Ms. Gibson’s practice will focus on Clean Air Act issues
Washington, DC (January 12, 2012) – In a noteworthy expansion of its environmental compliance group,
Venable LLP announced that
Monica Derbes Gibson, whose experience includes developing, defending and implementing regulations under the Clean Air Act in the
U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Defense Section and in the Office of General Counsel in the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its Washington, DC office.
Since 2007, Ms. Gibson has handled environmental litigation at the DOJ. Her wide-ranging litigation practice involved defending EPA regulations under the Clean Air Act as well as defending government regulations and permitting decisions under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Rivers and Harbors Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Her caseload touched a wide spectrum of industries, including utilities, transportation, manufacturing, technology and others.
Much of Ms. Gibson’s career has involved Clean Air Act implementation and enforcement. At the EPA, she worked on the development and defense of the 2002 changes to Clean Air Act regulations on permitting for new and expanded industrial facilities. In addition, she advised the EPA in enforcement matters, particularly involving the electric utility industry. At the Justice Department, she successfully defended the EPA’s designations of areas not attaining the PM2.5 ambient air quality standard, as well as handling matters involving operating permits under Title V of the Clean Air Act and state implementation plans. Her work has also included the development and defense of regulations addressing hazardous air pollutant emissions from industrial facilities and requirements for emissions trading programs.
In addition to her government work, Ms. Gibson has spent several years in private practice, in the environmental group at the New Orleans firm of Liskow & Lewis, advising clients in various industry groups on permitting under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act and on environmental compliance.
“Monica will immediately augment our Clean Air Act compliance and litigation capabilities,” said
Douglas Green, who heads Venable’s Environmental Law Group. “In addition to her Clean Air Act expertise, she brings to us a wealth of experience and practical insight regarding how to effectively represent our clients before the DOJ and EPA, whether in the context of enforcement defense or in the development of federal policies or regulations affecting their businesses. We are delighted to have her join our group and will benefit immensely from her experience and knowledge base.”
At Venable, Ms. Gibson joins one of the nation’s top environmental practices, which counts a number of other former senior government attorneys. The group is home to
Jud Starr and Jerry Block, both of whom served as Chiefs of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section. Also on board is
Margaret Strand, the former Chief of the DOJ’s Environmental Defense Section, along with other former federal and state environmental officials. Venable also hosts the annual American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA) conference on environmental crimes, the leading program of its kind.
“The Clean Air Act is one of the most complex environmental statutes, and implementation and enforcement of the CAA has been affected by the fundamental changes in technology and environmental awareness over the forty years that the Act has been in place,” Ms. Gibson said.
“It’s critically important for companies affected by the Clean Air and other key environmental statutes to rely on counsel who are able to consider future impacts of current actions,” she added. “Venable has one of the premiere groups in environmental enforcement and regulation – I am extremely pleased to take my place among the attorneys here.”
Ms. Gibson recently authored a chapter for the latest edition of the ABA’s
Clean Air Act Handbook, and contributed to the ABA’s Clean
Air Act Year in Review for 2011.
Ms. Gibson received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law (1993). From 2005-08, she served as a vice-chair of the Air Quality Committee of the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources of the American Bar Association.
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