Environment

  • Holland & Knight boasts a top-tier Environment practice that is nationally recognized as an industry leader. With a formidable, cohesive team of more than 80 lawyers and policy advisors in dozens of offices nationwide, we combine our deep experience and extensive local knowledge to lead our clients and the industry forward.
  • Attorneys and policy professionals on our interdisciplinary team have held key industry and trade association positions and served in state and federal governments, including in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior (DOI), Coast Guard, President's Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • Our team's close work with public policy professionals in Washington, D.C., and municipalities across the U.S. means that we are poised to recognize trends the moment that they arise, whether emerging contaminants, clean technology, energy or tax policy
Environment

Overview

Environmental law cuts across all aspects of the economy, requiring businesses to match the right people with the right tools to the problems that they face.

Holland & Knight's Environmental Team has that rare combination of vast understanding, decades of experience, cross-regional presence, deep local knowledge and access to an external network of technical experts. All of these elements are crucial for helping businesses comply with local, state, Tribal and federal laws; manage risk, reputation and public perception; and remain innovative and efficient in highly competitive industries. Importantly, we act as a team. We match each client with professionals who have the right experience and skills to address your issues and help achieve your goals.

The experience our lawyers have gained through work in various business sectors and government agencies arms us with an intricate understanding of how policy decisions are made at all levels and how they may impact day-to-day operations in different localities.

Our focus includes:

  • all appropriate inquiries
  • brownfields redevelopment
  • clean air and greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting and regulation
  • climate change, sustainability and disclosure
  • coastal issues
  • compliance, liability and risk management
  • compliance auditing
  • contaminated properties
  • due diligence
  • emerging contaminants and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
  • endangered species
  • enforcement defense
  • environmental, health and safety regulation
  • environmental insurance
  • environmental justice
  • environmental, social and governance issues (ESG) and greenwashing
  • land use
  • litigation, including administrative, appellate, civil, criminal and trial
  • mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and other transactions
  • maritime issues
  • natural resources
  • permitting, including air, water and waste
  • pesticide licensing
  • pro bono and academic work
  • public policy advocacy
  • real estate transactions and easements
  • recycling and reuse
  • representations and warranties insurance
  • rulemaking comments
  • Superfund and site remediation compliance and litigation
  • stormwater
  • toxic tort litigation
  • toxic regulation and permitting
  • waste management
  • water pollution
  • wetlands

At the cutting edge of environmental law, our attorneys have on-the-ground experience with operational regulatory and compliance matters, enabling us to apply a business and political lens to every legal issue.

Our lawyers handle all stages of environmental legal work – from the due diligence phase of buying a property or preparing for a merger or acquisition to managing ongoing compliance obligations, defending against enforcement actions and helping companies restore proper compliance. We are also experienced in environmental, health and safety compliance auditing, coordinating self-disclosures and directing post-enforcement litigation, and we create and run compliance programs to pitch to the DOJ as an alternative to government-led monitorships.

We resolve issues for clients in a wide range of industries, including real estate, automotive, manufacturing, oil, gas and renewable energy, among others.

Our legislative experience includes federal, state and local environmental laws such as:

  • Clean Air Act
  • Endangered Species Act
  • Inflation Reduction Act
  • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
  • state equivalents

Our Environmental Team's geographic reach extends across the country, including significant ongoing work in California, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England.

Leading Lawyers on Your Side

National and international publications have consistently recognized Holland & Knight's Environmental Team as one of the top leaders in its field. These include the Chambers USA and Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" guides, which have ranked our Environmental Law practice for its strong government background operating coast to coast in handling endangered species, land use and brownfield remediation and redevelopment issues, as well as our strength in a multitude of environmental subspecialties across the team.

Case Studies

Multimedia

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Second Attempt by the Ministry to Declare Temporary Reserves
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The Decline of the Coal Industry in Colombia: Challenges and Insights
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Evolution of the Mining-Environmental Regime In the last 25 years, In Reference to the Mining Law Congress at Externado University
AEEEp8Multimedia
Podcast - Hot Topics in Nuclear Waste
Podcast - Beyond Compliance: A Deep Dive into Carbon Markets Fraud and the Government's Response
Election 2024 Potential Impacts: Environment
Election 2024 Potential Impacts: Environment
Election 2024 Impacts Energy Sector
Election 2024 Potential Impacts: Energy Sector
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Sustainability and Innovation in the Mining Sector
Sound Waves
How to Understand the Principle of Precaution
A Lo Legal Con Energía - Ep. 3 Multimedia
Podcast - Government Management in the Energy Sector: A View from the Entities in Control
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Sustainable Finance in the Mining Sector
Sound Waves
AEG Chicago 24Q3 Steve Humes - Grid Modernization
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Strategic Minerals for the Transition: A Material Necessity
Sound Waves
Action to Declare Void Delegation of Duties and Energy Transition
Sound Waves
The Professional Duty of Lawyers and Bar Associations in Action on Climate
A Lo Legal Con Energia Ep. 2
Podcast - Mining in Times of Energy Transition
Ban on Coal Exports to Israel: Impacts and Challenges for Foreign Investment
Sound Waves
Escazú Agreement: Will There Really Be Implications?
Multimedia- Florida Capital Conversations
Podcast: Recent Developments in Florida Energy and Environmental Legislation
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Special Mining Districts in Conflict with Temporary Reserves?
Ep.30 A Lo Legal En Par Minutos
Podcast - COP16 in Colombia: The Future of Biodiversity
EOW Election Roundup Episode 1
Podcast - Election Roundup: How a Harris Administration Could Shape the Oil and Gas Landscape
EOW Election Round Episode 2
Podcast - Election Roundup: How a Trump Administration Could Shape the Oil and Gas Landscape
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What the Colombia Government Wants to Change in Terms of Economic Capacity for Mining Formalization
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The Data Kills the Story
Sound Waves
PHASE Is: All Appropriate Inquiry in the Time of PFAS
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What Is Coming in Terms of Mineral Marketing
Ep.1 - A Lo Legal Con Energia
Podcast - Outlook for Colombia's Energy Sector
Gas Prices in Colombia Will Increase; Here Are the Reasons Why
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New Environmental Sanctioning Law. What Changed and How to Anticipate It?
Sound Waves
New CERCLA PFAS Designations: Strategies for Managing Risks and Moving Deals Forward
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Hydrogen, the Unexpected Ally of Mining
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Reversal of Assets for the Mining Sector
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Podcast - Non-Delegation Doctrine, FTC's Non-Compete Rule and Green Guides ... Oh My!
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New Controls on Mining Production: Resolution 371 of 2024
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Congress Gives the Green Light for Ecominerales

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