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.
