Bridging Troubled Waters: The Course Ahead for Waters of the United States and How to Navigate It

Bryan Moore, partner in the Austin office and member of the firm’s Environmental & Natural Resources Practice, is a featured speaker at the 2022 Environmental Health & Safety Seminar, held in Galveston, Texas.  

Bryan’s presentation, “Bridging Troubled Waters: The Course Ahead for Waters of the United States and How to Navigate It,” will provide a substantive review of  recent and ongoing efforts by the federal government and the federal courts to clarify the test for defining "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. 

Bryan will highlight the evolution of the WOTUS issue through rulemaking, policy changes, and court rulings. He will also discuss how the continuing uncertainty impacts the regulated community and the potential future legal landscape that many stakeholders may have to navigate.

Additionally, Bryan will specifically address the intersection between the current administration’s proposed interim WOTUS definition and the Supreme Court’s decision to revisit the WOTUS test in the Court’s next term, and provide practical takeaways for navigating this dynamic issue. 

Bryan helps industrial, commercial, and oil and gas industry clients navigate and resolve contested environmental permitting proceedings, compliance audits, enforcement actions and litigation so they can construct, operate, and expand their facilities. Bryan’s practice focuses on solid waste regulation, environmental litigation, and contaminated property assessment and remediation.

The annual Environmental Health & Safety Seminar focuses on environmental regulatory and policy issues at the facility level, with sessions designed to address the impacts of various environmental regulations on refineries and petrochemical operations and to provide compliance solutions for facilities in Texas and Louisiana.