Lydia has a broad-based regulatory, transactional and litigation practice focused on environmental law.

With more than 25 years of legal experience in both the private and public sectors, Lydia brings an impressive depth and breadth of knowledge her client’s environmental concerns.

She has represented national and international clients in a wide range of industry sectors – including energy, chemical manufacturing and electronics companies – on waste, water and air regulatory issues. Adding to her extensive experience advising clients on permitting, compliance, enforcement and remediation matters, she has also provided advice on environmental matters involving corporate, commercial and real estate transactions. In addition, she has counseled multinational companies and trade associations on compliance and regulatory issues arising under Latin American laws.

Before entering private practice, Lydia served as head of the Office of Legal Services of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). In that capacity, she provided legal support on all manner of legislative and regulatory developments affecting environmental laws under the jurisdiction of TCEQ. During her tenure at the agency, she also served as lead counsel on numerous contested agency proceedings and provided legal representation on a broad scope of complex and controversial issues facing the state in all environmental media.

Lydia is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

Representative Experience

• Represented numerous clients in the successful defense of environmental enforcement actions before TCEQ and EPA.
• Represented clients in various environmental permitting proceedings that have involved, among other things, favorable resolution of EPA objections and issues related to overlapping regulatory jurisdictions of TCEQ and the Railroad Commission of Texas.
• Counseled various clients with regard to environmental audits, including obtaining benefits under state and federal audit policies and laws.
• Advised clients in various sectors with regard to remediation projects involving the TCEQ’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, Innocent Owner/Operator Program and Municipal Setting Designation Program.
• Assisted clients with obtaining Clean Water Act, Section 404 nationwide and individual permits from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
• Counseled oil and gas clients on Title V compliance issues including deviation reporting and compliance certifications.

• Advised clients in responding to CERCLA information requests.
• Represented a major retailer with respect to environmental issues associated with the acquisition and development of store locations.
• Represented a private-equity company in the acquisition of a metals recycling company out of bankruptcy.
• Assisted global investment company with environmental diligence matters related to real estate acquisitions.
• Represented a dairy company in the sale of its milk processing facilities, a transaction which involved a number of legacy environmental issues.
• Counseled a trustee of an estate regarding divestiture and sale of a water and wastewater company.
• Advised major oil company on regulatory advocacy related to TCEQ air quality rulemaking.
• Advised a Fortune 50 electronics company on product stewardship issues raised by its operations in Latin America.
• Tracked and reported on Latin American regulatory developments affecting electronics companies on behalf of a trade association.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, The University of Texas School of Law, 1986BA, American Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, 1982

• Expert Analysis: Spotlight On Produced Water Management Options Intensifies, Law360
• EPA issues PFAS Strategic Roadmap swiftly followed by other key PFAS announcements, Westlaw Today
• Congress presses forward on PFAS measures, Westlaw Today
• EPA Issues Near Zero Drinking Water Health Advisories for Certain PFAS, The National Law Review
• New Air Emissions Standards for the Oil and Gas Industry
• Texas Railroad Commission Heightens Scrutiny of Injection Wells Linked to Seismic Activity
• Key Texas Environmental Legislation Highlights
• EPA Finalizes Landmark Rules Targeting Methane Emissions from New and Modified Facilities
• What could the US EPA’s proposed Superfund listing for PFOA and PFOS mean for industry?, Chemical Watch