Eric Fjelstad, a partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice, is
managing partner of the Alaska office and leads the firm’s Alaska EER practice.
His practice is focused on natural resources project development, defense of
governmental and citizen enforcement actions, and compliance
counseling.
Eric’s project development is focused on due diligence and
permitting of mining, oil and gas, energy, forestry, and heavy infrastructure
projects. He regularly counsels Alaska’s leading oil and gas and mining
companies on NEPA strategy and compliance, easements and rights-of-way,
strategies for permitting and consultation under the Endangered Species Act and
Marine Mammal Protection Act, Section 404 and NPDES permitting, air permitting,
and ACMP and CZMA review. When project decisions are challenged, Eric defends
permits and approvals before state and federal administrative tribunals and the
courts.
Eric’s defense practice is focused on the representation of
mining, oil and gas, and industrial concerns against third-party and
governmental claims and investigations under state and federal environmental
laws and OSHA/MSHA. He has worked on many of the most significant DRR, natural
resources damages, and contaminated sites proceedings in Alaska, and has
negotiated settlements covering the shutdown and cleanup of some of Alaska’s
largest industrial facilities.
Eric’s counseling practice is focused on
NPDES and 401 certification proceedings, minor source and PSD permitting, oil
spill contingency plan proceedings and federal DOT regulation of pipelines,
RCRA, climate change, ANCSA issues, and compliance audits. He regularly provides
counsel to Alaska’s largest mines, oil and gas operations, timber operations,
and fish processing facilities concerning obligations under environmental and
health and safety laws.