Offshore Wind Project in Central California
Serves as project counsel to Golden State Wind on its proposed offshore wind project off the Central Coast of California. It is poised to be one of the first floating offshore wind projects in the Pacific. The scope of representation includes counseling on federal, state, and local permitting; stakeholder engagement; interconnection; and federal and state policy matters. An area of focus is the intersection of offshore wind development and ocean conservation, as the project will be in the proximity of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
Restoration of the Klamath River
Provides counsel to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation on the removal of four dams along the Klamath River, one of the most ambitious river restoration projects in the United States. Once completed, the project will restore more than 400 miles of fisheries habitat along the California and Oregon border. Areas of focus included natural resource permitting, review under the California Environmental Quality and the National Environmental Policy Act, and Clean Water Act permitting. She also serves as counsel to defend the project against a collateral attack on the final Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order in federal district court.
Wind Project in Santa Barbara County
Counsel on the Strauss Project in obtaining all required environmental and land use permits for the first utility-scale wind project in Santa Barbara County. The project is one of the only suitable sites for a wind project along California’s coast and presents challenging endangered species and cultural resource issues. The project generates approximately 98 MW of renewable energy. Represented Strauss Wind, and its parent BayWa r.e. USA, in several state court litigations challenging the project’s environmental review under CEQA. Currently advising on Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act permitting and compliance.
Energy Storage Projects
Represent energy storage developer of number of energy storage facilities throughout Southern California, including the counties of San Diego and Los Angeles and the cities of Palm Springs, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Moorpark, among others. Areas of counsel include compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act, zoning, local land use approvals, Clean Water Act compliance, and Endangered Species Act permitting.
Solar and Battery Storage Project in Colusa County, California
Counsel on Janus Solar, of an 80 MW solar and 320MWh BESS project in Colusa County, California, with a focus on securing the necessary local land use approvals for the project.
Solar Project in Imperial County, California
Counsel on Salton Sea Solar, a large-scale solar project in Imperial County, California, on Bureau of Land Management lands. Area of advice include compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act and natural resource permitting.
Solar Project in San Bernardino County, California
Counsel on Stagecoach Solar, a large-scale solar project in San Bernardino County. The representation includes review under the California Environmental Quality Act, the Endangered Species Act, as well as analysis of water rights and other environmental compliance matters needed to construct and implement the project.
Offshore Wind Project in Central California
Represented developer of a proposed offshore wind project near Morro Bay, California, in the preparation for a competitive BOEM auction.
Wind Project on Tribal Lands
Represented the developer of Campo Wind, a proposed onshore wind project on a federal Indian reservation in San Diego County. The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the lease between the developer and the tribe. The representation included review under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Offshore Wind Project in Hawaii
Serve as environmental and permitting counsel on a proposed offshore wind project in Hawaii, which will assist Hawaii in achieving its 100% renewable energy mandate. The project is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and will require additional approvals from NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as state and local agencies.
Eagle Conservation in Western United States
Counsel numerous clients on the development of eagle conservation plans and permitting under the Bald and Golden Eagle Projection Act in the western United States for onshore wind, hydropower, and water infrastructure projects.
District Systems for Large-Scale Mixed-Use Development
Provided comprehensive counsel to developer of one of the largest mixed-use developments in California related to an ambitious plan to implement a wide range of district systems to further net-zero and sustainability goals. The proposed district systems include microgrids, wastewater, water recycling, and telecommunications. Counsel also included natural resource permitting advice related to the proposed restoration of a river traversing the project site.
Clearway Energy, Inc.
Represented Clearway Energy, Inc., a leading publicly traded energy infrastructure investor, in related transactions in which it acquired equity interests in a 1,204 MW portfolio of renewable energy projects, including five geographically diversified wind, solar, and solar-plus-storage assets, and formed a joint venture with Hannon Armstrong, a leading climate-solutions investor, through which Clearway and Hannon will co-invest in the development of the portfolio, with Clearway acting as manager of the joint venture and the underlying renewable energy projects.
Seawater Air Conditioning Project in Hawaii
Provided counsel on a district seawater air conditioning project in Hawaii, which will provide chilled water to Honolulu seeking to reduce the electricity consumption used for air Provided counsel on a district seawater air conditioning project in Hawaii, which will provide chilled water to Honolulu seeking to reduce the electricity consumption used for air conditioning by up to 75%. The project was under the jurisdiction of federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and NOAA Fisheries.
Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project*
Represented Southern California Edison Company on a 173-mile, US$2 billion transmission line in Southern California, which provides up to 4,500-MW of transmission capacity for new renewable resources in the Tehachapi area. The project is the first major renewable transmission project in the United States, a portion of which is the first underground 500 kV transmission line in the nation. The project was under the jurisdiction of many state and federal agencies, including the California Public Utilities Commission, the National Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Eldorado-Ivanpah Transmission Project*
Represented Southern California Edison Company on a 35-mile 220 kV transmission line in California and Nevada. The project crossed lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which required implementation of proactive environmental and safety programs encompassing environmental monitoring, training, inspection, and overall agency communication. This project was completed under an accelerated 18-month project schedule to meet a deadline for online generation testing of three new solar-generation facilities. The representation included approvals from the California Public Utilities Commission, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Laura also assisted on the related proceeding before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.
Red Bluff Substation*
Represented Southern California Edison on the development of the Red Bluff Substation, assisting in obtaining approvals from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In the CPUC proceedings, successfully obtained a decision that only a Permit to Construct, not the more complex Certificate of Public Necessity, was required under General Order 131‑D for the substation project.
Wind Project in California*
Counsel on Alta East, a 318 MW wind project in Kern County, California, which was under the jurisdiction of, among others, Kern County, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including the first lethal take authorization for the California condor.
Wind Project in Eastern San Diego County*
Counsel on the Tule Wind, a 200 MW wind project in eastern San Diego County, crossing lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the California State Lands Commission, and San Diego County. Representation included advice on permitting under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
*Prior Experience
