Environmental Regulatory Compliance

Complying with complex federal, state, and local environmental laws can be challenging for businesses. At Dickinson Wright, clients rely on us for practical, day-to-day guidance on requirements governing solid and hazardous waste, remediation, air quality, and water quality.

We help clients evaluate and quantify environmental risks so they can make informed business decisions and address issues before they become larger problems. We also advise clients on limiting liability associated with past contamination and prior noncompliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Our work includes:

• Appearing before regulatory bodies
• Filing administrative and judicial appeals
• Conducting internal environmental audits and pursuing available audit immunity and privilege protections
• Responding to government audits and information requests
• Obtaining permits for development and operations
• Coordinating short- and long-term legal responses to industrial incidents
• Interpreting new and existing regulatory requirements

Enforcement

We represent clients in enforcement matters before federal and state environmental regulators, challenge allegations of noncompliance, and help clients mitigate potential penalties while addressing agency concerns responsibly. Additional information is available on our Site Remediation and Environmental Litigation pages.

Environmental Audits

We conduct and assist with environmental compliance investigations under federal, state, and local laws. As a preventive measure, we evaluate the availability and effectiveness of federal and state audit privilege and immunity protections. We also advise clients on OSHA requirements and asbestos and lead notification, abatement, operations, and maintenance obligations. Environmental audits are often an important part of evaluating potential liabilities associated with acquisitions, mergers, financings, and other transactions involving companies and properties.

Permitting

We advise clients on air, water, waste, land-water interface, and endangered species permitting and licensing requirements. We also help clients obtain and revise permits and defend related enforcement actions.

Crisis Management

We serve on client emergency response teams, coordinate communications with government agencies, obtain expedited permits needed for response activities, prepare and review written submissions, assist with insurance coverage, and address government and third-party claims.

Representative Matters

• Provided waste and air quality permitting and compliance assistance to a domestic aerospace manufacturer.
• Represented manufacturing facilities in federal, state, and local air quality rulemaking proceedings.
• Defended manufacturers in state occupational health and safety enforcement proceedings.
• Conducted comprehensive compliance audits for chemical manufacturing facilities in Arizona and California.
• Served as national environmental audit counsel for a chemical manufacturer, overseeing dozens of audits and evaluating audit protections across multiple states.
• Advised a major metropolitan area on asbestos compliance for urban renewal projects.
• Represented manufacturing facilities in significant federal multimedia enforcement matters.
• Successfully defended the federal implementation of Clean Air Act permitting requirements for major greenhouse gas emitters.
• Successfully challenged the issuance of a corrective action permit that failed to account for the client’s public comments.
• Successfully challenged the denial of wetlands permits and defended their subsequent issuance.
• Assisted client teams with initial responses to major fire and environmental release incidents, including coordination of multiple government reporting obligations and longer-term responses to damage claims.