J. Curtis Rich

Member

Curt Rich heads Van Ness Feldman’s Public Policy practice group. He represents companies, trade associations and local governments before Congress and federal agencies on issues related to tax policy, energy, the environment, natural resources and appropriations.  As Legislative Counsel to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) from 1996 to 1999, Curt represented the nearly 1,000 distribution and generation electric cooperatives that operate in 46 states. As Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), he advised the Senator on a wide range of policy issues including energy, natural resource, environment, economic development and transportation.

His experience at the firm includes:

• Regularly working with both the Senate and House tax committees on a wide variety of energy, natural resource, and environmental tax policy issues.
• Representing renewable fuel feedstock, production and distribution interests on energy, energy tax and environmental policy matters.
• Pursuing improvements to the renewable production tax credit on behalf of a coalition of utilities.
• Representing rural electric cooperatives in their efforts to develop federal renewable energy incentive programs.
• On behalf of project developers, working with Congress to develop policies that support large-scale energy infrastructure development projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, natural gas pipelines, electric transmission facilities, and electricity generation projects.
• Securing federal regulatory relief for several hydroelectric developers and secured federal incentives for further hydroelectricity development.
• Representing an agricultural trade association on agricultural policy issues including federal tax, transportation, and environmental policy issues.  
• Working with Native American Tribes to seek federal policies that address tribal economic development issues.
• Representing trade associations, cities, and individuals in legislatively navigating the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and other environmental statutes.
• Experience in several Senate, House, and Presidential campaigns on policy development and fundraising efforts.

Government Service

• Natural Resources and Energy Counsel, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), U.S. Senate, 1992-1996

Honors & Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America; Government Relations Law; 2008, 2009, 2010

Articles

• Congress and Cellulosic Biofuels, Opportunities and Risks
• Energy's Next Step
• Clean tech depends on federal policy

Speaking Engagements

• World Biofuels Markets 2010, March 15, 2010
• Webinar: 2010 Outlook for U.S. Energy and Environmental Policy, January 13, 2010
• Cleantech Forum XXIII, September 8, 2009
• Law Seminars International: Renewable Energy in the Midwest, August 27, 2009
• The Business of Renewable Energy 2009, April 16, 2009
• 2009 Harvesting Clean Energy Conference, January 25, 2009

News

• Van Ness Feldman's Curt Rich Quoted in Environmental Finance on Climate Legislation
• Van Ness Feldman's Curt Rich Was Quoted in Biofuels Digest
• Van Ness Feldman's Curt Rich Quoted in Article on DOE Loan Guarantees
• 10 Van Ness Feldman Lawyers Recognized as Leaders in their Field by The Best Lawyers in America
• Van Ness Feldman's Curt Rich Quoted in Article on DOE Stimulus Spending
• Van Ness Feldman Releases Summary of EPA RFS Regulations