The energy industry’s impact on the environment is often long-lasting, costly, and politicized. Nearly every federal, state, and local energy regulatory agency uses enormous resources to analyze environmental issues in order to navigate risk and mitigate potential impact. Businesses need the same in their legal counsel.
Blank Rome’s nationally recognized team of environmental attorneys provide energy-related counsel to companies in every major business sector: upstream, midstream, downstream, and alternative and renewable energy producers, as well as municipal and county governments and redevelopment authorities.
We bring a wealth of experience from diverse backgrounds to clients in the energy industry and government and can assist with environmental issues and disputes related to corporate transactions as well as regulatory actions and enforcement investigations.
If an environmental matter involves executive policy issues or requires legislative input and action, we will call upon our government relations counsel who regularly monitor and comment on state and federal agency rulemakings and pending state and federal legislation.
How We Can Help
Our environmental attorneys focus on every substantive area of environmental law relevant to the energy industry, including:
- Clean Air and Water Act permitting and enforcement
- Safe Drinking Water Act permitting and enforcement
- Civil and criminal enforcement and litigation
- Toxic tort claims, including groundwater contamination claims
- Insurance coverage litigation for policyholders
- Due diligence, compliance auditing, and environmental management systems
- Corporate, real estate, and lending transactions due diligence
- Construction and operating permits for project development
- Underground and aboveground storage tanks
- Natural resource damages claims
- Toxic Substances Control Act
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and hazardous waste management
- Superfund and voluntary remediation programs
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
What Sets Us Apart
- Our team includes a former U.S. Secretary of Energy, a former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a Chief Judge of the Environmental Hearing Board, and former officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”).
- Several of our attorneys have been active in over 400 proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) since its creation in 1977, dealing with all aspects of regulation of natural gas infrastructure, crude oil and natural gas liquids transportation, and regulation of electric power. A substantial number of the proceedings involved both environmental reviews and ultimately litigation over environmental issues.
- Our attorneys also provide their insights in monthly articles for The Legal Intelligencer and Forbes, and they are routinely asked to be featured speakers at industry events. They often serve as educators for Continuing Legal Education seminars and webinars.
- Members of the group write, lecture, and teach on environmental law topics, and have earned public recognition for their work.
- 2025 U.S. News & World Report—Best Lawyers (Woodward/White, Inc.) national ranks:
- Environmental Law (Tier 1)
- Litigation – Environmental
- 2025 U.S. News & World Report—Best Lawyers (Woodward/White, Inc.) regional ranks:
- Litigation – Environmental in Philadelphia (Tier 1) and New Jersey
- Environmental Law in Philadelphia (Tier 1), Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C.
- Chambers USA has ranked Blank Rome for Environment in Pennsylvania
- The Legal 500 United States 2023 listed blank Rome as a Recommended Firm for Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas.
- One member served six terms as co-chair of the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) Environmental and Energy Litigation Committee.
- We help our clients keep current on the latest trends in the industry through our regularly updated Energy and Environmental Trends Watch blog.
