Williams Kastner has an active Environmental Practice Group with extensive experience handling a broad range of matters, including:
- Superfund and MTCA remedial actions
- Natural Resource Damage (NRD) claims
- Wetlands and habitat evaluation, restoration, and mitigation
- Clean Water Act permitting and alleged violations
- Hazardous waste management
- Solid waste management
- Real estate transactions and development issues
- Risk analysis and lender environmental liability
- Environmental insurance coverage litigation
- Environmental and occupational health regulatory compliance
- Private cost recovery litigation
- Bankruptcy
Our attorneys regularly assist clients in complying with federal and state environmental laws and regulations. They have a unique perspective, having represented clients in both regulatory actions and litigation arising therefrom. This experience encompasses negotiation with and litigation against environmental regulatory agencies, representing clients threatened with criminal action, fines, and penalties arising from environmental matters, and advising clients on compliance with hazardous waste cleanup programs, as well as monitoring their consultants and contractors.
Williams Kastner serves as regional counsel for a number of large clients in the solid waste industry in a wide range of matters including: regulatory matters, employment law, litigation, real estate, general business law and product liability.
We perform regulatory, transactional and litigation work for national, regional and local solid waste collection and disposal companies. Our team of attorneys dedicated to the waste industry has effectively represented solid waste carriers and transportation clients on a variety of safety and economic issues before regulatory agencies, including. These regulatory agencies include:
- Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (“WUTC”)
- Department of Labor and Industries
- Department of Revenue
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Our representation includes matters related to:
- Contract disputes
- Rates
- Licensing
- Municipal tax challenges
- Municipal annexation
- Environmental & land use
- Labor & employment
- Antitrust
Washington remains one of three states which regulates rates and/or service of solid waste carriers at the state level. Knowledge and depth of solid waste regulatory experience with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commissions critical to comprehensive and successful solid waste representation in the state.
The leader of the practice team dedicated to the waste industry, David Wiley, has been active for over 25 years as an associate member of the Washington Refuse and Recycling Association (“WRRA”). Mr. Wiley speaks frequently at WRRA meetings and conventions on state solid waste issues.
Our experience in the transportation industry includes licensing, advising, and general representation of solid, biomedical, and hazardous waste carriers at the local, state, and federal levels. We also represent clients in transporter liability matters under state and federal environmental laws.
The impact of environmental regulation is particularly strong in the area of real property transactions and related commercial lending. The firm has developed forms and checklists to assist sellers, buyers, lessors, lessees, and lenders in real estate transactions. The firm has also authored a hazardous waste lending policy for our financial service clients. Our focus continues to be on preventative actions to avoid or limit exposure to environmental problems. We have worked hard to emphasize to our clients that environmental risks can be reduced by proper investigation, documentation, and understanding of this area of law.
The Pacific Northwest region continues to experience significant growth. To control growth, federal, state, and local governments have intensified water quality permitting and enforcement efforts. The firm has handled significant Federal Clean Water Act and State Pollution Control Act litigation. Representation includes national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permitting and compliance issues, penalty hearings, and defense of natural resources/habitat damage claims.