Federal and State Environmental Review Processes

 

We have substantial experience advising clients regarding the environmental review processes of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  For many of our projects, environmental review is a part of the regulatory process, and we routinely work with state and federal lead agencies to ensure that documentation prepared pursuant to NEPA and/or CEQA, such as environmental impact statements or environmental impact reports, are legally sufficient and consistent with the nature of the project.  

 

Other Resources Laws

 

We have worked on behalf of clients on a number of federal land issues, including matters involving the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS).  Specifically, we have worked with these federal agencies to secure rights-of-way for renewable energy projects, facilitate land exchanges, and to design approaches to integrate federal lands into regional conservation programs.  We have also engaged with BLM on various matters regarding the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.  EMS also regularly advises clients regarding compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. We routinely represent clients during negotiations with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), and assist clients in securing and implementing agreements between the SHPO and federal resource agencies.