Natural Resources
For companies in natural resource industries like mining, agriculture, oil and gas, and renewable energy, navigating the web of environmental regulations can be daunting. State and federal rules are dense, complex, and constantly shifting. Permitting and compliance require expertise across a spectrum of environmental law specialties. And public scrutiny of these industries makes missteps highly visible.
Our highly skilled and knowledgeable team of attorneys brings together the full range of environmental law capabilities to serve natural resource companies. We handle permitting, compliance counseling, enforcement defense, legislative monitoring, and environmental litigation relating to:
- Air emissions
- Water usage and discharges
- Waste management
- Site remediation
- Land use and reclamation
- Toxic tort litigation
- Project development and financing
With attorneys experienced in appearing before regulatory agencies, our group has the relationships and technical knowledge to solve problems creatively at the administrative level. And we litigate aggressively when negotiations fail.
On the legislative front, we monitor proposals, provide input on draft bills and rules, and advocate for outcomes that allow responsible natural resource development. Our attorneys have held key positions at agencies like the Railroad Commission and Attorney General’s Office.
Our Natural Resources Industry Group provides experienced counsel across the range of environmental practice areas. But just as importantly, we understand our clients’ industries and objectives. By aligning legal strategies with business goals, we enable natural resource companies to manage environmental issues efficiently and successfully. With us as guides, clients can concentrate on the business of safely developing energy, minerals, agriculture, and other natural resources to meet societal needs.
April 4, 2024
Insights
Understanding the New EPA Fees for Oil and Gas Companies
By Taylor Holcomb
Oil and gas companies will soon be required to pay annual fees to the federal government based on their methane emissions. These fees, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects will exceed $2 billion over the next decade, are driven by Congressional directives in the Clean Air Act, but the specifics are currently being worked out by the EPA.
March 21, 2024
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 2024 Texas Rising Stars
Each year, Super Lawyers recognizes only 5% of Texas attorneys who either are 40 years of age or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less as “Rising Stars.”
March 7, 2024
Attorney News
Lynn Sherman Expands Jackson Walker’s Environmental, Regulatory, & Legislative Practice in Austin
Jackson Walker is pleased to welcome Lynn Sherman as a Partner in the Environmental, Regulatory, & Legislative practice group of the Austin office.
February 16, 2024
Attorney News
Lawdragon Names 12 Jackson Walker Partners Among Leading Energy Lawyers of 2024
According to Lawdragon, the Energy 500 list “reflects the historic strength of a handful of firms in this area, as well as the incursions the global powerhouses have made establishing Energy as a mainstay of their practices.”
February 2, 2024
Attorney News
Lawdragon Lists Eight Jackson Walker Partners Among Leading Environmental Lawyers of 2024
According to Lawdragon, “The 2024 Leaders in Environmental Law” list features “an amazing collection of attorneys, ranging from wolf advocates, to sustainable finance leaders, experts in greenwashing claims and regulatory gurus who help businesses navigate environmental regulations to successfully develop projects.”
November 30, 2023
Attorney News
Alisha Adams Named Fellow of Texas Bar Foundation
Jackson Walker is pleased to congratulate Alisha Mehta Adams on her election as a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
May 31, 2023
Attorney News
Tyler Self Serves on Houston Bar Association’s Environment Law Section Board
Tyler Self has been elected to the Board of the Houston Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section’s Board for the 2023-2024 term.
May 26, 2023
Insights
US Supreme Court Narrows Wetlands Jurisdiction Under Clean Water Act
On May 25, the U.S. Supreme Court (the Court) issued its decision in Sackett v. EPA which substantially narrows the reach of Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), a provision that prohibits certain discharges of pollutants to navigable waters without a CWA permit. Determining the scope of the CWA’s definition of navigable waters, and in turn the propriety of the regulatory definitions established by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to define waters of the United States, is at the heart of this litigation.
By Jonathan Bull
April 11, 2023
Speaking Engagements
Mike Nasi to Speak at Texas Public Power Association Environmental Committee Meeting
At the TPPA Environmental Committee Meeting on April 25, 2023, Mike Nasi will speak about the final Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Federal implementation Plan (FIP), the proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), and Coal Combustion Residuals determinations (CCRs).