Representative Experience

  • Advised investor-owned utility on all aspects of decommissioning and demolition of a major power generating facility in California, including resolution of complex issues surrounding contractual allocation of environmental responsibilities.
  • Represented a multinational defense, security and aerospace company and a multinational manufacturing company in creating and implementing their U.S.-wide environmental, health and safety compliance programs.
  • Assisted one of the nation’s largest building and civil construction companies in an audit and on enhancing its national environmental compliance program.

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  • Provided guidance to Bay Area Rapid Transit System regarding environmental assessment and permitting of system expansions, including the extensions to the Oakland and San Francisco International airports.
  • Advised major petroleum industry trade association in EPA audit of California’s Class II Underground Injection Control Program and the state’s corrective action and other efforts to address issues raised in the audit.
  • Advising Duke Energy on permitting and compliance obligations associated with various options for treating coal combustion residuals to increase beneficial reuse of the material.
  • Providing counsel to the Association of American Railroads and its member companies on air quality, climate change and similar matters in California, Oregon and Washington State.
  • Advising companies engaged in large-scale scrap metal recycling operations in California in connection with the performance of a treatability study and potential development of alternative management standards for the industry.
  • Represented numerous clients, in multiple industry sectors, in connection with citizen suits filed under the federal Clean Water Act, many relating to discharges of storm water associated with industrial operations.
  • Represented major petroleum industry trade association and member companies regarding development and interpretation of laws relating to recycling of secondary hazardous oil-bearing materials in California.
  • Advising numerous petroleum refining companies in connection with the applicability of RCRA and the California Hazardous Waste Control Law to various operational practices in the refining industry.
  • Represented major petroleum industry trade association and member companies regarding development of Total Maximum Daily Loads for various pollutants and incorporation of Waste Load Allocations into affected NPDES permits.
  • Representing a broad range of commercial and industrial owners and operators of contaminated properties in connection with agency-directed site investigation and remediation projects.
  • Assisting major national retailer in adopting a California air quality regulatory compliance and permitting strategy that will facilitate significant expansion of business in the nation’s most challenging environmental regulatory jurisdiction.
  • Advising multiple California refineries on air quality compliance, permitting and enforcement in South Coast and Bay Area Air Quality Management Districts, the nation’s most aggressive local air regulators.
  • Providing long-standing service as general counsel and principal environmental legal adviser to Western States Petroleum Association, on state and local environmental issues affecting its members.

Practice Area Highlights

  • Achieved U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ Tier 1 national Environmental Law and Environmental Litigation rankings; nationally ranked for Land Use and Zoning law; and nationally ranked for Natural Resources Law (2024).
  • Pillsbury’s Environmental practice ranked by Chambers USA in the National (2009-2023) California and Washington, DC, categories (2004-2023).
  • Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for excellence in Environmental Litigation (2016-2023) and Environmental Regulatory (2019-2023).

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  • Named U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ 2014 Environmental Law Firm of the Year.