Find a Natural Resources Law Lawyer Continued…

Natural Resources and Environmental Law attorneys may represent cities, counties, municipalities, and water districts as well as utility and railroad companies and a variety of other clients involved in such natural resource industries as oil and gas. Resolving Your Environmental Concerns We are all concerned about the environment. Sometimes, problems arise that we don't quite know how to deal with on our own. Is it necessary to contact a lawyer? Below, you will find answers to some common environmental concerns. - I think I may be living near the source of some potentially hazardous material. What can I do? It is important to double your efforts. You want to voice your concerns, but you also want to investigate at the same time. Place a call to your local Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so that they can issue a permit to the business in order to find out the name of the project's contact. Next, make an appointment to tour the facility. Contact other organizations that may also be affected by the potential waste and solicit their input. Once you've researched the matter and gotten others to realize the importance of the cause, you should organize a public meeting. All concerns and suggested alternatives should be expressed in writing and delivered to your contact at the facility. - As a private landowner, am I prohibited from clearing trees in an area containing Northern spotted owls because they happen to be an endangered species? You are not necessarily forbidden to do so under the law. In accordance with the Endangered Species Act, if your action is likely to result in the "taking" of an endangered species, you will need a permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service. In this sense, “taking” is defined as killing, wounding, capturing, or in any other way, harming an endangered species. - What exactly constitutes an environmental emergency and whom do I contact in such an event? As with all emergencies, environmental emergencies should be reported by calling 911. You may also notify the National Response Center Hotline, the federal government's centralized reporting center, at 1-800-424-8802, which is operated by U.S. Coast Guard personnel twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Examples of environmental emergencies may include chemical spills and accidents involving the release of pollutants. By Lindsay Rech