Environmental Law

Jill Grant & Associates provides environmental counsel and representation to Indian tribes, tribal entities, local governments, and environmental organizations. We develop tribal environmental laws to ensure that others respect the environmental values of Indian nations and we provide advice on environmental compliance and other matters of environmental law. We also represent Native Nations and local governments in administrative proceedings, before administrative tribunals, and in court.

The firm drafts tribal environmental codes and regulations for air, water, drinking water, solid waste, pesticide, hazardous waste, underground storage tank and other environmental programs. We help our tribal clients obtain “treatment as a state,” “primacy,” and delegations of authority under federal environmental laws, and we provide counsel in the administration of environmental programs. We also assist in obtaining remediation of tribal lands under CERCLA and RCRA. For example, we represent tribes as support agencies for Superfund sites, obtain cleanup of leaking UST sites, and are involved in litigation concerning abandoned uranium mines. When beneficial, we facilitate coordination between tribal, state, and local governments and U.S. EPA for information-sharing, technical assistance, and environmental compliance and enforcement.

In addition, we assist tribes with the implementation and enforcement of the tribal environmental laws they have enacted. We currently have developed field citation regulation for several environmental programs, and we have defended tribal permits and other regulatory actions before administrative tribunals and in court. Lists of the environmental cases we have litigated are provided under the Practice Area tabs for Administrative Law and for Appellate Litigation.

The firm’s expertise in environmental compliance also applies to economic development projects and trust land acquisitions. We provide legal advice regarding the preparation of environmental assessments under NEPA and the NHPA and environmental site assessments regarding identification and remediation of environmental hazards.