The landscape of environmental law is a patchwork of complex and sometimes overlapping laws, regulations and agency policies that change at a dizzying pace. Companies affected by environmental requirements routinely deal with legal disputes, compliance headaches, public relations challenges, and legislative roadblocks. In short, running a business with an environmental impact can get very complicated, very quickly.
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We provide a path through the maze. Our Environmental and Legislative attorneys work on all fronts: planning, permitting, compliance and legislation, to solve problems for our clients. Our unique approach combines a dedicated team of attorneys skilled in specific areas of environmental law with a respected legislative team that watches out for our clients' interests on the state and national level. Integrating these functions allows us to provide comprehensive solutions that address our clients' current needs while monitoring changes in regulations and legislation that might affect their future business plans.
When it comes to planning and permitting, we stay ahead of emerging environmental issues so that we can equip our clients to meet the challenges they face in this dynamic regulatory arena. Whether counseling on cutting-edge issues such as climate change regulation, cooling water intake requirements, and shale gas production, or offering guidance on old standards such as solid and hazardous waste management, we have the technical knowledge and expertise to develop innovative strategies to help clients meet their obligations and attain their goals.
To achieve our clients' objectives, we employ a wide range of techniques. Often, solutions negotiated at the agency level are successful. Sometimes, the only way to achieve the desired result is through contested case hearings, litigation or tenacious involvement in formal rulemaking dockets. We thoroughly understand the ins and outs of these processes and have obtained favorable results for our clients in some of the most significant litigation and contested case hearings in the state.
However, to navigate the complexities of environmental law, our clients need more than knowledge of the laws and regulations. Their success also depends on our ability to maintain strong and trusted relationships with key decision-makers at administrative agencies and the legislature. Current members of our Environmental and Legislative team have over 100 years of combined experience practicing before regulatory agencies and the Texas Legislature. They include attorneys who formerly worked for the Legislature, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Railroad Commission of Texas, and the Texas Attorney General's Office.
Our clients are building, feeding and powering the country. They operate in a highly regulated space. We clear the obstacles that stand in their way. By putting our knowledge, experience and relationships to work for clients, we enable them to continue their important work of shaping and improving the world we live in.
- Administrative Proceedings
- Air Quality
- Biodiesel and Advanced Biofuels
- Carbon Management & Climate Change
- Compliance and Enforcement
- Environmental Due Diligence and Risk Assessment
- Environmental Litigation and Toxic Tort
- Mining Regulatory
- Project Development & Permitting
- Remediation
- Superfund
- Waste
- Water Quality
- Water Supply
- Industries We Represent
Air Quality
Air quality permitting in Texas can be tremendously complicated for those unfamiliar with the regulations. Our attorneys have a deep understanding of the issues surrounding the permit process and know that choosing the right type of permit can save time, money and regulatory hassles. We develop cost-effective permitting solutions that take into account the individual needs of our industrial clients, and we serve as advocates for clients in the regulatory controversies that surround air quality enforcement.
Water Supply
The regulations surrounding water use are as complex as the waterways that branch across the state. In addition to state and federal regulations, cities, counties and conservation districts may have a say in water issues, which often cross jurisdictional boundaries. Both drought and flooding bring special considerations, and, as in all areas of environmental law, water regulations change frequently. With extensive experience in all aspects of water use, from permitting to litigation, our environmental attorneys bring clarity to this complicated field.
Waste
Our attorneys provide permitting, enforcement defense, and compliance counseling for clients in the areas of municipal and industrial hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste management, disposal, and remediation. Our clients range from individual landowners to large municipalities and corporations. In addition to providing a full range of services to our clients, we are actively involved in the legislative and rule-making actions that shape environmental law in Texas.
Carbon Management & Climate Change
Jackson Walker enjoys a national reputation in energy law dating back to the late 1800s when one of the Firm's founding partners, A.W. Walker, Jr., first developed many of the fundamental concepts of modern exploration and production law. Jackson Walker's leadership in developing innovative solutions to issues for our energy clients continues, both domestically and internationally, and now encompasses expertise in all sectors of the ever-changing energy economy, including emerging carbon capture and storage industry, as well as the gasification of solid fuels such as coal, petroleum coke, and biomass.
Mining and Reclamation
At Jackson Walker, we know the importance of hard minerals to our nation's economic and energy needs. Almost everything – from power generation and transportation to the products that we use every day – requires hard minerals (clay, crushed stone, granite, lignite, coal, limestone, marble, sand and gravel, uranium, etc.). We represent coal, lignite, aggregate, and uranium mining companies in reclamation and compliance activities and in the development of power generation projects.
Project Development & Permitting
Virtually all major industrial facilities and energy projects require environmental approvals or permits to be obtained prior to construction or operation. The permitting process can be complicated and challenging, as neighbors, activists and competitors may seek to use the permit process to delay, scale back, or kill a proposed project. Successful permitting requires careful planning, prudent site selection, and effective use of trained professionals.
