Environmental Law

Environmental law, regulation, and policy touches on nearly every facet of municipal and industrial activity, agricultural production, real estate transactions, and conservation work in the western United States. Over the years, our attorneys have worked on behalf of federal and state agencies, municipalities, industrial clients, agricultural producers, and conservation organizations alike.

In addition to our comprehensive expertise in the management of water quality matters (discussed here), our team has expertise in navigating law and policy surrounding CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal environmental laws, as well as state environmental requirements in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and elsewhere. We can assist our clients with strategic advice, permitting issues, administrative proceedings and litigation, and compliance issues, as well as a variety of policy matters including participation in rulemaking activities, policy development, and providing government relations services. We also benefit from our close relationship with Perkins Coie, whose nationally-recognized environmental practice can provide our clients with access their resources in many key areas of environmental and natural resources law.

Representative Experience

  • Environmental due diligence and permitting in connection with the transfer and acquisition of water rights, agricultural property, commercial real estate, and industrial facilities.
  • Advising a municipality on a potential acquisition of a CERCLA munitions response site owned and managed by the U.S. Air Force.
  • Representing a municipality in an ongoing CERCLA groundwater response action at one of the nation's first National Priorities List sites.
  • Counseling administrative agencies and private sector clients on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Endangered Species Act compliance, as well as a broad range of other state and federal environmental laws.
  • Participation in federal and state rulemaking actions, including comment development, policy advice, and advocacy on behalf of administrative agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry/business groups.
  • Permitting municipal wastewater treatment facilities, landfills, land disposal operations, and industrial facilities.
  • Permitting of ranchland restoration efforts under the Clean Water Act and other relevant state and federal laws.
  • Participation in CERCLA cost recovery and contribution actions and other environmental litigation, administrative proceedings, and appeals.
  • Development of a proposed strategy for pursuit of CERCLA natural resource damage claims to address legacy mining operations and oil spills.