule until fall 2024, the...more
On June 24, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in the case of Feliciano v. Department Of Transportation. The Supreme Court will review the Federal Circuit’s decision affirming the Merit Systems Protection Board’s...more
Topic Links Maritime trade is essential to America's economic viability and national security interests. The U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS) – comprising an intricate system of ports, terminals, vessels, waterways and...more
The maritime industry is undergoing a significant transformation that involves increased use of cyber-connected systems, coinciding with increased nation-state and cybercriminal targeting of cyber systems in ports and...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday that it is delaying planned rules to curb emissions from existing natural gas plants. The agency said it is still on track to finalize rules for coal-fired power...more
The U.S. maritime industry is steeped in tradition and sometimes takes a conservative approach to change. Even when the industry has protocols in place to ensure safety of mariners, in some cases it takes an act of...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“5th Circuit”) addressed in an October 27th Opinion an issue arising out of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) and Comprehensive Environmental Response,...more
Background - In December 2018, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (“VIDA”) was signed into law and intended to replace the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) 2013 Vessel General Permit (which has been in place for...more
Under 2023 amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), owners, masters, and managing operators of U.S. documented commercial vessels, are now required to immediately report incidents of harassment, sexual...more
Many legal questions have been raised during the last 120 hours; initially when communications had been lost with Titan, a submersible operated by OceanGate Inc., a corporation based in Everett, Washington, and then on the...more
California has tremendous offshore wind resources and ambitious offshore power goals, but the uncertain rules and regimes for development have delayed implementation of projects. The California Energy Commission (CEC)...more
When Congress enacted the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, it included several provisions requiring owners and operators of US flag commercial vessels to report complaints and incidents...more
Establish firm footing in the world of government contracting with this advanced course of study in Big Four pharmaceutical purchasing. ACI’s Big Four Pharmaceutical Pricing Boot Camp will introduce and reinforce core...more
After the landmark prices received for eight offshore wind leases in the New York Bight, and with great anticipation for the upcoming December 6, 2022, lease auction for the Humboldt and Morro Bay Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off...more
Buying, maintaining and using a recreational boat is always a pricey diversion. As inflation rises and costs mount for boat operation, owners will look for ways to reduce the overall expenses associated with this activity....more
The end of February was a very exciting time for the offshore wind power space. In the three-day New York Bight auction conducted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) beginning on February 23, six companies...more
As sanctions continue to ratchet up in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, global responses in the maritime sector are moving at breakneck speed. Indeed, several governments are taking steps to block vessels...more
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) recently announced that it plans to develop and propose regulations to implement the provisions of MARPOL Annex VI, Chapter 4, including various shipboard energy efficiency measures aimed at...more
This month, the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands (“U.S.V.I.”), Albert Bryan Jr., signed an agreement with the Northeast Maritime Institute, a “Private Maritime College,” to establish the first open vessel registry in the...more
Today, January 12, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced that on February 23, 2022 it will hold a wind energy lease auction for six areas in the New York Bight (NY Bight), the coastal area between Long...more
Defendants Cannot Move for Compassionate Release Based Solely on Post-Sentencing Cooperation- United States v. Claude (October 27, 2021), No. 20-3563- BACKGROUND- Defendant sought compassionate release to reduce his...more
On September 22, 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which would implement various changes relating to the certification of states’ titling systems for undocumented vessels. The NPRM...more
On May 28, 2021, a District of Maine judge granted a joint motion for stipulated judgment in favor of the United States, ending the False Claims Act suit against a Coast Guard contractor hired to assist with the excavation of...more
A vessel owner or operator discovers a (potential) environmental violation; now what? As the saying goes, the cover-up is worse than the crime. Over 13 years since its inception, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Environmental...more
With President Joe Biden's 100th-day milestone approaching on April 30, 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard is holding a steady course on its expectations, including those related to environmental stewardship, innovation and...more