The time has come for our final weekly round up of 2025! While many of us are slowing down for the holiday, agricultural news is not. Let’s get caught up on some of the biggest stories in the news over the past few weeks.
Photo by Jacob Thorson on Unsplash
*State of Texas sues Xcel Energy over Smokehouse Creek Fire. Texas has filed suit against Xcel Energy seeking over $1 billion in losses as a result of the Smokehouse Creek Fire. The lawsuit claims the fire, which burned over 1 million acres, was started by Xcel’s failure to adequately maintain utility poles in the Texas Panhandle. [Read article here and Complaint here.]
*Texas landowners appeal decision in PFAS lawsuit against the EPA. A group of Texas landowners have filed an appeal after a federal judge found the EPA does not have a duty to regulate PFAS in biosolids under a two-year time requirement pursuant to the Clean Water Act. Brigit Rollins at the National Agricultural Law Center wrote a great article explaining the trial court’s decision.
*North Dakota trail court found law on carbon capture storage unconstitutional. An important case out of North Dakota involving carbon capture and sequestration was decided earlier this month. The court in North Dakota Landowners Association v. North Dakota held that a portion of North Dakota’s carbon storage law was unconstitutional. Specifically, the court found that the law allows the forced use of underground pore space without providing the required just compensation for landowners, resulting in an unconstitutional taking of private property. [Read Order here and article here.]
*12 Estate planning blunders you cannot afford to make. My friend, Cari Rincker, published an article on twelve estate planning mistakes you cannot afford to make.
*FarmHope offers free counseling services and education to Texas agricultural industry. I am honored to be part of the FarmHope project, a partnership between Texas A&M AgriLife and the Texas A&M Telehealth Institute. We are able to offer free telehealth counseling services for all Texas ag producers and their families. We will be hosting an estate planning and mental health program in Lubbock on January 12. AgriLife Today wrote an article about FarmHope, the counseling services, and the upcoming program.
*Decade of thoughts on agricultural law. Our friends at Janzen Schroeder Ag Law recently celebrated their 10th anniversary as a firm. Todd wrote an interesting article reflecting on his thoughts after 10 years of practicing ag law. Cheers, friends!
*RIP Katie Elder. If you’ve attended my landowner liability presentation, you know I always tell a story about our pony, Katie Elder, at my daughter’s birthday party. I am sad to report that we lost Katie earlier this year. I wrote an article reflecting on Katie’s life, and how first horses are first loves for ranch kids!
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