Energy & Telecommunications

Climate Strategy

At Preti Flaherty, we believe we have a duty to help our civilization meet the challenge of climate change, the most pressing issue of our time. So we have founded the Climate Strategy Group to help businesses, government and NGO's reduce society's greenhouse gas emissions quickly, effectively and at the lowest reasonable cost.

Climate change will significantly affect many aspects of North America's environment. This, in turn, will have far-reaching impacts on businesses and our business climate. The international community is vigorously seeking comprehensive action to address the issue, and the U.S. government has become markedly more aggressive in establishing related policies.

As governments accept the reality of climate change, businesses and other institutions face two complex risks: climate change itself, and the reactions of many levels of government to the threat of climate change. Both risks have serious implications. Preti Flaherty's Climate Strategy Group believes that these risks can and should be mitigated by sound strategies.

What Our Climate Strategy Attorneys Can Do For Your Business
With key expertise from our energy, environmental, intellectual property, business and legislative practice groups, the Climate Strategy Group helps clients deal with both the risks and the opportunities presented by climate change:

  • Providing clients with information on the scientific aspects of climate change, as well as public and political opinion about climate change;
  • Helping clients understand, affect and benefit from greenhouse gas regulation laws and policies, such as imminent legislation.
  • Offering changes in both proposed government actions and existing policies and clients' business operations to reduce costs and maximize potential revenue streams;
  • Utilizing the legal system, legislation and policy making to bring those changes to fruition;
  • Forming multi-faceted teams of legislative, corporate, international, environmental, and energy attorneys to anticipate and meet complex challenges for clients;
  • Access State and Federal grant, loan and guarantee approvals for energy generation or conservation technologies, including SmartGrid technologies;
  • Restructure your energy consumption so less fuel is burned and you are paid for the benefit your restructured consumption confers on the electric grid;
  • Develop, permit and finance renewable energy and micro-cogeneration projects to reduce your energy costs and your carbon footprint;
  • Design projects eligible for energy conservation funding from and negotiate contracts with Efficiency Maine Trust, Efficiency Vermont, Mass Renewable Energy Trust and other State and Federal entities.

The Climate Strategy Group has already built a climate of success assisting business and government to "fight climate change right" by helping:

  • Large energy consumers reform the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap and trade carbon reduction program covering nine states, including Maine, to more effectively reduce carbon emissions and to minimally affect consumers' electric rates.
  • New England consumers supply hundreds of megawatts of "demand response" to reduce peak power needs in New England – and to be paid for their sacrifices.
  • Consumers reduce energy consumption by more than one hundred million kilowatt hours, saving millions of dollars for them.
  • Conceive, develop and finance SmartGrid technologies, such as Gridsolar's revolutionary use of solar power arrays to "intercept" peak air conditioner-driven demand before it hits and hurts the transmission grid.
  • Permit and finance community wind projects at reasonable costs.

There is so much more to be done, by all of us. Preti Flaherty's Climate Strategy Group is honored to do its part. Climate change is real. We will help you with the risks and the opportunities.

Firm Highlights

Publication

Municipal Update: Maine Legislature Acts to Clarify Sales of Tax-Acquired Properties

Early this week, in response to the  United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in  Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota  (598 U.S. (2023)) , the Maine Legislature passed emergency legislation establishing a new process for...

Publication

Schutz and Harriman Author Article for MLRC on Mill's Veto of Constitutionally Fraught Legislation

In an article for the Media Law Resource Center's July 2023 Media Law Letter,  Preti Flaherty attorneys Sig Schutz and Alex Harriman explore Gov. Janet Mills' recent veto of L.D. 1610, “An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending...

News

Jeffrey Talbert Named to American College of Environmental Lawyers

Jeffrey Talbert, Chair of Preti Flaherty’s Environmental Law Group, has been invited to become a Fellow in the distinguished American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL). Membership in the premiere association of environmental lawyers is by...

Event

2023 Maine Employment Law Summit

For nearly 30 years, Preti Flaherty's Employment Law team has provided Maine employers with practical guidance and best practices at our annual Employment Law Summit. Join us  Thursday, October 5  for the 2023 Employment...

Press Coverage

Maine Media Organizations Oppose Foreign Electioneering Ban

Question 2 on Maine’s November ballot asserts that corporations owned or controlled by foreign governments do not have the same rights to political speech as companies here in the U.S. and that foreign governments should be prohibited...

Publication

131st Maine Legislature End of Session Update

The First Regular Session of the 131st Legislature was expected to end on June 15th or soon after. Instead, the First Regular Session ended on March 30th, and the Governor signed the “continuing services&rdquo...

News

Preti Flaherty Litigation Practice Group Adds Four New Attorneys

Preti Flaherty is pleased to announce the addition of four experienced Associates to the firm’s Litigation Practice Group: Stephen Garvey, Michael Hanify, Hanna May, and Tiffany Ottenga. Stephen Garvey is a graduate of Boston...

Publication

How to navigate the legal side of nondisclosure agreements

Preti Flaherty attorney Kristy Abraham has authored an article for  MaineBiz  on navigating the legal side of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), outlining six questions for organizations to review before entering into a NDA.

Press Coverage

Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting Wins Public Records Dispute with York County Jail

News

Matt Warner Named to Cannabis Law Journal Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers 2023

Preti Flaherty attorney and Cannabis Business Group member Matt Warner has been named to the list of Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers for 2023-2024. A joint publication of  Cannabis Law Report and  Cannabis Law...