Water Policy

The growing adoption of FMV policies in more than a dozen U.S. states has demonstrated mixed results in regards to utility acquisitions at this early stage. Since 2015, Bluefield has tracked 58 FMV deals at a combined value exceeding US$880 million. These policy measures–proposed to benefit sellers (i.e., municipalities) with higher, appraised prices rather than depreciated asset values– are still early in their usage outside a select number of states. >>Learn More

Growth in Clean Water Act enforcements actions has been driven by state agencies that make up 96% of the total, leaving the federal U.S. EPA to focus on larger, repeat violators that have demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to comply with regulations. Since its passing in 1972, on the heels of an oil slick catching fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River in June 1969, only 40% of the U.S. waterways were considered safe for fishing and swimming. Today, the percentage has reached 60% because of regulation. >>Learn More

The EU has outlined a long-term target of being climate-neutral by 2050, in an effort to become a net-zero greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions economy. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal (2019) and is in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement (2016). Several initiatives from national governments and municipalities have been adding regulatory support towards the reduction of GhG emissions and the achievement of carbon-neutral economies. >>Learn More