The environmental compliance landscape can be extremely confusing for businesses and agencies today. Multiple state and federal acts govern different areas of environmental responsibility, affecting everything from private company operations to public works projects. Dealing with these acts—the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—requires a comprehensive understanding of the broad and far-reaching implications of the law.
Brownstein has the experience and knowledge to guide you through this complex web of environmental regulations. Our NEPA/CEQA team has worked on hundreds of matters involving these acts. We have represented public and private sector clients in all aspects of NEPA and CEQA compliance and land use matters, including administrative proceedings, litigation and appellate proceedings. We regularly consult within the building industry and public agency groups on pending NEPA and CEQA legislation and regulations, and draft legislation for clients on related issues.
Our attorneys have been involved in challenges to federal public land and water management decisions under NEPA and other environmental compliance statutes, and have successfully defended numerous state-issued drilling permits, as well as federal court challenges to drilling permits. They have also provided advice regarding CEQA compliance for major water projects, commercial/industrial projects and large residential projects, and have successfully defended the projects in litigation and appeals. Group members regularly appear before governmental agencies involved with NEPA and CEQA regulations in California and elsewhere.
Members of our NEPA/CEQA Group have extensive past experience dealing with environmental compliance issues while working for Congress and federal and state agencies, including congressional committees, the Departments of Energy, Interior and Justice, and the Environmental Protection Agency.