The Southeast’s Most Comprehensive Energy & Environment Legislative Digest Now Available

We are thrilled to announce that the 2023 Energy and Environment Legislative Digest is now available for download! This annual publication has become a trusted resource for policymakers, industry leaders, and curious citizens alike, providing valuable insights into the latest developments concerning energy and environment in our region.

The Digest is a comprehensive compilation of the most significant legislative actions, policy changes, and regulations shaping the future of efficiency and growth in the Southeast and beyond.

For those who prefer a digital experience, you can review the bills passed over the past year using our Interactive Digest.

This year, we continued to follow a trend of bills addressing electric vehicle (EV) oversight, taxation, and funding for associated infrastructure needs. The legislatures of Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia all enacted various laws regulating EVs.

States across the nation are continuing to vie for regional clean hydrogen hub funding to be awarded under 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia all passed laws studying, regulating, or encouraging the use of hydrogen.

Last year, a small number of laws addressing environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), corporate climate disclosures, and restrictions on boycotting certain fuels and energy sources were enacted, and the trend continued this year in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri.

Physical attacks on our nation’s critical infrastructure hit their peak in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That resulted in the passage of several critical infrastructure protection bills last year, and that trend carried forward into 2023 with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas passing laws that seek to protect our energy infrastructure from threats both foreign and domestic.

Legislatures across our region also passed multiple laws regarding solar and wind energy development and deployment. Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia all enacted measures regulating or encouraging the growth of solar and wind energy.

A handful of our members also continued a trend we have observed over the past few years of addressing sources of and concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminants. Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia passed laws studying and regulating the use of PFAS.

Want to learn more? We invite you to download your copy of the 2023 Energy and Environment Legislative Digest today. It’s free and packed with valuable energy and environmental legislation that influences a coordinated and effective approach to common energy-related issues, such as energy security, affordability, and sustainability.