We Handle the Cases that Make Headlines

Environmental law isn’t just one of our core competencies. Our skills and experience in this area run so deep that clients trust us to handle the cases where billions of dollars hang in the balance. Our attorneys have tried and won a wide variety of environmental cases in both federal and state courts, and achieved appellate wins with reported opinions on important issues of law.

Notable Environmental Cases

• AmeriPride v. Valley Industrial Services, Inc., et al. The firm won an important appellate victory for Texas Eastern Overseas (TEO). In its appellate opinion, the Ninth Circuit vacated the more than $10M judgment against TEO. This opinion relieved TEO and its insurers of the purported claims AmeriPride Services Inc. made against them. This was a complete victory for TEO and reduced its liability to AmeriPride by millions of dollars. The decision was also significant because it established district courts’ authority to determine what method to use when allocating responsibility for settlement costs related to contamination cleanup in environmental litigation.
• City of Modesto v. Dow Chemicals, et al. In this case with international press coverage, Noel Edlin represented a local business in a large groundwater contamination case brought on behalf of the City of Modesto. This was a multi-party environmental action brought under the Gatto Bill (formerly the Polanco Act), HSAA, and state tort law seeking exorbitant cleanup and response costs. After seven years of hard-fought litigation, and a four-month trial, the case was submitted to a San Francisco jury. Noel’s client was held not liable — the plaintiffs’ verdicts of $200M were awarded against several of the other co-defendants, although these verdicts were later reduced by the trial court.

Several of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized for their achievements as environmental lawyers. Noel Edlin and Fred M. Blum were named Northern California Environmental Super Lawyers every year since 2006. Erin K. Poppler was selected as a 2018 Northern California Rising Star as well as a 2023 Super Lawyer, and is currently co-chairing the National Association of Women Lawyer’s Women in Environmental & Energy Law Affinity Group. Given their extensive knowledge and experience, many EGHB attorneys are frequently invited to share their knowledge by publishing articles on key environmental law issues and presenting at industry events such as EECMA, FETTI, Perrin, and AIRROC. In addition, the firm received favorable media attention and a Legaltech Innovation Award for using predictive analytics to win against a much larger firm in a challenging environmental case we handled for the City of Fort Bragg.

Our experience includes:

• Representing clients faced with professional liability claims
• Defending and prosecuting CERCLA and HSAA cases
• Negotiating permits and licenses
• Handling all phases of regulatory compliance

We also are educated in all legislation pertaining to environmental matters such as:

• The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
• The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
• The Clean Air Act
• The Clean Water Act and other water pollution matters
• The Endangered Species Act
• The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
• The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

And we understand all of the companion California state and local laws, including:

• The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• The Hazardous Substance Account Act (HSAA)
• AB440 (the Gatto Act; which replaced the Polanco Act)
• Land use and permitting
• The California Coastal Act
• Zoning
• Pesticide use
• Underground storage tank remediation
• Environmental impact reports
• Environmental aspects of the purchase and sale of real property

Frequently Asked Questions about Environmental Law

Read on for answers to common questions we receive from business and construction clients about environmental law.

How Can Businesses Avoid Costly Compliance Problems Associated with Environmental Issues?

Sound legal guidance is critical. Additionally, a proactive approach is essential for maintaining regulatory compliance. Our attorneys take an experienced, detail-oriented and collaborative approach to analyzing clients’ objectives and identifying potential issues to address them before they escalate into costly missteps.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Environmental Regulatory Compliance?

Depending on the subject matter, a multitude of state and federal agencies may come into play. They include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,  California Environmental Protection Agency,  California Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Water Quality Control Board, California Air Resources Board, and California Coastal Commission, to name just a few.

What Are the Biggest Challenges for Businesses Navigating Environmental Issues?

Environmental law is highly complex because it involves an intricate array of federal, state, and local legislation along with scientific and engineering concepts that require input from leading experts. Navigating those regulations and technical issues can be an ongoing challenge. Another major hurdle is defending against alleged violations, which may escalate to high-stakes litigation involving many potentially responsible parties. Our attorneys are well-equipped to represent clients in both regulatory and enforcement matters.

Partner with Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum

Trust our experienced litigators to put you in a position of strength. Send us an email or call our firm at 628-218-6960. We represent clients across California and have offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles.