Environment, Natural Resources, & Public Lands

The firm’s nationally recognized Environmental, Natural Resources & Public Lands Practice concentrates on issues related to air pollution control, climate change, energy project permitting activities, water resources, use of and access to federal lands, and management of electronic waste and hazardous waste. 

The firm provides legal, business and strategic counseling to clients in the electric, hydropower, natural gas, automotive/heavy-duty truck, and recreational marine industries.  We also advise real estate developers, mining & metals companies, seafood industry entities, and hospitality, travel & tourism operators.

A complex and overlapping scheme of regulations – such as the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA) and others – governs the development of energy projects, brownfield and greenfield development, mining and mineral resource extraction, offshore energy production, National Park concessions, and commercial fishing.  These and other unique regulations apply to historic structure preservation and transfers of federal lands.

In all of these areas, our practice involves the development of new or revised regulations, issues associated with implementation of existing regulations (including permitting and project development), land transfers, litigation arising from regulatory and/or enforcement actions, and the legislative process. 

Effective February 1, 2012, we are pleased to welcome our colleagues from the Seattle law firm of GordonDerr LLP, a preeminent real estate, land use, water law, and civil litigation firm in the Pacific Northwest.* 

While we work to fully integrate our web content, we invite you to visit the GordonDerr legacy site for additional information about the combined firm's capabilities.