Regulated Industries

Our attorneys are experienced in and regularly assist clients with issues such as:

• Siting electric generation and transmission facilities and land lease issues.
• Siting pipeline projects.
• Earning renewable energy credits and structuring transactions involving them.
• Managing water and wastewater issues.
• Acquiring and divesting electricity and electric generation facilities.
• Purchasing, selling and distributing natural gas.
• Navigating oil and gas law.
• Negotiating oil and gas leases.
• Negotiating utility cost discounts in connection with industrial redevelopment projects.
• Negotiation and drafting of PPAs, IAs and TDSAs.
• Navigating regulatory and legal requirements under EPAact, PURPA, FERC and associated environmental regulations.
• Navigating state regulatory compliance issues.
• Dealing with bond, finance and tax issues associated with wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric developments and other generation.
• Analyzing Article I, sec. 8 (“flow control”) issues associated with biomass feedstock issues.
• Drafting and negotiation of offtake and feedstock agreement issues.

We routinely represent clients on a wide range of electric, natural gas, water and telecommunications matters before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and in proceedings before other state and federal courts and regulatory agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Sustainability

Sustainability is critical to ensuring the security of future generations and the growth of the world economy. The market is responding to calls for environmental stewardship, and companies are developing solutions to the new challenges. Our clients are leading the way.

Taft’s Sustainability attorneys combine the best of Taft’s extensive experience in established practice areas in the emerging sustainability law field. Our experienced team advises clients on all aspects of today’s green business culture, including the business opportunities and changes affecting how companies operate in this new area. Increasingly, utilization of sustainable practices has become a significant way to attract customers and grow revenues — while maintaining the integrity of the environment.

We counsel clients in acquisitions, divestitures, zoning, siting requirements and procedures, utility regulatory issues, tax matters, environmental reviews and compliance, design and construction, and contractual matters. Taft works with some of the most experienced sustainability consultants in the world, covering architecture, engineering, construction, software management and environmental disciplines. Our attorneys have appeared before regulatory agencies and planning commissions across the United States.

Our work has focused on green matters relating to the following:

• Sustainable design and engineering.
• Renewable energy.
• State EPA and DOE permit litigation cases.
• Gas recapture issues.
• Plans to convert landfills and contaminated properties to usable recreational and conservation space.
• Constitutional challenges to waste taxes.
• Green issues in the public health context.
• LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building certification.
• Green building.
• Government relations and public policy formation.
• Litigation relating to green practices.
• Regulatory compliance.