Practice Areas

We help clients navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape and manage their legal obligations. 

Our firm has extensive experience with U.S. and Canadian regulations, including handling matters that fall under the jurisdiction of PHMSA, BSEE, FERC, EPA, FMCSA, OSHA, State Public Service Commissions, the National Energy Board and Transport Canada.

Our attorneys are highly experienced in:
 

• Onshore and offshore pipeline safety and LNG regulations (40 CFR 190-199)
• Pipeline Safety Management Systems (API Recommended Practice 1173)
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) inspections, audits and enforcement
• State inspections and enforcement of public utilities
• PHMSA Special Permits
• Propane regulations (NFPA 54 & 58) and litigation
• Transportation of Hazardous Materials
• NFPA Standards 

We have extensive experience advising clients on all aspects of environmental issues related to pipeline permitting, construction, operation and maintenance, including compliance with new and existing regulations, repair and replacement of infrastructure, managing ongoing legal duties related to spills and releases and legacy contamination, and identifying environmental risks for companies operating or acquiring facilities. We work to develop targeted solutions that limit our clients’ costs and risk exposure.

We can assist you with:

• Environmental and Regulatory Matters for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines and LNG Facilities
• Clean air and water regulation
  Toxic substance (TSCA) regulation, including the PCB Mega Rule
• Legal duties and administrative process for cleanup of historical constituents of concern including PCBs, hydrocarbons and mercury 
• Legal obligations related to former MGP sites 
• Transactions related to contaminated real estate 
• EPA and state environmental inspections and enforcement
• Solid/hazardous waste management and disposal
• Transportation of hazardous materials regulations

We help clients develop ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) frameworks to document current and future sustainability for various audiences. We assist clients with understanding TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reporting and how TCFD recommendations can effectively co-exist with Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability frameworks. 

We facilitate analysis of risk and development of metrics and targets that flow from organizational governance and strategies through to reporting. We help clients understand the various reporting frameworks and work with them to analyze risk management strategies and capture key elements to improve performance measurement and reporting.  

We help clients establish frameworks to manage and demonstrate compliance.

We assist clients with the development of management systems and audit protocols and conduct privileged audits to help companies improve internal controls to reduce enforcement risk and minimize safety and environmental impacts. We conduct audits of pipeline safety programs and assist clients with preparation for PHMSA and state agency audits..

We handle sensitive compliance audits and investigations to help clients identify issues under privilege and mitigate risk. 

We assist clients with managing privileged failure investigation and developing and implementing corrective actions to minimize recurrence and comply with 49 CFR Part 192 and Part 195. We investigate how the incident may have been avoided, whether there were procedural or practice gaps that caused the incident or contributed to the severity of the consequences. We assist clients in developing plans to adequately address the potential that the failure will occur elsewhere in their system and properly document effective actions to address risk and completing required state and federal reporting.

We defend  clients on matters arising from fire and explosion and other incidents. We have handled litigation in 14 states in both federal and state courts. 

We help employers navigate the complex occupational health and safety regulations with pragmatic advice and hands-on assistance with inspection and enforcement matters. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and state occupational safety and health laws provide considerable regulation and compliance obligations. In addition, other federal and state environmental laws also impact business worksites. 

We provide:

• Assistance with compliance obligations under workplace safety laws, standards and regulations, including advice regarding specific industry or construction OSHA standards
• Advice on compliance and risk reduction strategies
• Training for management staff with respect to practical management of safety issues, including regulatory compliance
• Preparation of safety and environmental compliance frameworks, policies and programs
• Advice during OSHA and state agency investigations
• Representation of employers in connection with employee whistleblower claims

Wright & Associates assists clients with Environmental and Regulatory Due Diligence for oil and gas pipeline owners and operators pre-acquisition. These efforts provide critical information to understand the target company's potential liability for PHMSA and state enforcement and required upgrades; past environmental contamination issues on land owned or facilities operated by the target company; past non-compliance with environmental and pipeline safety laws and regulations; and costs going forward to comply with post-closing environmental compliance obligations.

We assist new owners with navigating the applicable regulations and implementing effective frameworks to ensure compliance and provide advice on establishing environmental reserves for known liabilities..

We provide training on pipeline safety regulatory programs and environmental regulations for clients, including training for operations and control room personnel, and continuing legal education (CLE) for in-house counsel.