Energy, Environment and Utilities

In this era of increased state and federal regulatory scrutiny, the issues affecting energy, environmental and utility law are more intrusive and complex than ever. With experienced attorneys in offices throughout the Northeast, Saul Ewing’s Energy, Environment and Utilities Department is composed of professionals whose knowledge and experience encompass the full breadth of these sensitive and crucial areas of our economy. Our lawyers serve clients in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, regularly appearing before local, state and federal regulatory agencies and courts.

Our attorneys advise clients on how to comply with increasingly strict and complex economic and environmental regulations, defend (and occasionally challenge) administrative decisions and lead successful company or industry challenges to agency actions that exceed legal authority or scientific justification. Our energy attorneys provide counsel and representation on energy (electricity, oil, natural gas, LNG, steam, and hot and chilled water) water, wastewater, telecommunications and transportation issues. We have one of the most experienced utility rate and regulatory practices in the region, and we also assist clients with the development of new projects and the acquisition and divestiture of existing facilities. Our attorneys also have substantial experience with the development, siting, financing and permitting of alternative energy solar and wind projects within our geographic footprint.

Strong Connections and Valuable Experience

The Saul Ewing team is comprised of attorneys who have served in-house and in public service positions, gaining valuable local, state and federal experience and contacts. Our attorneys have held the following positions:

• Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• Commissioner of Maryland’s Public Service Commission
• Commissioner and Chair of the Delaware River Basin Commission
• Assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• Assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Energy
• Director of the EPA's criminal enforcement program
• President of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners
• President of the Organization of PJM States
• Treasurer of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
• Chair of the New Jersey Bar Association's Public Utility Law Section
• Chairman of the Delaware River Basin Commission
• Chair of the New Jersey Clean Water Council
• Assistant Attorney General and Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (now the Department of Environmental Protection)
• Vice-Chair of the New Jersey Water Supply Authority
• Associate General Counsel at one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region
• In-house counsel for rate matters for American Electric Power Service Corporation

Within our Northeast footprint, Saul Ewing attorneys provide clients with a unique combination of state and local knowledge, experience and relationships and extensive complex regulatory, transactional and litigation and government affairs experience. Our team includes members of the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, and Regulated Utilities Practices.

Industries Served

• Chemical
• E-Commerce
• Education
• Electricity distribution
• Electricity generation
• Financial services
• Food
• Gas and petroleum exploration, refining, distribution and marketing
• Government
• Healthcare
• Insurance
• Manufacturing
• Mining
• Natural gas distribution
• Oil and Gas
• Pharmaceutical
• Railroad
• Real estate
• Solid Waste Management Services
• Telecommunications
• Water supply

Clients Served

• Aggregate and sand mining produces
• Chemical and petrochemical companies
• Coal companies
• Electric and gas utilities
• Electricity generators and project developers
• Fortune 500 corporations
• Governmental entities
• Independent natural gas producers
• Industry associations
• Natural gas processors and distributors
• Natural gas storage developers
• Pipeline companies
• Refineries and retailers
• Specialty mineral companies
• Telecommunications providers
• Water utilities

Why Saul Ewing?

• Saul Ewing combines superb local experience and knowledge, with legal professionals who have enjoyed national recognition for the quality of their work.
• Saul Ewing is a full service law firm, able to provide clients with additional services, including corporate and financial counseling and assistance on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, construction projects, taxes, bankruptcy, financial security, labor and employment, corporate governance, insurance and risk management.
• Our environmental and energy attorneys are experienced in navigating the federal, state and local regulatory and permitting processes and represent clients in enforcement and utility rate proceedings, natural resource owners in regulatory takings cases, and in the purchasing and selling of mineral rights, and the acquisition, sale or siting of oil and gas facilities.
• Saul Ewing has strong government affairs practices in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, as well as strategic relationships with CHH Partners, LLC., an independent lobbying entity in Pennsylvania, and Harris Jones & Malone LLC, a Maryland-based lobbying firm. We provide clients with the latest legislative information involving energy development, public policy, regulatory and permitting compliance and governmental issues.
• The Firm's highly respected litigation practice has significant experience in contract, environmental, condemnation, title, real estate, bankruptcy, and commercial disputes that can and do arise in the energy/utility industries.
• Attorneys in our oil field services practice counsel a number of the nation's largest petrochemical, oil corporations, oil and pipeline companies and public utilities in litigation matters, government relations, government contracts, and administrative appeals.

Experience

• Representing Constellation Energy in connection with its plans to build a new nuclear power plant at Calvert Cliffs in Maryland.
• Representation of Constellation Energy Group and Exelon Corp. in their recent successful merger, securing the approval of the Maryland PSC for the approximately $8 billion merger to proceed, creating the nation’s largest competitive energy supplier.
• Representation of FirstEnergy Corp. and Allegheny Energy Inc. in their merger resulting in their ability to exercise substantial control over the policies and actions of a western Maryland electric utility, creating one of the largest energy companies in the country serving six million customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
• Representation of a large national energy company in connection with its billion dollar plus acquisition of Mid-Atlantic electrical generating facilities. The matter encompassed six sites in Maryland and Delaware for which the firm was responsible for local state and local environmental, tax, real estate, and regulatory matters.
• Representation of a joint venture of major utilities in the licensing and development of the Maryland piece of a 267-mile 765 kV high voltage transmission line.
• Representation of a nuclear development company, in the siting, licensing and development of a new generation nuclear plant, including representing the company in the complex and extensive regulatory reviews in the state of Maryland.
• Acted as Pennsylvania counsel and provided environmental due diligence in connection with a multi hundred million dollar investment by a global private equity firm in an independent oil exploration and development company involved in the exploration and development of Marcellus Shale.
• Currently represent an independent gas exploration and production company with operations in the Barnett Shale and Marcellus Shale Plays. This work includes: (1) review and revision of Pennsylvania lease and option forms; (2) creation of Pennsylvania LLC to conduct seismic imaging work; (3) preparation of form of confidentiality / nondisclosure agreement for use with Pennsylvania partners / investors; (4) miscellaneous corporate work, e.g., foreign entity registration, etc.
• Representation of companies drilling and producing in the Marcellus Shale.
• Currently assisting two major natural gas producers who are in the process of obtaining permits for the first Marcellus gas wells to be permitted in Maryland.
• Acted as lead Pennsylvania counsel in acquisition of rights of way from more than 400 landowners in a $700M natural gas interstate pipeline expansion project.
• Acted as lead Pennsylvania counsel in acquisition of rights of way from more than 100 landowners in a $200M natural gas interstate pipeline expansion project.