Practice Expertise
- Chemical
- Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability
- Corporate
- Energy Power and Natural Resources
Areas of Practice
- Chemical
- Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability
- Corporate
- Energy Power and Natural Resources
- Energy Regulatory
- Environmental
- Environmental Crimes
- Environmental Due Diligence
- Environmental Litigation
- Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
- Hydraulic Fracturing
- Indian Law
- Litigation
- Midstream
- NAFTA
- Oilfield Services
- Power and Renewables
- Project Finance and Development
- Remediation and Brownfields Developments
- Water Rights View More
WSG Practice Industries
Environmental
Energy & Natural Resources
Corporate & Business
Dispute Resolution
Financial Services
Crossborder Trade & Investment
Employment & Labor
Government & Public Sector
Industrial & Manufacturing
Technology View More
WSG Leadership
- ESG - Environmental, Social & Governance Group - Member
Profile
For 45 years, Jeff Civins has enjoyed helping clients find pragmatic solutions to tough problems involving all aspects of environmental law, including counseling them on regulatory issues, helping them manage environmental risks in business transactions, and advocating on their behalf before agencies and courts. Having begun his professional career as a scientist and teacher, Jeff loves the challenge of making difficult things easy to understand and the opportunity to learn about technical topics—from groundwater hydrology to air dispersion modeling to toxicology—and about clients’ businesses—from oil and gas exploration and development, power plants, refineries, and chemical plants and other manufacturing facilities, to real estate sales, leasing, development, and financing.
Following a summer as an analytical chemist for a predecessor agency of EPA, Jeff began his teaching career as a graduate assistant at Penn State, teaching organic chemistry lab to undergraduates. He then taught science, chemistry, and earth science in New York City public and private schools before attending the University of Texas School of Law. Jeff resumed his teaching career as an adjunct professor at UT Law School in 1987, leading a seminar on Environmental Law Concerns to Business, and each spring since 1992 has taught a class on Environmental Litigation.
Jeff’s experience includes many diverse and high profile matters. For example, Jeff assisted a major multinational energy company address regulatory issues associated with its proposed development of a multi-billion dollar gas-to-liquids project on the Gulf Coast. He has also represented: American Airlines in its settlement with another airline in a bankruptcy proceeding regarding contamination at JFK Airport; a consortium of underwriters in counseling on environmental risks associated with the TXU buyout; the U.S. Department of Treasury in environmental due diligence of new General Motors; Penn Central Corporation in its settlement of a Superfund case involving a former battery manufacturing facility on the banks of the Hudson River; and the State of Texas in Clean Water Act enforcement litigation against an independent oil company involving numerous oil spills in six different states. Jeff also served as an expert witness for a major multinational energy company in a federal citizen suit regarding air quality compliance and for a leading power company in an administrative proceeding regarding environmental litigation related to its coal-fired power plant in Arkansas.
Jeff’s love of learning and teaching is reflected in his many speaking engagements and articles and in his being frequently called on by media for his views on developing topics. Jeff is particularly well known for his roles as standing chair and organizer of the Texas Environmental Superconference, the premier environmental program in Texas, now in its 32nd year, and as organizer and co-editor of the Thomson Reuters Texas Practice 2-volume treatise on Texas Environmental Law.
Jeff is a fellow and on the board of regents of the select American College of Environmental Lawyers and a former chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Jeff is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law & Business. In the community, Jeff’s passion for education has carried over to his commitment to the Central Texas Chapter of Communities In Schools, a non-profit that helps keep at-risk kids in school.
Following a summer as an analytical chemist for a predecessor agency of EPA, Jeff began his teaching career as a graduate assistant at Penn State, teaching organic chemistry lab to undergraduates. He then taught science, chemistry, and earth science in New York City public and private schools before attending the University of Texas School of Law. Jeff resumed his teaching career as an adjunct professor at UT Law School in 1987, leading a seminar on Environmental Law Concerns to Business, and each spring since 1992 has taught a class on Environmental Litigation.
Jeff’s experience includes many diverse and high profile matters. For example, Jeff assisted a major multinational energy company address regulatory issues associated with its proposed development of a multi-billion dollar gas-to-liquids project on the Gulf Coast. He has also represented: American Airlines in its settlement with another airline in a bankruptcy proceeding regarding contamination at JFK Airport; a consortium of underwriters in counseling on environmental risks associated with the TXU buyout; the U.S. Department of Treasury in environmental due diligence of new General Motors; Penn Central Corporation in its settlement of a Superfund case involving a former battery manufacturing facility on the banks of the Hudson River; and the State of Texas in Clean Water Act enforcement litigation against an independent oil company involving numerous oil spills in six different states. Jeff also served as an expert witness for a major multinational energy company in a federal citizen suit regarding air quality compliance and for a leading power company in an administrative proceeding regarding environmental litigation related to its coal-fired power plant in Arkansas.
Jeff’s love of learning and teaching is reflected in his many speaking engagements and articles and in his being frequently called on by media for his views on developing topics. Jeff is particularly well known for his roles as standing chair and organizer of the Texas Environmental Superconference, the premier environmental program in Texas, now in its 32nd year, and as organizer and co-editor of the Thomson Reuters Texas Practice 2-volume treatise on Texas Environmental Law.
Jeff is a fellow and on the board of regents of the select American College of Environmental Lawyers and a former chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Jeff is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law & Business. In the community, Jeff’s passion for education has carried over to his commitment to the Central Texas Chapter of Communities In Schools, a non-profit that helps keep at-risk kids in school.
Bar Admissions
Texas
Education
J.D., University of Texas, 1975 with honors, Order of the Coif
M.S., Pennsylvania State University, 1970
A.B., Brandeis University, 1967
Areas of Practice
- Chemical
- Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability
- Corporate
- Energy Power and Natural Resources
- Energy Regulatory
- Environmental
- Environmental Crimes
- Environmental Due Diligence
- Environmental Litigation
- Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
- Hydraulic Fracturing
- Indian Law
- Litigation
- Midstream
- NAFTA
- Oilfield Services
- Power and Renewables
- Project Finance and Development
- Remediation and Brownfields Developments
- Water Rights
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
An oil and gas company in obtaining a dismissal of an EPA Clean Air Act general duty clause enforcement action regarding a release of air emissions.
ExxonMobil as a designated expert on state air quality enforcement in a federal Clean Air Act citizen suit involving its Baytown Complex.
SWEPCO as an expert witness before The Texas Public Utility Commission on prudence in resolving environmental litigation regarding its pulverized coal-fired power plant in Arkansas.
A multinational energy company in environmental counseling regarding its proposed multi-billion dollar gas to liquids facility on the Gulf Coast.
Consolidated Graphics in environmental due diligence, counseling, and contract drafting relating to its merger with RR Donnelly and in its own acquisitions of various other printing companies and assets.
EOG in environmental counseling in its negotiations with ExxonMobil regarding a joint venture to conduct oil and gas exploration and production activities at the King Ranch.
Deutsche Bank in environmental counseling regarding its loan to fund construction of a $7.5 M biomass-to-energy facility on the island of Kaua’i.
A manufacturer in negotiating a settlement for de minimis PRPs in the Malone Services Company Superfund Site.
An energy company in negotiating a settlement for de minimis PRPs in the SESCO State Superfund Site.
An oil and gas company in environmental counseling and in settlements of TCEQ administrative and State of Texas judicial air quality enforcement actions involving gas exploration and development.
An oil and gas company in environmental counseling and settlement of EPA Clean Water Act wetlands administrative enforcement action involving pipeline construction.
An oil and gas company in working with EPA and TCEQ in "deflexing" its air quality permits.
An investment firm in evaluating potential environmental risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.
A metals recycler in negotiating settlement of a state Superfund enforcement action.
The Department of Treasury in environmental due diligence of General Motors Company assets.
Lenders on environmental issues with the TXU Buyout and with issuance of a series of new notes.
Asarco, Inc. in a series of environmental estimation hearings in bankruptcy court involving historical operations in Coeur D’Alene, Omaha, and Tacoma.
American Airlines in settling litigation in bankruptcy court with United Airlines regarding contamination at JFK Airport.
An energy company in the air quality permitting of a gas-fired power plant in Madisonville, Texas.
El Paso Corporation in negotiating a RCRA/CERCLA consent order with EPA Region 6 and a comparable order with TCEQ and as a plaintiff in related private party Superfund litigation in federal district court in Houston.
A national real estate company on environmental issues relating to the sale of its national portfolio of commercial properties.
A state medical school in NEPA issues associated with the development of a level 4 bio-containment facility in Galveston.
An energy trade association with regard to NEPA issues associated with oil and gas development in New Mexico.
The State of Texas in litigating and settling federal Clean Water Act enforcement cases in federal district courts in Houston and Tulsa against an independent energy company for more than 300 pipeline oil spills in six states.
Chemical Waste Management in permitting a hazardous waste incinerator facility in Port Arthur, Texas.
Marathon Battery in settling claims regarding the Marathon Battery NPL Superfund site involving contamination of the Hudson River and an adjacent cove, marsh, and former battery manufacturing facility.
An oil and gas company in obtaining a dismissal of an EPA Clean Air Act general duty clause enforcement action regarding a release of air emissions.
ExxonMobil as a designated expert on state air quality enforcement in a federal Clean Air Act citizen suit involving its Baytown Complex.
SWEPCO as an expert witness before The Texas Public Utility Commission on prudence in resolving environmental litigation regarding its pulverized coal-fired power plant in Arkansas.
A multinational energy company in environmental counseling regarding its proposed multi-billion dollar gas to liquids facility on the Gulf Coast.
Consolidated Graphics in environmental due diligence, counseling, and contract drafting relating to its merger with RR Donnelly and in its own acquisitions of various other printing companies and assets.
EOG in environmental counseling in its negotiations with ExxonMobil regarding a joint venture to conduct oil and gas exploration and production activities at the King Ranch.
Deutsche Bank in environmental counseling regarding its loan to fund construction of a $7.5 M biomass-to-energy facility on the island of Kaua’i.
A manufacturer in negotiating a settlement for de minimis PRPs in the Malone Services Company Superfund Site.
An energy company in negotiating a settlement for de minimis PRPs in the SESCO State Superfund Site.
An oil and gas company in environmental counseling and in settlements of TCEQ administrative and State of Texas judicial air quality enforcement actions involving gas exploration and development.
An oil and gas company in environmental counseling and settlement of EPA Clean Water Act wetlands administrative enforcement action involving pipeline construction.
An oil and gas company in working with EPA and TCEQ in "deflexing" its air quality permits.
An investment firm in evaluating potential environmental risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.
A metals recycler in negotiating settlement of a state Superfund enforcement action.
The Department of Treasury in environmental due diligence of General Motors Company assets.
Lenders on environmental issues with the TXU Buyout and with issuance of a series of new notes.
Asarco, Inc. in a series of environmental estimation hearings in bankruptcy court involving historical operations in Coeur D’Alene, Omaha, and Tacoma.
American Airlines in settling litigation in bankruptcy court with United Airlines regarding contamination at JFK Airport.
An energy company in the air quality permitting of a gas-fired power plant in Madisonville, Texas.
El Paso Corporation in negotiating a RCRA/CERCLA consent order with EPA Region 6 and a comparable order with TCEQ and as a plaintiff in related private party Superfund litigation in federal district court in Houston.
A national real estate company on environmental issues relating to the sale of its national portfolio of commercial properties.
A state medical school in NEPA issues associated with the development of a level 4 bio-containment facility in Galveston.
An energy trade association with regard to NEPA issues associated with oil and gas development in New Mexico.
The State of Texas in litigating and settling federal Clean Water Act enforcement cases in federal district courts in Houston and Tulsa against an independent energy company for more than 300 pipeline oil spills in six states.
Chemical Waste Management in permitting a hazardous waste incinerator facility in Port Arthur, Texas.
Marathon Battery in settling claims regarding the Marathon Battery NPL Superfund site involving contamination of the Hudson River and an adjacent cove, marsh, and former battery manufacturing facility.
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