Colleen is an experienced environmental litigator who has handled complex cases across a wide range of local, state and federal laws. Her clients include petroleum, gas and chemical, cement, and precious metal refining companies as well as cities and counties.

Colleen has defended clients in citizen suits brought by environmental organizations under the CWA, in a Proposition 65 groundwater discharge prohibition case against major California companies, and against product liability and other tort claims stemming from alleged impacts on drinking water systems throughout California. She has also litigated numerous contaminated property cases, including defending against a homeowners’ suit for a city's alleged former landfill impacts on a housing development.

In addition to civil litigation, Colleen has defended clients in criminal cases brought by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office as well as the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office where claims of hazardous waste, storm water discharge or air pollution violations were alleged.

Colleen’s compliance and enforcement defense experience demonstrates her impressive knowledge of air, water, hazardous and solid waste, and Proposition 65 issues. She counsels clients on air compliance matters, including permitting and NSR/PSD evaluations, and defends them in CAA enforcement actions. In addition, she advises clients on storm water and NPDES permitting issues and defends them in CWA enforcement actions. Colleen also advises clients on hazardous and solid waste management and permitting matters, and defends them in RCRA administrative and criminal enforcement actions. She counsels clients on contaminated property investigation and cleanup activities as well as challenges administrative orders regarding cleanup. In addition, she advises clients on both the warnings requirements and the groundwater discharge prohibition of Proposition 65.

Colleen has substantial experience in transactional due diligence related to environmental matters involving major facilities throughout the western United States. This work has included post-transaction indemnity negotiations and enforcement.

Colleen is admitted to practice before the US District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of California, the US District Court for the District of Hawaii, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Relevant Experience

• Defend petroleum companies against tort claims for alleged contamination of drinking water systems throughout California.
• Defend petroleum company against tort claims for alleged groundwater impacts from a distribution terminal on adjacent properties.
• Defend petroleum companies against tort claims for alleged UST releases.

• Defend cement company in CWA citizen suit alleging NPDES permit violations for stormwater runoff.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged failure to have an NPDES permit for disposal of treated wastewater via injection wells to groundwater.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged failure to have an NPDES permit for discharge from a third party-operated compost facility on client’s landfill property.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged stormwater and NPDES permit violations.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged failure to have an NPDES permit for disposal of treated wastewater via injection wells to groundwater.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged failure to have an NPDES permit for discharge from a third party-operated compost facility on client’s landfill property.
• Defend municipality in CWA citizen suit for alleged stormwater and NPDES permit violations.
• Defend municipality against neighborhood association tort claims related to former landfill operations.
• Defend petroleum companies for alleged violation of Proposition 65 prohibition of discharges to groundwater.
• Defend petroleum company against EPA SPCC, RCRA, CAA and CWA enforcement actions.
• Defend gas company against RWQCB enforcement action related to stormwater runoff.
• Prosecution of contribution claims for remediation costs at various petroleum facilities.
• Evaluation and negotiation of CERCLA contribution claims for active and former municipal landfill operations.
• Emergency response to environmental concerns during refinery incidents.
• Counsel regarding environmental liabilities in purchase of major petroleum facilities throughout California and Hawaii and related indemnity enforcement.
• Counsel petroleum company on issues associated with NPDES permits for its refineries.
• Counsel petroleum companies on WDRs and challenge of WDRs.
• Negotiate Clean-up and Abatement Orders and petition challenging such Orders for various companies.
• Counsel companies on release reporting obligations.
• Counsel companies on groundwater discharge investigations and clean-up.
• Counsel petroleum companies on hazardous waste issues, including permitting, responding to RCRA 3008(a) and (h) orders, and recycling and reuse.
• Counsel companies on air issues, including permitting, obtaining variances, rulemaking challenges and appeals.
• Counsel companies on compliant Proposition 65 warnings and defend against alleged warning violations.
• Review and comment on draft EIRs for CEQA compliance.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, Loyola Law School Los Angeles, 1985MPH, Environmental Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 1979BA, University of California, Berkeley, 1976