Steven A. Burns

Right now, coal ash is the big one, with efforts to comply with coal combustion residual requirements well underway. Every plant is unique when it comes to CCR and wastewater management. The design, engineering, and construction involved are massive. Add to that a threat of citizen suit litigation and it can be daunting.

New developments continue to unfold, as always. We’ve been thinking about environmental justice for many years, but the events of 2020 and since have rightfully elevated considerations of justice and equity in the environmental space. Climate change is driving major changes in how we think about how we produce, deliver, and store energy. And of course, PFAS regulation and remediation promise to keep environmental practitioners busy for years to come.

Waterway issues are another constant. We have a waterway infrastructure that provides very fuel-efficient transportation for bulk goods and containers, but many inland waterways are severely underfunded and in need of significant improvements.

My 10 years in Washington, D.C. I worked in the U.S. Senate while attending law school in the evenings, and then I was an associate at an energy and environmental law firm that was actively engaged in lobbying and regulatory matters. That experience gave me a sense of how to approach agencies or even the legislature with the clients’ interests. Government programs can seem arbitrary, but they are coming from a specific legal, policy, and political context. When you understand that, you can plan better on the front end and respond more effectively when the unexpected happens.

I am proud to be a member of Balch’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council. It is incredibly important to me personally to help identify and promote outstanding talent from communities that have traditionally been underserved both by and within the legal field. We have a long way to go, but I am excited and grateful to be a part of the effort.

As far as environmental law, the best part of my job is when I get to spend time with the people who are out there doing things and building things for their companies and our economy. It always helps me understand the task better when I know where my clients are coming from, both personally and from a business perspective.

A close second would be anything in the field or at a plant. To see a process in person makes a huge difference in understanding how compliance mandates integrate in the real world. Also, I spend a lot of time behind a desk, in meetings or on the phone, so any day I need a hard hat is a good day. It means I’m outside, and I’m seeing something new.