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Paul Wierenga

Paul Wierenga

Of Counsel
About

Paul Wierenga has a diverse environmental law practice that includes counseling clients on a broad range of regulatory compliance obligations under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and other federal and state environmental statutes. Paul has litigated and negotiated disputes over environmental matters relating to air, water, and hazardous waste permit issues, as well as transportation, cleanup, and disposal of hazardous substances. Paul also assists on the environmental aspects of corporate and real property transactions, including the environmental due diligence undertaken to support those transactions. 

Paul routinely advises petroleum industry clients on energy and environmental issues, including those relating to renewable fuels, air quality standards, US policy on petroleum and renewable fuel imports, and climate change legislation and regulations.

Paul also advises transportation and manufacturing industry clients on environmental and safety matters before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Paul regularly represents companies in compliance matters and rule making proceedings involving the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and EPA emission standards for engines.

 

As a former attorney at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Paul has experience with licensing and certificates matters under the Federal Power Act and Natural Gas Act, as well as with matters involving compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal environmental statutes. 

Bar admissionsDistrict of ColumbiaMaryland

EXPERIENCE

  • Representation of petroleum industry clients on environmental issues including those relating to renewable fuels, air quality standards, US policy on petroleum and renewable fuel imports, federal excise taxes and climate change legislation and regulations.
  • Representation of Fortune 500 companies in cleanup, cost-recovery, and allocation proceedings under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, including case involving large-scale sediment dredging.
  • Representation of major manufacturing client in permitting and enforcement matter arising under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration program under the Clean Air Act, including in litigation in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. 
  • Successfully obtained no action assurance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of a telecommunications client seeking to import equipment with non-Tier compliant engines to respond to devastation caused by a natural disaster.
  • Successfully obtained hardship relief under the EPA’s Transition Program for Equipment Manufacturers on behalf of a non-road equipment manufacturer.
  • Representation of project sponsor undertaking significant high-speed rail transportation infrastructure project, including advising on the National Environmental Policy Act, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, and other federal statutes and programs.
  • Representation of major motor vehicle equipment manufacturer in preparing and filing a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to amend the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to eliminate unnecessary barriers to a new category of motor vehicle equipment.
  • Representation of chemical manufacturing and medical device companies in matters relating to ethylene oxide sterilization.
  • Representation of a major oil company defendant in mass tort actions involving hundreds of plaintiff properties allegedly contaminated by a 26,000-gallon underground piping leak.
 
Education
  • J.D., Law, University of Maryland
  • B.S., Civil & Environmental Engineering, The Ohio State University

Awards

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, Environment: Regulatory (2024)
  • Recommended, Environment: Transactional (2024)

Pro Bono

Counsel a West African nation and party to the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) on drafting domestic legislation to implement CITES.

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