Jeffrey Knight | Lawyer

Jeffrey Knight, the leader of Pillsbury’s Washington, DC, Environmental & Natural Resources practice, has spearheaded many challenges to environmental agency rulings and Clean Air Act regulations.

Jeff advises and represents businesses and trade associations regarding environmental risk management, compliance, disclosure and disputes, including renewable energy development and acquisitions, public-private ventures and public-private partnerships, EPA and state enforcement actions, and private party environmental litigation. Jeff advises clients in the energy and infrastructure development, defense, construction, real estate, agricultural, chemical and waste sectors on agency rulemaking and compliance with federal and state environmental laws, including the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, RCRA and NEPA.

Representative Experience

Served as crisis management leader for two national real estate developers regarding environmental investigations and litigation involving public-private venture (PPV) projects across the country.
Led environmental counsel for the owners/developers of 30+ PPV projects with the Department of Defense in the formation, financing, development and operation of housing, utility and energy projects on military bases.
Led environmental counsel for Japan-based NTT Data in its acquisition of Dell Inc.’s IT services businesses for $3.06 billion.

Led environmental counsel for PSEG Power for its acquisition, development and permitting of the Keys Energy Center, a 755-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle energy project in Maryland.

Led environmental counsel for Duke Energy in a $333 million portfolio financing project for 22 solar power projects totaling more than 100 megawatts of generating capacity.

Representing the National Association of Clean Water Agencies in its successful District of Columbia Circuit challenge to Clean Air Act regulations governing sewage sludge incineration.

Representing a coalition in litigation opposing an environmental organization’s effort to force EPA to issue new regulations for 18 different industrial categories under section 112(c)(6) of the Clean Air Act.

Representing national trade associations in EPA risk reviews, rulemakings and DC Circuit litigation challenging or defending approximately 20 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) under sections 112 and 129 of Clean Air Act.

Professional Highlights

“Wyoming v. Dept. of Interior Rejects Hydraulic Fracturing Rule on Federal and Tribal Lands as ‘End Run’ Around Congress,” published by Law360 on July 1, 2016. Co-Author.
“The Clean Power Plan and Its Potential Impact on U.S. Energy Policy, Markets and the Environment,” at the University of Chicago Law School’s Alumni Law Society event in Washington, DC, March 2016. Speaker.
Leader of Pillsbury’s Washington, DC, Environmental & Natural Resources practice and chair of the firm’s Attorney Development committee.

Honors & Awards
- Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S., Environment: Litigation (2018 – 2019) and Environment: Regulatory (2019)

Associations
- American Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association

Education

J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 1996

B.A., Political Science, Amherst College, 1993
magna cum laude

Admissions

District of Columbia

Virginia

Courts

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

Supreme Court of Virginia

Alert 02.21.23

Amid the Rise of Greenwashing Litigation, Guidance Due for Updates May Become Law

As companies are increasingly defending against lawsuits over allegedly greenwashed marketing campaigns, federal agencies and the Biden Administration are considering codifying relevant non-binding guidance, currently under consideration for updates, into law.

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Alert 01.04.23

The Scope of the Proposed Disclosure and Reduction Requirements Concerning Greenhouse Gas Emissions Would Impose Substantial Compliance Obligations on Federal Contractors

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council has issued a far-reaching proposed rule that requires significant greenhouse gas reporting and emission reduction obligations for federal contractors.

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Alert 12.06.22

Proposed Rule on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Would Impose Significant Compliance Obligations on Federal Contractors

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council recently issued a far-reaching proposed rule that includes significant compliance obligations for contractors related to their greenhouse gas emissions.

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Alert 06.22.22

EPA Announces Stringent New Health Advisory Levels for Four PFAS Chemicals

New federal health advisory levels for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances reflect added stringency of PFAS regulation and raise concerns about effective monitoring.

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Press Release 01.06.22

Pillsbury advises UIF on Acquisition of Triton’s Regulated Water Utility Platform

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Alert 03.30.20

EPA Responds to COVID-19 with New Civil Enforcement Discretion Policy

New EPA policy guides regulated parties through environmental compliance challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Alert 01.14.20

Proposed NEPA Regulations Would Streamline Analysis and Eliminate Cumulative Impacts

The proposed NEPA regulations would eliminate agencies’ obligation to consider a project’s indirect and cumulative impacts in environmental reviews and would shorten the time frame for completing reviews, among other major changes.