Energy

Environmental regulatory and liability issues impact the production, distribution and use of energy. Our attorneys have a broad range of experience in assisting clients with environmental issues relating to their energy-related operations.

These operations include:

  • Petroleum refineries
  • Petroleum and natural gas pipelines
  • Oil and natural gas exploration and production
  • Petroleum storage terminals and distribution facilities
  • Used oil collection
  • Power plants and cogeneration facilities
  • Alternative energy production and generation facilities

Environmental issues for energy clients arise in both the project development and the operational contexts, not only with respect to regulatory compliance, but also with respect to related liability, enforcement and litigation concerns. Environmental issues also arise in clients’ commercial dealings and involve counseling in contract negotiations, transactional negotiations and deal structuring, as well as transactional due diligence.

Additionally, there is a sharply increasing convergence of the energy, natural resource and environmental arenas. This trend is occurring “top down” as the federal government and various states and regional bodies develop and implement regulations concerning greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change concerns. The trend is also occurring “bottom up” in the marketplace as companies respond to concerns about energy efficiency and other sustainability-related matters. Dealing with those issues requires an approach that combines technical, policy and business analysis with the legal issues presented. Our attorneys are experienced in teaming with other professionals and with clients’ in-house expertise to tackle problems using that kind of multi-disciplinary approach.

See our Representative Experience. Please feel free to contact any of us to discuss how we might assist you in managing your environmental risks.