Areas of Practice
- Energy Technologies
- Environment
- Compliance, Audits & Enforcement
- Project Development & Permitting
- Natural Gas
- Certificates & Project Development
- Compliance, Audits & Enforcement
- FERC Rate & Tariff Regulation
- Intrastate Pipelines
- LNG
- Litigation & Appellate Review
- Transactions
- Oil & Products Pipelines
Education
- J.D., cum laude, University of Connecticut Law School, 1972
- B.A., Trinity College, 1969
Bar and Court Admissions
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Second, Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits
For This Professional
John H. Burnes
Member
Seventh Floor
Washington DC 20007
TEL: 202.298.1865
jhb@vnf.com
John Burnes has represented energy clients for over 30 years, and specializes in energy and regulatory litigation, permitting, and counseling in natural gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) project development matters. He represents clients before various federal and state regulatory agencies — including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) — as well as before federal and state courts. His practice includes rate and certificate proceedings, involving significant energy infrastructure projects, and the litigation and negotiation of complaint, regulatory enforcement, and compliance matters. He also counsels clients on the development of rate and tariff proposals. Mr. Burnes is experienced in appellate litigation before the U.S. Courts of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Burnes counsels clients on the numerous federal, state, and local requirements for energy project development — including the Natural Gas Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) — and assists in coordinating and streamlining the complex permitting process. He provides legal advice to clients involved in a variety of energy infrastructure construction projects, such as the siting, construction, and development of LNG import terminals and natural gas pipeline, gas storage, gathering, and local distribution systems.
Mr. Burnes is fluent in French.
Government Service
Attorney, Appellate Section, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1976-1978
Staff Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, Federal Power Commission, 1972-1976
Professional and Civic Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Energy Bar Association
Publications
"Developing the U.S. LNG Market" (Julia Richardson, co-author), Oxford Energy Forum, Fall 2004.
"FERC Sets it Straight on LNG, The Sound Energy Solutions Declaratory Order” (Julia Richardson, co-author), Public Utilities Fortnightly, May 2004