Strategic Advocacy in Complex Regulatory Terrain
Environmental crimes investigations present unique challenges—combining scientific complexity, regulatory intricacy, and heightened public scrutiny. Treanor Devlin Brown brings precision and experience to these sensitive matters.
Our environmental defense practice encompasses:
- Clean Water Act Violations: Defending against allegations of unpermitted discharges, wetland filling, and other water pollution offenses
- Clean Air Act Prosecutions: Contesting claims of emissions violations, reporting failures, and permit infractions
- Hazardous Waste Cases: Addressing RCRA and CERCLA enforcement involving alleged improper storage, transportation, or disposal of regulated materials
- Wildlife Protection Violations: Navigating the complex web of endangered species laws, Lacey Act claims, and similar conservation-focused prosecutions
- Environmental Reporting Failures: Defending against allegations of false statements, document fraud, and certification violations
A Science-Driven Defense Approach
Environmental crimes defense demands technical sophistication beyond traditional legal advocacy. Our methodology incorporates:
- Scientific Expert Collaboration: We partner with leading environmental scientists, engineers, and technical specialists to challenge government sampling, testing protocols, and conclusions
- Regulatory Navigation: We leverage deep understanding of complex environmental permitting regimes to identify compliance defenses and regulatory ambiguities
- Parallel Proceedings Management: We coordinate defense strategy across simultaneous criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings to optimize outcomes
- Crisis Response: We provide immediate counsel during environmental incidents, managing evidence preservation, government communications, and public relations concerns
- Strategic Engagement: When appropriate, we pursue consent decrees, deferred prosecution agreements, and compliance programs that address government concerns while protecting client interests
Our approach recognizes the unique nature of environmental enforcement—where liability can flow from strict liability statutes, technical regulatory violations, and actions of employees or contractors. With prosecution decisions often influenced by factors beyond the law itself, effective advocacy requires both legal precision and contextual sensitivity.