Cultivating Sustainability Through Regenerative Agriculture
Climate & Sustainability Food & Beverage
Regenerative agriculture entails farming and ranching in a manner that nurtures both the people and the planet, with specific methods varying among farmers and across landscapes.
Tobacco Harm Reduction
Health Care
Harm Reduction refers to a range of intentional public health policies and practices designed to lessen the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal. Harm reduction practices have been used for decades in a number of areas including opioid abuse, reproductive health, vaccinations, and more.
EPR – Extended Producer Responsibility
Climate & Sustainability
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that encompasses all environmental expenses linked to product packaging across its life cycle, incorporating them into the market price of the package.
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Trade
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), enacted in 2020 to replace NAFTA, aims to bolster trade and enhance relationships among North America’s major economies.
Recycling Infrastructure & Sustainability
Climate & Sustainability
Today, the U.S. recycling industry is pivoting more towards technology, innovations, and other methods to aid in the efficiency of the recycling process. Significant developments are occurring in waste management, recycling, and sustainability along with an increased demand for sustainability from both customers and employees.
Basel III Endgame: Navigating Capital Requirements and their Economic Impacts
Financial Services
In July 2023, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) jointly released a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement final Basel III reforms framework domestically. Industry leaders and economic experts have expressed concern that the proposal from U.S. regulators included little concrete economic analysis and impact studies, and the U.S. proposal deviates significantly from the standards agreed upon by the BCBS.
Incentivizing Hydrogen – Tax Credits for Clean Energy
Climate & Sustainability Energy & Utilities
Hydrogen’s flexibility as a fuel source across the transportation, industrial, and power generation sectors, coupled with its efficient storage capabilities, positions it as a critical component in achieving net-zero global emission goals. The production of clean hydrogen is supported by the Section 45V tax credit, which was established under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. The 45V credit aims to accelerate the deployment of clean hydrogen production.
Technology Transfer Explained: The Bayh-Dole Act and March-In Rights
Intellectual Property Manufacturing Technology
The University and Small Business Procedures Act of 1980, commonly known as the “Bayh-Dole Act,” empowers recipients of federal funding, primarily public universities and start-up businesses, to retain ownership of their inventions generated from that funding. If, however, the commercialization of the invention fails to meet certain standards, the government agency that issued the grant can invoke “march-in” rights, and mandate the patent holder issue additional licenses to allow others to practice the patented invention. Recently, consumer advocates have petitioned the government to use march-in rights as a means to lower drug prices, and the White House, Department of Commerce, and Department of Health and Human Services released a draft revision of the criteria to exercise march-in rights.