Steven G. Jones
Steve Jones has annually been listed as an environmental “Super Lawyer ®” by Washington Law and Politics Magazine (2004-2008). He is the chair of the firm’s litigation department. Steve’s practice includes both private and public clients, and he has particular expertise in litigation arising under CERCLA (Comprehensive, Environmental, Response, Compensation and Liability Act), the Clean Water Act, the Federal Torts Claim Act, and solid waste and nuisance issues. His litigation experience also includes land use issues under SEPA (State Environmental Permitting Act), NEPA (National Environmental Permitting Act), and Washington’s Growth Management Act.
Steve writes and speaks frequently on environmental and land use issues and has been asked to be a presenter at the American Bar Association’s Annual Conference on Environmental Law (Keystone) in 2009. He has contributed to chapters to both the Association of Washington Businesses’ Environmental Compliance Handbook and the Washington State Bar Association’s Real Property Deskbook. He is the former editor of the American Bar Association’s Superfund and NRD Litigation Committee Newsletter. Steve also currently serves on the Executive Board of the Washington State Bar Environmental Land Use Section.
Representative Cases Include:
- Successfully defended client from allegations that their development on Bainbridge Island violated Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and then assisted client in obtaining permits from the Corps of Engineers for their private development on Bainbridge Island.
- Lead counsel in the defense of a public utility district’s (“P.U.D.”) proposed environmental impact statement to develop and solve long-standing transmission and distribution problems in the Methow Valley area in Eastern Washington, one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the State of Washington. Assisted in the preparation of the environmental impact statement for the project and in mitigating the environmental impacts of seven different installation alternatives for P.U.D. Successfully defended the EIS and the overall project at both the trial court and at the Court of Appeals.
- Represented the City of Moses Lake in its cost recovery and contribution action for millions of dollars in remediation costs for a well field that was contaminated by solvents flowing from an adjacent military base. The site was deemed a federal Superfund site. Secured an unprecedented order that allowed the client (a municipality) to help structure the cleanup at a federal Superfund site. Found potentially responsible third party for the contamination, prosecuted claims against the military and its defense contractors, and helped obtain insurance coverage to cover cleanup costs.
- Overturned a zoning action, after a client’s property was down-zoned following a comprehensive plan update. Successfully challenged the down-zone in Superior Court where he obtained a reversal of the Growth Management Hearings Board’s zoning decision. He then successfully defended that result in the Washington State Court of Appeals.
- Representing the City of Las Cruces in a CERCLA Superfund site cleanup. The site is on the national priorities list for uncontrolled hazardous waste sites because of a plume of PCE that has contaminated the groundwater